Here's a stab at it.
I can't say it's 100% universal, but a curious and active mind seems to be relatively consistent amongst the gifted?
So, harnass those mechanisms. Curiosity can easily supply motivated, drive, and determination. An active mind gets the job done. I model a curious mind all the time. I ask DS as many whys as e has ever asked me. Make ridiculous hypotheses. Etc.
Any subject, any material, has some knowledge, some hidden abstraction layer, connection, meaning, that can be routed around for if one believes it is not just OK but awesome to wonder about such things. Mundane multiple choice test? Au contraire... try to see if there is a pattern or give it a Turing test. Or wonder how many variations of that test there are. Or...
Meet a new person who seems poised to discuss the local sport team with you...ask them about their job (people seem to like to talk about themselves,) figure out their expertise, be curious about them, etc.
Read about great scientists and there seems to be a pivotal single curious question that launches them.
So that's my theory, harnass and nurture the natural mechanism that is already there in spades and prepare it to lead the way. And support and encourage the slow to answer questions and sprinkle in admitting your own "I don't know."..."But now I NEED to know too."
