I enjoyed this but I too would love more information about the existential and naturalistic giftedness. I’m pretty sure I am strong in the existential one whereas my husband is gifted probably more in what I’m guessing “naturalistic” means (ie a profound connection and intuitive understanding of nature). And both of those really are gifts. If there’s pushback, then my feeling is that this is because academics tend to live in cities and be more from a secular, non-spiritual perspective, or at least they tend to keep those aspects to themselves. But overall, loved the video and appreciate the perspective - especially being told we don’t have ALL of them (ahem, not so much “social” giftedness, personally).
Some experts feel that the category of existential giftedness is extraneous because it overlaps with other, stronger categories (intellectual, emotional) and is not often manifested as a primary type. Many gifted people whose skills fall into all the categories also experience existential dread alongside their primary gifted traits, so calling it out as a separate category isn't particularly useful, plus it's hard to measure and quantify.
@@ThriveMindGiftedCoaching I know that it is hard to quantify this and it goes along with other types, but this also means that this important trait remains abandoned and there is only little information about this out there. For me, it happens to be a primary thing 🤷♀
@Orech-the-Nut In what ways? Could you explain what that entails for you? I have a conception of what existential giftedness would entail, but I don't have words attached to it or fleshed out ideas; just a wordless concept with intuitive feeling behind it (that's the best way I can describe it) - as if the soul understands it outside of the organized mind, if that makes sense to you. Since you're certain it's your primary mode, it would be useful and interesting to get your particular idea of what existential giftedness could encompass. Thank you in advance.
@ Hi, you are rigth that this is primary a feeling beyond words, that is not easy to grasp. But yeah. At first there was surely a sense of things being right or not, when I was a tiny kid - if things were right it felt like a harmony. But when kids had for instance a fight and I witnessed this I knew it wasn’t right, even if adults told me otherwise. Later in life I could think I more complex way allready and it was allways about values in life and thinking about situations I saw or went through - was this aligned with my values or not? Are societal values rreasonable? When and why? I was very spiritual and I ended up thinking of questions what philosophers usualy ask. And I allways could imagine how things could be different, more aligned with my values. I also ended up trying these changes in my real life, often looking like the fool and greatest idiot ever for everyone around, who didn’t understand my efforts :) I worked for two NGOs later, because I loved their vision and I love to work for the visions to come true. It was not only a job, it was a “mission” to me. For me, existential giftedness is connected also to deep and indepenent faith (no church is allowed to tell me what should I do as a believer) and to seeing whole life as a creative mission, learning how to live accord set of values a life, that does not fit in, but still maintains a fine connection with society. This is kinda utopistic, I know, and sometimes it is very hard, because life is kinda harsh. It’s a bit foolish. However, I find this like an only thing that is worth trying. I am a stubborn being. I know that existential giftedness is a also kind of emotional giftedness. Emotional giftedness is broader cathegory, and it is connected with deep and kinda wild emotional expriences, like you had your emotionaliy twice more intensive that people usualy have (it could be described also as an HSP, superfeeler type) and a keen empathy for other people’s emotional states. But gifted people are very diverse, I think every existially gifted can feel things in a quite unique way, so you may have your quite unqiue way of being existentially gifted as well.
@Orech-the-Nut I am in complete agreement. This is the very same experience I have had from childhood onward. And I have been striving to determine the reasons for it for years. Very recently, I have come to the conclusion that this spiritual giftedness (as aptly named as it can be, considering the time period, circumstances, limitations, and current understanding of the world's cultures and societies) is perhaps (and I could be wrong) a reflection of depth or degree of a soul's learning or maturity level at this point in their existence, similar to a human's level of learning on Earth, but instead of being an accumulation of book learning and human experiences, it is an accumulation of a soul's vast amount of experience prior to this life, which would explain why some people are BORN with this innate sense of morality, or right and wrong, without having to have a human framework of morality, rules, and consequances be forced upon them and reinforced and retaught over and over to teach them to understand the consequences of their actions and interactions. Rather, it is an innate sense and a deep desire to do right for the sake of love, kindness, compassion, empathy, and understanding of the complex ties between people and the ripple effects of their actions. I find it very strange when people believe souls did not exist prior to this life. But again, I reserve the right to be wrong about anything and everything. My own understanding of life, humanity, eternity, and the soul is extremely limited, just as everyone else's is. What are your thoughts on this perspective?
I'm 68 years old and went to schools that had no gifted or advanced programs. I know I have a higher than average IQ, and I have been told by two teachers that my thinking through problems or questions is done in unique ways. How can I (or someone else) determine if I am intelligent or gifted? I come from a family where women (according to my mother) shouldn't be too intelligent- men don't like it. Luckily I didn't believe that!
The best way to determine whether a person is gifted is with a clinical assessment by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but those can be costly. If you choose to try to self-diagnose, I'd recommend taking as many reputable online assessments as possible, and looking for patterns. If you take ten quizzes that all indicate a strong tendency toward giftedness, you can probably trust those results, whereas if you take ten quizzes and your results are all over the map, you probably should not trust those results. Good luck!
How often would one find skill in all those areas? (Not "primary vs secondary", but fairly balanced/high levels in all areas mentioned?) I'm curious. Curiosity only has a history of negatively targeting felines, so I think I'm safe to at least ask.
That would be pretty rare, but it's hard to say exactly how rare, because there really aren't many studies out there that examine that specific question.
