I thought I would take a break from reading through theories about all kinds of things I never really questioned before. Like: what is ‘gifted’? What is intelligence? What does an IQ test measure? (And which IQ test)? What is the difference between “potential” and “talent” and “achievement” and what does of any of it have to do with being gifted or one’s score on an IQ test?
Depending on what I read, gifted is either about what one does or who one is. Being gifted is maybe about intelligence (whatever that may be) or having certain personality traits. Intelligence – the only thing I can figure out at this point is that there is lack of consensus about what intelligence is. And there is a tremendous amount of criticism regarding IQ tests particularly since no one seems sure what intelligence is anyway and even if we did know, the IQ test may not be measuring it. However, it seems that despite all the criticisms the IQ test remains the most widely used measure of intelligence in academia and in practical application.
So I thought I’d step out of the theoretical contructs running through my head and compare them to what I’ve experienced in my life. I don’t know what intelligence is and I don’t know what an IQ test measures but I know I shared something in common with the other people I went through the gifted program with. What did we share? We had a similar way of speaking. When I was in school, I didn’t recognize it but if I hear it now, it’s like an accent, it’s so distinct to me. And we share an intensity. I was speaking with a friend who also attended the gifted program. I ran some of the theories about gifted personality by her and she offered up what I learned would be the universal response of the gifted people I know: ‘I’m not so sure I buy it, but I’m interested in knowing more.’ When I suggested that there may be personality traits consistent with being gifted, I know she was running through her mind the extremely varied and disparate group that comprised our class. There was one guy in our class who was the exception to the exceptions: he was brilliant in everything (most of us had clear strengths and deficits), he was more relaxed than most of us, seemed so much more socially evolved, even as a teenager. He had pretty much unanimous respect for both his mental abilities as well as for the person he was. So I offered my friend the trait that as far as I can figure applies to every gifted person I know: intensity. And she had to laugh because I knew she had this brilliant/adjusted gifted guy in her mind. And he too was intense, in his own way.
So setting aside the quantitative/theoretical a little longer…’cause I actually prefer the experiential and qualitative….ok, actually, I just like stories. A number of years, I was working long hours, deeply immersed in my job, largely surrounded by people who do not vibrate at my frequency. For the most part, I had adjusted my vocabularly, consciously spoke slower and was working on adapting. Despite my efforts, I was often reminded that I was intense/had too much energy. At this time, I went on a business trip to Vancouver and had dinner with some people who had attended the gifted program with me. I excused myself to make a phone call and as I returned to the table I could see them: all leaned in, talking fast, looking very….intense. They weren’t discussing a topic that was particularly important; they were simply intense people…chatting. And I realized: wow, THAT’S how I look to the people I work with.
So, I don’t know what an IQ test captures or what it means. But I do know that I went to school with a group of people at the tail end of that bell curve and my experience was they were all intense.
OK – I am now returning to theoretical constructs 
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