If you grew up scatterbrained, you know what that entails.

Your parents and teachers were constantly on your back about getting things done, but your timeline remained to be your own. You had too many projects going at once, and eventually, you’d come around full circle and finish all of them.

As a scatterbrained person, you don’t see life as a straight path but instead, a series of concentric loops you’re always trying to find new ways to connect.

Now’s the time for you to educate your naysayers: being scatterbrained can actually be a sign of above-average intelligence if you let it drive you in the right direction.

Your bad qualities are probably your best qualities

The stereotypical hallmarks of a scatterbrained individual generally involve an inability to concentrate on one activity for a prolonged period of time, a messy desk or workspace, and a mild case of forgetfulness.

Some people would consider a scatterbrain to be lacking in those departments, but what they don’t consider is where the mental priority shifts to instead.

If you aren’t focusing on what most people would generally regard as immediate needs, it’s because your mind is bouncing all over the place. You’re exploring different concepts, and constantly expanding your horizons.

You aren’t disorganized: you’re an innovator

When you’re daydreaming rather than devoting the entirety of your attention to the task at hand, you’re running into new ideas. This might result in you being perceived as quirky by your peers, who don’t understand your strange routines and life hacks that wither you through the day.

Constantly being lost in thought questioning what’s going on or being preoccupied with a different situation from the one you’re presented with only shows your commitment to exploring things from a different angle. Some of the best ideas are born of relentless thought conquests, though it sometimes comes at the expense of in-the-moment productivity.

Don’t be discouraged by your lack of concentration

An author named Steven Johnson wrote a lot on this topic in his book titled Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation.

It’s no surprise that he drew the conclusion that slow multitasking unlocks raw creativity. When you carry a different mode of thought into a task it wouldn’t typically be designated for, you’ve already approached things in an innovative way.

If you start cooking with the mind of a painter or building a birdhouse with the mind of a pastry chef, that can be exactly what it takes to create something that defies the bounds of what we currently know. Your erratic mindsets help you shape the things you touch.

Start using your brain to your advantage

Scatterbrained geniuses often find they wear themselves out. When you’re well worn out, that’s when your brain gives up the ability to filter any information.

This is the time for you to come to brilliant epiphanies. After driving in circles for so long, your thought process will naturally begin to veer off course, and this creates the ultimate space for envisioning a new reality.

Let things go for a while, and don’t try to change because people have an inherent bias towards the scatterbrained. It’s these creative intellectuals hiding in the tall grass that possess the power to change the world as we know it.


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This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Simran

    Awesome.. My whole inner personality is described here.. Now i am quite relieved that i m not in any mess…..

  2. PETERS

    It’s so good to know there are more people like this in the world. We should combine our scattered brains and good things will happen!

  3. Jubba

    Aaah! What relief! It’s really frustrating to explain to the single-focused that I simply do not function that way. My challenge is to find my place in the world and be at peace with myself – and oh, find and maintain a consistent source of income.

    Great article. Thanks.

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