Genius. When you hear this word what does it mean to you? Does it bring to mind someone who has a high IQ? Of course it probably does. This is what we have had instilled in our minds throughout our lives, that a genius is someone who is incredibly brilliant. The person has scored high on an intelligence test, such as the MENSA IQ test or even the Tickle free online IQ test. Or, perhaps the person received a perfect score on the SAT or ACT. Maybe they even aced the LSAT law school admission test.
But who came up with this idea anyway? Who decided that certain things equal brilliance as compared to mediocrity? Did someone have the right to dictate to us that an IQ test score is what makes someone intelligent? Whoever it was, perhaps that person wasn’t above average intelligence themselves.
There is much more to intelligence than a high IQ score on an intelligence test. What about emotional intelligence, creativity, and street smarts, as well as common sense? A real genius to me is more of a renaissance man or renaissance woman, in that the person is well-rounded and skilled in many areas. So, do you know anyone who is brilliant and well-rounded?
An Everyday “Genius”
I am going to tell you the story of one person who is a member of MENSA and has a high IQ, according to traditional intelligence test measures. A person whose IQ score falls in the realm of real genius, girl genius! Here is the story….
Genius doesn’t mean perfect. Genius doesn’t mean a hassle-free life. Genius, according to today’s standards, is a certain IQ level on a standardized IQ test. Sounds ridiculous, right? I have met all those standards. I passed the MENSA entrance requirements, scored high on an intelligence test, I even took the free online Tickle IQ test and did well. On the IQ scale, I have more than the average IQ. My intelligence quotient falls in the realm of “Genius.
What’s it Like to be a “Genius”
Perhaps being a genius is nothing different from anyone else who has an extraordinary trait, such as amazon-like height, six fingers on one hand or someone with a photographic memory. Anyway, here are some of my traits. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether they are those of “genius.” If nothing else, perhaps you’ll discover you too are a hidden genius or maybe you’ll find that you’re glad you make it nowhere near the score on a standardized intelligence test.
1. I am very specific about everything. I know exactly what I want, and I am considered very particular. When I go to a restaurant, I order a salad with just lettuce and croutons, and the dressing on the side. I like my steak to be almost no pink, but not burnt on the outside. I drink only juice, and it has to have no ice.
2. Little things bother me. Think of the princess and the pea. If something isn’t perfect, I can detect it. As an example, I brush and floss my teeth every time I eat, not for just good hygiene health, but because I can’t stand little pieces of food in my teeth.
3. I strive for perfection. In my job as a mediator/ conflict resolution professional, I seek to reach an agreement in every case I mediate. Each set of clients holds the utmost importance to me, and I make sure to give every session my all. If there is something I am doing wrong, I seek a solution to it. My agreement rate in my mediations is over 90%, with an average in the county of all mediators being about 62%.
4. I have an emotional heart. I don’t feel I can take advantage of people. I have a law degree, and I am a member of the Maryland State bar, meaning I am licensed to practice law. I haven’t yet practiced, doing mediation instead, because I feel that I want to help people and find positive solutions instead of a win or lose result in any given situation.
5. I am nowhere near being a millionaire. At least not in terms of money. I don’t make alot of money in my job. However, I can sleep at night because I try and do good things for people in my career choices.
6. I save everything. I can’t get rid of my stuff. I attach sentimental value to things shortly after I obtain/buy/receive them. I can have a shirt for five minutes and consider it part of my clothes family instantly.
7. I get upset about everything. If I lose a boyfriend, it devastates me. If I break a dish, it makes me sad. I overreact, and have strong emotional reactions to things that many people could just brush off. Also, it tends to take me longer to recover from emotional instances longer than other people often. It might take me a year to get over the end of a relationship where someone else might be fine in a few months. (Does this mean emotional intelligence?)
8. I have incredible drive. I set goals, and work to achieve them. I have a doctorate degree, two master’s degrees, and two bachelor’s degrees. I have written over 200 articles for associated content in a six month period. I am a singer, and I have won three karaoke contests and have entered as many as I can find out about. The list goes on for goals I set and seek to accomplish…
9. I don’t give into peer pressure. This one’s unique. I never did drugs in high school, while many others were, or started smoking, or any of that. I stick up for my beliefs, even if no one else around believes them. I make known my position on how I feel about things.
10. I have the ability to adapt and learn from my mistakes over time. Whereas ten years ago I had problems with many things, I have sought to do something about each one of them. I have learned to like more foods and be somewhat less particular. I have sought to be smarter with money, and to get rid of things that I have attached emotional value to if they hold no more real value in my life. I am somewhat a chameleon over time, although my core values have not changed.
11. I have lots of different interests, and I pursue them all. I need intellectual stimulation, thus all the degrees. I am into photography, taking pictures everywhere I go and for all occasions. I love to write, so write articles on the internet for a couple of companies. My creative side also enjoys singing and dancing. I write poetry and songs. I like running, so have established the ability to run two miles at a consistent pace. I like to travel, so go everywhere I can whenever possible, such as a trip to Europe last Fall. I enjoy sports, and try to keep up with baseball (I have attended in person over ten World Series games!)
12. I don’t seem to fit into a mold. Back in high school, many people had their different cliques, and hung out with a set group of teenagers. However, I tended to hang out with lots of different groups, and considered myself friends with many different types of people. I also don’t fit a mold today as an adult. You can’t look at me and say, this girl is a straight-edged professional woman who is very conservative, or this is your alternative chick who never plays by the rules. I fit a few traits of different types.
The list continues…
It will be up to you and society to decide which of these traits are really those of a “Genius” and which are just specific to me.
So what do you think? Does this sound like you? Are you a genius and don’t know it? Or maybe, this sounds like your best friend or a coworker? I would love to hear your comments.
