Being born gifted seems like a lucky break. However, there are problems that come with these talents that can make it hard for gifted people to be truly happy.
History gives us many examples of gifted people who were often unhappy. From statespersons such as Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill to writers such as Virginia Wolf and Charles Dickens. These gifted individuals seem to have had everything going for them, yet many were deeply depressed. Apparently, being gifted has a downside.
Many talented people spend a lot of time in their own heads. They analyze everything to the Nth degree, which can be mentally draining. It can also lead to a lot of procrastination because the talented individual finds it hard to choose between a variety of options.
Thus, gifted people find it hard to take action and may feel they are failing to put their talents to good use.
Closely related to this problem of overthinking is the fact that talented people also tend to worry more. Interviewing students on campus about various topics of discussion, Alexander Penney at MacEwan University in Canada found that those with a higher IQ felt more anxiety. Penney found that the gifted students tended to worry more about their past actions and conversations than those of more average intelligence.
Gifted people believe in their own ideas and find it difficult to support ideas they find less innovative. This can make it hard for gifted individuals to come to a consensus when working with others. In addition, others may fail to understand the ideas of the most talented and prefer to take more conventional approaches.
Another factor is that gifted people are often less interested in conventional rewards systems. For them, ideas and creativity are more important than meeting deadlines or targets.
Gifted people need a lot of mental stimulation to keep them interested in a subject. They can easily become bored and frustrated with mundane tasks. They can find it hard to stay focused, especially if they do not see any real meaning or benefit in what they are being required to do.
Others may also find them difficult to work with because their high energy and flood of ideas can be difficult to follow.
Some gifted people are extremely sensitive. They can also be empathetic to the point that others hesitate to share problems with them. These gifted adults face the difficult task of learning to protect themselves emotionally while still remaining open to others.
Highly talented people are also sensitive to criticism. Unfortunately, they may face criticism often, due to others’ misunderstandings of their ideas. In the long term, this can lead to a lowering of self-esteem and increased unhappiness.
Gifted people are usually highly perceptive and this can cause problems in working with others. Often the gifted person can see when others are manipulating them. The perception of the gifted individual makes it easy for them to see through fake motivations.
The dilemma of the gifted adult is whether to hide their insights and respond superficially in a socially acceptable way or to use their perceptions and risk rejection. In addition, others may feel threatened by the gifted person’s perceptions and become defensive and hostile.
Gifted people often set themselves, and others, very high standards. This can lead to overwork and exhaustion. It can also affect their relationships with others who find their high standards too demanding.
Talented individuals often have big goals and look for a purpose and meaning behind everything they do. This can mean they are unable to slow down and enjoy life, which eventually leads to burnout and unhappiness.
Gifted individuals often have deep and complex ideas that others find it hard to understand. This can mean it is hard for gifted individuals to find people they relate to at a deeper level. Talented individuals find it hard to maintain relationships that are on a superficial level. If they fail to find deep and meaningful relationships, they can end up feeling very alone.
So being gifted is not as easy as it may first appear. However, gifted individuals can be happy. They just have to find the work and relationships that suit their deeper thoughts and insights. Gifted individuals can also become happier if they work on overcoming their perfectionist traits and learn to relax and let go a little more often.
If you are a gifted person who has struggled in any way, please share your insights with us.
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But then who are these gifted people and are they really rare commodities
I can relate to all points, except for nr. 7, I suspect because of my ADD.
But the question is.. if it applies to me, what am I gifted in? Haven't figured that out yet.....
its not about being gifted in a particular area..its a broad term defining a gifted mind.
Well summarized Kristie. As a gifted person myself, and a psychologist and coach for gifted adults, I can affirm what you've said here ! I would add that these qualities can also create a lot of joy and depth, when a gifted person learns how to use and channel them effectively.
Thanks for writing about this important topic !
Wow! I am a 28 year old man and I just found out what gifted individuals was all about. The describtions you were depicting implied to me solomley. I have truly had a difficult time to socialize with anyone because of my odd commodeties in life. No one have ever related to me nor understood my life-goal belongings as I've delt momentarly hardships thoughout hell, again and again - unable to do something againt. Being relentlessly impaired in social activities have made me frustrated within all disbelief! Firstly, by the lack of empathy from others. I mean, come on - where is the compassion in all of this? Life does not only include social norms by the statistics and number of it? There are feelings and devotion here as well!! Other than this I feel quite reluctant that I am not alone in an empty space. We are not alone. Thank God for that! God bless you all.
H Karl. I can relate in the lack of compassion for gifted people, especially today in the conformist society that everybody tries to fit in the norm (set by media or who ?). If I am refusing to fit the norm, I am being ostracized or even bullied by the "compassionate society". Most of those who try to ostracize me are working on their "compassion". No, we are not alone ! These other compassionate people have others who have passion and are lively, keep their clear mind and don´t buy into bullshit. I would so love to find some of these highly gifted, courageous people. I often frequent some online courses to learn and help myself to heal from trauma injury (sadly happened in therapy after I had wanted to get help from a psychopathic individual that torn me to trauma). However, instead of asking my questions and being compassionate, I stay alone in the these facebook groups. I work with the educational material. I ask questions, Others don´t ask that much or not at all. Being ostracized by more stupid people is tough (I like to call them stupid as there is no other way, this is what they are), however, the tough thing is...I pay for this. I pay for not getting answers. Maybe I need to protect myself more and more, become tough. I am removing myself from the facebook "likes", I can go for weeks without any like in a closed group that I pay for getting me answers to the educational material. However, I refuse to pay them for it. I would so love to drop from these places. We are not alone. Than God for that. Maybe we could live on some happy island and let the others figure it out on their own.
Hello, I am one of you. How do you do it? How do you survive? Please respond. I cannot take it anymore.
Thanks for this article! The world needs to be more knowledgeable about gifted people and how giftedness is manifested in daily life.