Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment I think I am gifted

Hi,
I am not sure if this is the right place to post this. I think I am gifted. I went through a lot of my life thinking I was less smart, and less than, and different to others. I am discovering that I think a lot more deeply than others, I can see things others cannot (sometimes I don't have proof but I know its true because it's obvious).People don't like that because it looks like I'm complaining but it's not a complaint its an observation and I always think things can be better. I am very aware and I can "vibe" out situations very quickly. I think I'm "too much" sometimes with all the principles I live by. I did ok in school. I was bored mostly and I seem to have not understand any of the material. I did pass everything though using common sense. I speak a few languages and I play an instrument and I am highly creative. I also am great with tools. I am female so I don't have a lot in common with a lot of woman. I always felt that "jobs" were holding me back. I am underestimated and I have extremely high standards and goals. I am quite different in my thinking with most people I meet. I do not conform to societal pressures and that makes me a little bit of an outsider. Reading everything about giftedness, I think I might be. Not that it matters but at least I wont feel like such an outsider. I feel egotistical even thinking I might be gifted.

Okay. I would try not to attach too much meaning to the word "gifted". A lot of parents, and even some unfortunate gifted people, do tend to attach (too much) personal worth to the term. In my opinion and experience, it's what you do and can do that matters in life, more than theoretical potential reduced to a set of numbers, though of course high intellectual potential or ability is more desirable than the alternatives.

What do you think realizing that you are gifted is going to get you? What's your age, out of curiosity? One helpful reason to think about / discuss / assess giftedness etc. is to help open up educational opportunities. That's one big reason a lot of people read this forum.

As a gifted person, I actually wish I had not been identified as a kid. Identification caused some terrible life experiences for me, although it might have been different if I'd grown up today. I also was saddled with a mother who bragged to everyone about my brilliance, genius, you name it (she used such words openly in front of me), which had some disastrous consequences for me: I had a brittle ego, and was afraid to try. Luckily, I grew out of it.

I was chagrined recently when my wife told someone I was a genius, to such an extent that I asked her never to do that again (ordered her actually, way out of character for me). I'm afraid that such labels increase the possible perception of arrogance, and even at best would lead people to treat you differently, and probably to discuss your avowed giftedness with others. I'd just rather be taken for who I am and what I actually do. Even though I constantly bend over backwards to be gracious in my daily and professional life, some competitive people always seek to compare themselves to me, which makes me uncomfortable.

Welcome to the site! There are lots of great resources here and at the Hoagies website.

you are absolutely right. I don't think weight should be put on the word gifted. I guess I just wanted to know because it would kind of explain why I am like this. That's it. Also, maybe gain some confidence in my abilities.
I also think it's damaging to children to be labeled gifted as well.
I am in my mid 30's. I have had learning difficulties all my life. The way I was learning was not right for me. Even when I was in university it was a problem. Now I have discovered more things about myself and I am learning things my own way and I am finally gaining confidence. I need to know why something is like that before I understand any of it.

Hmm. Well, maybe testing would be a good idea for you, to determine whether you are "twice exceptional", as they call it (gifted with learning/performance issues). It could help you learn how to work around your problems, and could help you greatly if you decide to go back to school for a career change, etc.

IMO 'gifted' is a label that is useful in education when you're trying to get everyone learning things in age-based cohorts. It's just not relevant in life after school. Just like school clique labels like jock, geek, goth, etc are irrelevant, too.

You are just you, a collection of traits and tendencies and preferences.

I don't really understand this.

I never considered that adults could be described as "gifted" until I stumbled upon the "Giftedness Revealed" podcasts on itunes. I found these podcasts really insightful for self discovery.

http://www.giftednessrevealed.com/

I don't really understand this. [/quote]

sorry what I meant to say was "I also am great with tools, I am female so I don't have a lot in common with a lot of woman."
Meaning I do a lot of stereotypical guy things.

thanks for the advice. I probably would not get tested as it's not relevant anymore I guess. I am just trying to understand myself a bit better

OMG FloFlo - I love what our other posters have to say, but I don't think their perspectives have anything to do with where you are at.

Giftedness is also an identity-group. It tells you why you have had the life experiences you have had (and your whole post could have been pulled out of the introduction to any number of 'why gifted kids don't have all the answers' type books, including feeling like you don't fit in the narrow confines of your gender-group) and give you a working model of how to make future choices that are better able to pay off. Choices about how to spend social time and about what kinds of work and hobbies to persue.

In the end, a group identity and model will need to be overcome, and one becomes 'just me' but that is AFTER the goodness has been rung out of the experience, not before!

Gifted adults also need guidance. Ruling out 'twice-exceptional' is very important. Meeting other people who share the identity and seeing if you feel more comfortable in your own skin while you are with them.

Giftedness isn't really about some monolithic measure of intelligence - 'everyone who is smarter than X go stand over there - you are gifted' and although ideally everyone who is gifted will, in time, translate their potential into real world achievement (talent), that isn't the world we are living in right now. Some folks are highly gifted in one area, and normally developing or learning disabled in in other areas. Giftedness is the interaction between having a kind of mind that is rare enough in your local world where there are expectations of how minds work that you are constantly running afoul of AND your internal reality leads you to 'step in it' over and over again.

Many of us come to the identity when we become parents and we see history repeating itself. It is much harder without the love of a child to pull us to face uncomfortable things. So I applaud you for your courage.

So welcome to the identity! Try it on and if it fits, keep it for as long as is right for you! See you an the next Gifted event.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

thanks you Grinity. I think you "got" me. That's all I want, finding my identity. I am learning now, how to just be ok with "me". I do not fit in to ANY type of group incl. gender. I have started to understand this and not think it is a bad thing. It is who I am, but saying this will probably keep me from ever fitting in, in the long run. But then again, do I really need to fit in? As humans I think we desire this, which makes it harder to accept the facts.
I agree, I am not even talking about intelligence either. I know some things I like to talk about probably bore people, people tend to want to be happy go lucky while I am on a constant strive to improve myself. The hard part about all this, is knowing certain things, and observing human behavior and then getting frustrated with people around me. Not caring, or not thinking that its important to our society or to our own existence. We need to change. Anyway, thank you for understanding me.