Unlocking Brilliance: When IQ and Realization Mismatches in Adulthood
Is it possible for someone with an extremely high IQ score not to realize they're brilliant until their adulthood or even never acknowledge it at all? Indeed, the profound question about the nature and discovery of intelligence brings us to a profound realization: it's not always the upward intelligence that intertwines perfectly with the realization of one's capabilities.
Not All High-IQ Gifts Are Recognized in Childhood
Exceptional personal traits like extremely high IQs can exist within families without everyone noticing or comprehending their significance immediately. Take my own experience for instance: my father was unaware of our family's memory trait, yet he and our mother believed in me and my brother's potential. Our educational journey was tumultuous as we moved often due to boredom, switching professions and schools. I didn't understand why my classmates were consistently wrong or why teachers repeated lessons endlessly. School life was inherently tedious for me. During classes, I often found myself drawing, a testament to my creativity and perceived boredom.
The turning point came in the 5th grade when I made a genuine friend who told me I was incredibly intelligent. Surprisingly, despite my remarkable memory, I never felt particularly smart. This suggests that intelligence often isn't simply about the capacity to remember, but also about how and when this intelligence manifests.
The Unseen Brilliance: A Delayed Discovery of Intelligence
It's a natural tendency to assume, from an early age, that everyone else perceives us in the same way. However, it's equally common for someone to unexpectedly discover their own high intelligence well into adulthood. In such instances, it might seem that the electorate hyped by our IQ scores doesn't realize its full potential, or even outright dismisses its significance.
In my own case, it was the feedback from a psychologist in my later years that confirmed my IQ levels. This intel, combined with my earlier realization that memory alone doesn't equate to intelligence, propelled me to pursue a Navy career. College, in my view, maintained the predictable boredom, steering me towards the challenging and exciting path of military service.
Navigating the Social Landscape with High IQ Ignorance
It's a frustrating reality that people with high IQs might not initially recognize everything they're capable of. This ignorance can lead to a myriad of social challenges. For instance, someone might quickly be labeled with severe mental health issues, simply by stating the "idea" or vision they possess, resulting in unwarranted and forceful medical intervention. Keeping quiet and pretending to be less knowledgeable can be a coping mechanism, but it certainly doesn't make for a fulfilling life.
The absence of realizing one's full potential can make one a lifelong outsider, as the rest of their life is spent surrounded by individuals with fewer horizons and perspectives. Therefore, applying for disability pension due to self-proclaimed ignorance can be a potential strategy to cope with social isolation. Moreover, every biannual review can reaffirm this newfound "disability," allowing individuals to maintain their income and continue this facade of lesser intelligence.
Ironically, by pretending to be less intelligent than one actually is, individuals might actually fool some doctors who might come to the conclusion that they are "gifted or cursed" with a significantly higher IQ than most, even though it's a deliberate choice to be perceived this way.
Conclusion
Is it necessary for someone with an extremely high IQ to acknowledge and realize their brilliance immediately not only in childhood but also in adulthood? While recognizing and utilizing one's innate gifts is vital, it's equally essential to understand that everyone's path towards realizing their potential is unique. Intelligence, when ignored, can still lead to significant achievements but might come with its set of social and psychological challenges.