I enjoyed this but I too would love more information about the existential and naturalistic giftedness. I’m pretty sure I am strong in the existential one whereas my husband is gifted probably more in what I’m guessing “naturalistic” means (ie a profound connection and intuitive understanding of nature). And both of those really are gifts. If there’s pushback, then my feeling is that this is because academics tend to live in cities and be more from a secular, non-spiritual perspective, or at least they tend to keep those aspects to themselves. But overall, loved the video and appreciate the perspective - especially being told we don’t have ALL of them (ahem, not so much “social” giftedness, personally).
why existential giftedness had a pushback? And is this why it's not included here in the video? I see this type as equally important.
Some experts feel that the category of existential giftedness is extraneous because it overlaps with other, stronger categories (intellectual, emotional) and is not often manifested as a primary type. Many gifted people whose skills fall into all the categories also experience existential dread alongside their primary gifted traits, so calling it out as a separate category isn't particularly useful, plus it's hard to measure and quantify.
@@ThriveMindGiftedCoaching I know that it is hard to quantify this and it goes along with other types, but this also means that this important trait remains abandoned and there is only little information about this out there. For me, it happens to be a primary thing 🤷♀
@Orech-the-Nut In what ways? Could you explain what that entails for you? I have a conception of what existential giftedness would entail, but I don't have words attached to it or fleshed out ideas; just a wordless concept with intuitive feeling behind it (that's the best way I can describe it) - as if the soul understands it outside of the organized mind, if that makes sense to you.
Since you're certain it's your primary mode, it would be useful and interesting to get your particular idea of what existential giftedness could encompass.
Thank you in advance.
@
Hi, you are rigth that this is primary a feeling beyond words, that is not easy to grasp. But yeah. At first there was surely a sense of things being right or not, when I was a tiny kid - if things were right it felt like a harmony. But when kids had for instance a fight and I witnessed this I knew it wasn’t right, even if adults told me otherwise.
Later in life I could think I more complex way allready and it was allways about values in life and thinking about situations I saw or went through - was this aligned with my values or not? Are societal values rreasonable? When and why?
I was very spiritual and I ended up thinking of questions what philosophers usualy ask.
And I allways could imagine how things could be different, more aligned with my values. I also ended up trying these changes in my real life, often looking like the fool and greatest idiot ever for everyone around, who didn’t understand my efforts :)
I worked for two NGOs later, because I loved their vision and I love to work for the visions to come true. It was not only a job, it was a “mission” to me.
For me, existential giftedness is connected also to deep and indepenent faith (no church is allowed to tell me what should I do as a believer) and to seeing whole life as a creative mission, learning how to live accord set of values a life, that does not fit in, but still maintains a fine connection with society. This is kinda utopistic, I know, and sometimes it is very hard, because life is kinda harsh. It’s a bit foolish. However, I find this like an only thing that is worth trying. I am a stubborn being.
I know that existential giftedness is a also kind of emotional giftedness. Emotional giftedness is broader cathegory, and it is connected with deep and kinda wild emotional expriences, like you had your emotionaliy twice more intensive that people usualy have (it could be described also as an HSP, superfeeler type) and a keen empathy for other people’s emotional states.
But gifted people are very diverse, I think every existially gifted can feel things in a quite unique way, so you may have your quite unqiue way of being existentially gifted as well.
@Orech-the-Nut I am in complete agreement. This is the very same experience I have had from childhood onward. And I have been striving to determine the reasons for it for years.
Very recently, I have come to the conclusion that this spiritual giftedness (as aptly named as it can be, considering the time period, circumstances, limitations, and current understanding of the world's cultures and societies) is perhaps (and I could be wrong) a reflection of depth or degree of a soul's learning or maturity level at this point in their existence, similar to a human's level of learning on Earth, but instead of being an accumulation of book learning and human experiences, it is an accumulation of a soul's vast amount of experience prior to this life, which would explain why some people are BORN with this innate sense of morality, or right and wrong, without having to have a human framework of morality, rules, and consequances be forced upon them and reinforced and retaught over and over to teach them to understand the consequences of their actions and interactions. Rather, it is an innate sense and a deep desire to do right for the sake of love, kindness, compassion, empathy, and understanding of the complex ties between people and the ripple effects of their actions.
I find it very strange when people believe souls did not exist prior to this life. But again, I reserve the right to be wrong about anything and everything. My own understanding of life, humanity, eternity, and the soul is extremely limited, just as everyone else's is.
What are your thoughts on this perspective?
Yes, I do believe that other types of giftedness should be included!
What other types?
I'm 68 years old and went to schools that had no gifted or advanced programs. I know I have a higher than average IQ, and I have been told by two teachers that my thinking through problems or questions is done in unique ways. How can I (or someone else) determine if I am intelligent or gifted? I come from a family where women (according to my mother) shouldn't be too intelligent- men don't like it. Luckily I didn't believe that!
The best way to determine whether a person is gifted is with a clinical assessment by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but those can be costly. If you choose to try to self-diagnose, I'd recommend taking as many reputable online assessments as possible, and looking for patterns. If you take ten quizzes that all indicate a strong tendency toward giftedness, you can probably trust those results, whereas if you take ten quizzes and your results are all over the map, you probably should not trust those results. Good luck!
How often would one find skill in all those areas? (Not "primary vs secondary", but fairly balanced/high levels in all areas mentioned?)
I'm curious.
Curiosity only has a history of negatively targeting felines, so I think I'm safe to at least ask.
That would be pretty rare, but it's hard to say exactly how rare, because there really aren't many studies out there that examine that specific question.
Very insightful and well presented 😊
Thank you!
Great video!
Thanks! :)