At the time I’m writing this, it’s been just over three years since my coauthor, Will White, and I, published our follow-up study of Leta Hollingworth’s original case studies of twelve exceptionally gifted children from the early 20th Century. This effort was among the most rewarding of my varied adult life: scholar, assessment developer, spiritual seeker, and coach.
I’ve realized how much these people had a unique experience. When they were children, IQ testing was en vogue, research protocols were looser, and–importantly–they were discovered by Hollingworth, foremother of gifted education and the broader history of intelligence. At the time, the society of the U.S. saw giftedness as untapped potential, and grade and subject acceleration was common in U.S. schools (perhaps in reaction to limited funding, greater social acceptance of admitting younger high school graduates into the workforce, and pedagogical philosophy at the time); thus, Hollingworth’s subjects were afforded more opportunities than their counterparts in today’s world.
What they lacked, however, was what has been learned in the intervening decades. Gifted individuals’ psychological development differs from that of others, affecting educational, career, romantic, and spiritual areas of life, to name a few. Though some fared just fine, and went on to become eminent, nonetheless there’s reason to think, with hindsight, that some could have had a better outcome if they had the kinds of opportunities available today, such as gifted coaching. There’s a lot that happens with a dose (or megadose!) of insight; this difference is something that few have the vocabulary for, even those of us who have been gifted well into adulthood.
Why not see whether gifted coaching is right for you? You have nothing to lose but a quick consultation.
~Cliff
Building Your Lightbridge 