Some theorists suggest that gifted people are more likely to possess the characteristic of entelechy than the general population.
Definition of Entelechy
Psychologist Deirdre Lovecky offers a more poetic definition, “entelechy is a particular type of motivation, need for self-determination, and an inner strength and vital force directing life and growth to become all one is capable of being.” Entelechy often takes the form of wanting to make the world better in some way: improve the environment, a career in public health, social activism. It is suggested at its highest order self-fulfillment takes the form of altruism. I’m not so sure that gifted people are more inclined toward entelechy than anyone else. And anyone, gifted or not, may have entelechy. However, those gifted adults who experience entelechy do so in combination with the fundamental gifted traits of differentiated thinking and intensity and, as a result, know a type of entelechy specific to being gifted.
Typical gifted thought processes include the tendency to think globally, foresee outcomes and be improvement driven. In addition, when motivated, gifted adults can be extremely persistent. If you align gifted thought process with persistence and the often present gifted adult trait of high energy, gifted people with entelechy have the potential to affect significant change. I believe this constellation of theoretical potential is the reason some have suggested that failing to identify and support the gifted results in significant loss, not only to the gifted individual but to humanity because the gifted are the people best suited to improve the world. On one hand, it seems a little far fetched and extreme: that gifted people, those with entelechy are the people who we should expect to improve the human condition. On the other hand, I wonder, of those who make an effort to make the world a better place….I wonder how many of them are gifted.
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