Finding Your Skills, Talents & Abilities

Intelligences

We have come along way in our knowledge of Intelligence and the ways in which we best learn. There are several types of Intelligence, which are all important in getting an understanding of our selves and others.

1. Naturalist Intelligence (“Nature Smart”)
Designates the human ability to discriminate among living things (plants, animals) as well as sensitivity to other features of the natural world (clouds, rock configurations). This ability was clearly of value in our evolutionary past as hunters, gatherers, and farmers; it continues to be central in such roles as botanist or chef. It is also speculated that much of our consumer society exploits the naturalist intelligences, which can be mobilized in the discrimination among cars, sneakers, kinds of makeup, and the like. Sensitive to features of nature, world, animals, plants, clouds, weather patterns, rocks, crystals, classifications, categorizes, ability to pick up on subtle differences

2. Musical Intelligence (“Musical Smart”)
Musical intelligence is the capacity to discern pitch, rhythm, timbre, timing, rhythm and  tone. This intelligence enables us to recognize, create, reproduce, and reflect on music, as demonstrated by composers, conductors, musicians, vocalist, and sensitive listeners. Interestingly, there is often an affective connection between music and the emotions; and mathematical and musical intelligences may share common thinking processes. Young adults with this kind of intelligence are usually singing or drumming to themselves. They are usually quite aware of sounds others may miss. Memorising songs and tunes, playing an instrument, creating sound effects, tone, awareness of sounds, creation / production of music, sensitive to music and sound, love patterns.

3. Logical-Mathematical Intelligence (Number/Reasoning Smart)
Logical-mathematical intelligence is the ability to calculate, quantify, consider propositions and hypotheses, and carry out complete mathematical operations. It enables us to perceive relationships and connections and to use abstract, symbolic thought; sequential reasoning skills; and inductive and deductive thinking patterns. Logical intelligence is usually well developed in mathematicians, scientists, and detectives. Young adults with lots of logical intelligence are interested in patterns, categories, and relationships. They are drawn to arithmetic problems, strategy games and experiments. Solving maths problems, calculating, predicting, using logical argument, reasoning, researching, experimenting, analysing, hypothesising, ordering, making patterns, categorizing, good with numbers.

4. Existential Intelligence
Sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions about human existence, such as the meaning of life, why do we die, and how did we get here. Looking at the bigger picture, connects the world understandings. Refers to the cognitive capacity we have to pose and reflect on major human questions, such as: Love. Life and death. Good and evil. Human nature. The quality of existence. These are existential questions that most of us ponder at some point, some more, some less.

5. Interpersonal Intelligence (People Smart”)
Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to understand and interact effectively with others. It involves effective verbal and nonverbal communication, the ability to note distinctions among others, sensitivity to the moods and temperaments of others, and the ability to entertain multiple perspectives. Teachers, social workers, actors, and politicians all exhibit interpersonal intelligence. Young adults with this kind of intelligence are leaders among their peers, are good at communicating, and seem to understand others’ feelings and motives.
Understanding human behaviour and motivation, interacting socially, co-operation, leadership, organising and managing others, negotiating, mediation, empathy and sensitivity to others moods and feelings, good at non-verbal communications, like working others, collaboration, cooperation

6. Bodily-Kinaesthetic Intelligence (“Body Smart”)
Bodily kinaesthetic intelligence is the capacity to manipulate objects and use a variety of physical skills. This intelligence also involves a sense of timing and the perfection of skills through mind–body union. Athletes, dancers, surgeons, and craftspeople exhibit well-developed bodily kinaesthetic intelligence. Playing sport, controlling movement, miming, acting, manipulating, making things and fixing things, craft making, physical skills, dancing, skills through mind-body connection, crafts, love interacting with things.

7. Word Intelligence /  Intelligence (Word Smart)
Linguistic intelligence is the ability to think in words and to use language to express and appreciate complex meanings. Linguistic intelligence allows us to understand the order and meaning of words and to apply meta-linguistic skills to reflect on our use of language. Linguistic intelligence is the most widely shared human competence and is evident in poets, novelists, journalists, and effective public speakers. Young adults with this kind of intelligence enjoy writing, reading, telling stories or doing crossword puzzles. Using words, reading, writing, speaking, debating, creating, poetry, doing word puzzles, expressing ideas in words, story telling, learn best through the spoken word, listening to stories.

8. Intra-personal Intelligence (Self Smart”)
Intra-personal intelligence is the capacity to understand oneself and one’s thoughts and feelings, and to use such knowledge in planning and directing one’s life. Intra-personal intelligence involves not only an appreciation of the self, but also of the human condition. It is evident in psychologist, spiritual leaders, and philosophers. These young adults may be shy. They are very aware of their own feelings and are self-motivated. Self-awareness, self- understanding, goal setting, self-discipline, learns through reflection, values, attitudes, analysis of own learning and feelings, identifying ones own strengths and weaknesses, using one’s own experiences to understand and explain, directing one’s own life.

9. Spatial Intelligence  / Space & Vision Intelligence( “Picture Smart”) 
Spatial intelligence is the ability to think in three dimensions. Core capacities include mental imagery, spatial reasoning, image manipulation, graphic and artistic skills, and an active imagination. Sailors, pilots, sculptors, painters, and architects all exhibit spatial intelligence. Young adults with this kind of intelligence may be fascinated with mazes or jigsaw puzzles, or spend free time drawing or daydreaming.the ability to visualize with the mind’s eye. Defined as the human computational capacity that provides the ability or mental skill to solve spatial problems of navigation, visualization of objects from different angles and space, faces or scenes recognition, or to notice fine details. Creating artwork, drawing, painting, creating mental pictures, mapping, making diagrams, solving mazes, designing diagrams and mazes, designing, photography, navigation, drawing plans, graphing, image manipulation, jigsaw puzzles, daydreaming, learns best with visuals, think in images, pictures and sees things in the mind.

Place a line through the words in the graph below which best describe you. This will build upon your profiles to give a much bigger picture of your talents, skills and strengths.

It is a good idea to highlight all your Talents, Strengths and Skills in one colour and then do your weaknesses in another. When you are defining your HERO they will be a character that is really the BEST OF YOU.

 INTELLIGENCES – printable version

Our Natural Skills , Talents & Abilities – printable version 

What comes Natural to YOU – printable version