Self-awareness and personal growth
misconstrued as 'inherently intelligent'. This prevailing notion assumes that the gifted individual is 'ordinary' in all aspects other than their elevated academic prowess. Unfortunately, a gifted individual's worth is frequently measured by their accomplishments, overshadowing their identity and the reasons behind their abilities. This dynamic profoundly influences their developmental trajectory, particularly if they lack awareness of their gifted status, potentially leading to struggles in later life. Let's approach this from a different perspective. Individuals on the autism spectrum typically exhibit IQ scores lower than the average. If we were to depict everyone's IQs on a graph, it would form a bell- shaped curve, peaking in the 'middle' or the range of average IQ, and tapering downward on either side representing lower or higher IQs. Those situated within the lower IQ percentile receive specialized attention and tailored learning approaches, aiding them in comprehending and absorbing information in a manner that suits their unique cognitive processes. Similarly, those in the higher IQ percentile face elevated expectations. Despite processing information differently and finding traditional classroom setups inadequate for their needs, they, like their counterparts with lower IQs, do not inherently outperform others. Attempting to conform to a mould that contradicts their authentic selves also proves detrimental to their well-being. Our educational system places immense emphasis on outcomes, a setup wherein the pedagogical methods effective for an average child fail to yield equivalent outcomes when applied to a gifted student. Many individuals fail to grasp the profound implications of giftedness. They remain unaware that being gifted entails an entirely distinct mode of thinking, necessitating a correspondingly unique educational approach. Within the conventional classroom, gifted youths are compelled to decelerate their pace to match that of their peers, stifling the realization of their full potential. This situation restricts them from expressing themselves fully or harnessing their exceptional talents to the utmost extent. The challenges faced by gifted children extend beyond academic achievements; forming friendships with peers of the same age becomes complex due to differences in personality, maturity, and cognitive approach. Speaking from my personal experience as a gifted individual, I wasn't aware of these aspects during my upbringing. My realization of being gifted only came at the age of ten when I simply believed that I was naturally smarter, implying that I should excel in all areas more effortlessly and quickly. The extent of possibilities remained concealed from me, and it wasn't until a chance encounter with a psychologist specializing in giftedness at the age of seventeen that I began to comprehend the breadth of my potential. What qualifies as an ‘ accomplishment ’ for the average individual represents a standard operational level for me. Consequently, a profound sense of achievement rarely accompanied my efforts. Stephanie Tolan's ‘ Is it a Cheetah? ’ essay aptly illustrates this achiever model. She likens a gifted individual to a cheetah, highlighting that a cheetah's prowess lies in its ability to run at 70 mph when appropriately challenged – for instance, while pursuing a 65 mph antelope. When the cheetah is inactive or confined, it remains a cheetah. It does not transform into a different creature when circumstances change. No matter the environment, I couldn't alter the fact that my cognitive wiring differed significantly from that of the average person. Thus, striving to fit into the norm paradoxically meant working against my inherent design. This internal conflict translated into feelings of guilt and inadequacy whenever I didn't meet the perceived ‘ standard ’ or achieve noteworthy milestones. These emotions cascaded into self-doubt, self-blame, clinical depression, anxiety, and unhealthy habits. Essentially, my mental health struggles stemmed from a lack of awareness about the multifaceted nature of giftedness. This ignorance adversely impacted various aspects of my life because I
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