Being talented is a wonderful thing, don’t you think? It’s truly rewarding to build upon our skills, as it fills us with the confidence to live life to the fullest. Sadly, it’s not that easy for us to pinpoint what we can be good at. Luckily, in 1983, Howard Gardner, a Harvard psychologist published the theory of multiple intelligences in a book called “Frames of Mind.” Gardner claims that our intellectual minds possess 8 facets of intelligence. Therefore, let us explore these various intelligences to identify our own strengths and weaknesses.
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Linguistic Intelligence
Gardner defines linguistic intelligence as the ability to understand or utilize languages. This includes written words, verbal sounds or visual signs. It can be very helpful when communicating with people of different nationalities, and it also shaped some of the world’s greatest writers and poets like Maya Angelou and J.R.R Tolkien.
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Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
As its name suggests, logical-mathematical intelligence is one’s capacity to think with logic and reasoning. It helps you process complex ideas and numbers so that you can easily understand all sorts of scientific concepts. It’s a skill that has forged great scientists like Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton.
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Naturalist Intelligence
Naturalist intelligence defines a person’s ability to interact with and understand natural environments. Naturalists can easily see patterns in living things, and observe characteristics of creature habitats. They are driven by their interest in the world’s natural features. Some famous naturalists are Steve Irwin or Charles Darwin, who are known to have great interest in mother nature.
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Spatial Intelligence
People who focus on spatial intelligence are talented at understanding and utilizing physical spaces. They usually find it easy to solve jigsaw puzzles, navigate maps, and rarely get lost in complicated locations. This intelligence allows people to be great painters and designers, similarly to Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo Galilei.
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Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence
Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence helps people do great things through effectively coordinating their bodies. They excel in activities that require motor skills such as sports and dance. This skill shines in famous athletes like Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth.
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Musical Intelligence
Musically-intelligent individuals work extremely well with sounds. They can easily comprehend rhythms, tones and pitches, while effectively using them in creating musical works. They also find it much easier to learn musical instruments. Some notable musicians with high musical intelligence are Ludwig van Beethoven and Michael Jackson.
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Interpersonal Intelligence
Interpersonal intelligence enables a person to interact effectively with other people. This is because they can easily understand different perspectives and emotions, allowing them to empathize with the people around them. They make great activists and diplomats, with some notable examples being Mahatma Gandhi and Oprah Winfrey.
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Intrapersonal Intelligence
Individuals with high intrapersonal intelligence excel at understanding their own thoughts and emotions. They are extremely self-aware, and know how to adjust themselves to achieve their goals. People with this talent can be great philosophers and psychologists, such as Aristotle and Sigmund Freud.
So have you identified the stronger and weaker parts of your intelligence? In the end, it’s important to note that every person has all 8 facets of intelligence. This means that anyone can be capable of anything, no matter the circumstances! It all boils down to which capabilities you choose to develop. If there ever comes a time when you doubt your capabilities, remember this: you can be talented in 8 different ways.
By Ricky Jr. Leida Fieldad