Why is it that the majority of highly talented kids never go on to become eminent adults in their field of giftedness?

Came across an interesting article on the Northwestern University website that discusses some of the personality characteristics of those who do actually go on to become eminent adults; here is a summary:

• Preference for solitude which typically begins in childhood
• Lack of concern with conventionality, especially social conventions
• Extraordinary ability to cope with tension. History of stressful
  childhoods with tense and even traumatizing family situations
• High drive and energy. Workaholics. Many forego marriage, children and other normal joys of life because they fear it will detract from their dedication to their work

Another interesting factor mentioned in the article, which I’ve heard before, is that many eminent individuals lost a parent in childhood or adolescence.

Share This Post:

The first genius is Daniel Tammet, a 27 year old math and language prodigy with Asperger’s syndrome (what many consider to be a form of autism). For a television documentary, he was challenged to learn Icelandic (supposedly one of the hardest languages to learn) in only one week’s time. When tested in front of an audience, the instructor described his ability as “not human”.

Interestingly, his mom believes his immense talent began to emerge after his first seizure at age 4. Daniel also has synesthesia, a highly unusual form of brain wiring in which numbers are experienced as colors, sensations, and pictures.

From a New York Times article (can be found in the link below):

The number 1 he’s drawn to for its brightness. ”Two is kind of like a movement, right to left, kind of like a drifting,” he says. Five is a clap of thunder or the sound of a wave hitting a rock. Six ”is actually the number I find hardest to experience,” he says. ”It’s like a hole, or a chasm. Number 9 is the biggest number. It’s very tall.” He seems frightened for an instant. ”It can be intimidating.”

When performing impossibly difficult math problems in his head (from an ABC news article, link below):

I see landscapes in my mind. The numbers turn to shapes. They knit together in a way that forms almost like hills and mountains in my mind, full of color and full of shape and full of movement.

The above video on Daniel Tammet is entitled “Extraordinary People- The Boy with the incredible brain

Here’s a list of media articles about Daniel (from his website).

The second prodigy is William Cottrell. A brilliant student of theoretical physics of rare genius accepted at the prestigious California Institute of Technology to study string theory, he also has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. Unfortunately, Cottrell is now in prison for torching 125 SUV’s. You can read the interesting story here.

These two interesting profiles highlight the modular nature of intelligence (i.e., “multiple intelligences”). While both Tammet and Cottrell have prodigious ability in math, their social intelligence is impaired (as is typical with Asperger’s syndrome). You might also want to read this earlier post ‘The Price of Prodigious Ability‘.

Share This Post: