Where to Find Other Gifted Adults

By definition, gifted adults are a small minority – no matter which definition you use.  Commonly, gifted adults have difficulty finding other gifted adults to connect with.  This is further complicated by the fact that gifted adults are a very diverse group and largely invisible as some of us have learned that it’s not so smart to be smart.  Of course, simply finding another gifted adult does not mean you would want to talk to them or that you have anything in common.  I wrote an earlier post, Communicating in Gifted Adult, where I suggested that gifted people have a natural way of communicating that  most people cannot relate to.  As a result most of us adapt and speak a kind of ’second language’, in order to connect with the majority of people around us.  Nevertheless, it is helpful, maybe even necessary as a gifted adult to be able to communicate the way we would naturally.  Unless we’ve had the opportunity to meet other gifted people through school or work, it can be difficult to find other gifted adults, particularly, if you’re in a rural area.  At the end of the day, if we want to connect with like minded people, it’s on us to go find them – particularly since there are relatively few to be found.  Nevertheless other gifted adults are out there.

I’m not going to pretend I have a comprehensive list of where gifted adults congregate but I thought I would kick off a list to at least provide a starting point.  Even though gifted adults are mostly invisible and have largely adopted a social camouflage, I think we are pretty good at recognizing each other when we find each other.  So where are we?  Well, gifted adults are everywhere – it’s a myth that we’re all educated book people even though some of us are.  For example, here’s someone who fits a gifted adult profile to a T but not the mainstream’s stereotype of gifted: Tony Hawk.   So keep an open mind – gifted adults can be in the least likely of places.  But here are some places you have a pretty good chance of finding other gifted adults:

1. Your family.  Hopefully you like them because if you’re gifted, odds are good that so are at least some of your family members since intelligence in genetically correlated.
2. Mensa.  I don’t have any first hand experience with Mensa.  I have heard mixed things about it and I suspect the experience varies by chapter.  Nevertheless, I intend to check it out and make up my own mind.  It’s certainly an option for meeting other gifted adults.
3. The arts.  It has been suggested that personal characteristics of artistically talented people overlap with personal characteristics of intellectually gifted people, particularly in terms of intensity.  I attended a school with multiple specialized programmes: academic, arts and athletics.  The number of people who had multiple talents and attended more than one programme was high.  For example, if I recall correctly, something like 13 out of the 60 people in my arts programme also qualified for the gifted programme.  Even if you’re not artistic yourself, you can still participate in the arts in a wide variety of non-artistic ways.
4. Philanthropy.  Many gifted people I know have chosen philanthropy as a profession.  In addition, many gifted people in other professions are also active in philanthropic activities, particularly at a Board of Directors level.  Particularly, I would suggest seeking out the people who run things at not-for-profits either as a professional or a volunteer.
5. Do you have an interest that you currently pursue in a solitary fashion?  Somewhere, there’s a group or groups that discuss this interest whether it’s Tudor England or glass beads.  And if it’s some esoteric interest that bores most people to tears, odds are even better that you’ll find other gifted adults in this group.
6. The internet.  To my mind this isn’t the best option but it’s certainly AN option.  As useful as the Internet is, I don’t believe it’s a replacement for personal interaction.  However, if you live in an isolated area it’s definitely better than nothing.  And if you’re profoundly gifted looking for the human equivalent of a needle in a haystack, then the Internet is probably a good place to start.

I have come across gifted people in all walks of life.  In my experience, they tend to be the passionate people kicking at the status quo asking a lot of questions.  If you pursue something you’re passionate about, particularly at a high level, you’re likely to find another gifted adult in the mix somewhere.

Tagged as: adult, gifted, Intellectual giftedness, Mensa