And What If I Was Gifted Yet Just Didn't Know It?

Last updated by Katie M.

I don’t feel like I have an above-average level of intelligence but nonetheless I do wonder about it. I’m very empathetic, I don’t have much self-confidence but above all I do everything with a great level of intensity. Apparently, these are all characteristics linked to gifted individuals! So how do you know if you are gifted but just unaware of it? More than a simple test, it’s a long journey!

And What If I Was Gifted Yet Just Didn't Know It?
Contents: 

What does it mean to be “gifted”?

What a gifted individual is always up against

“You’re gifted? But you always sucked at school”

Yes, I had major difficulties at school. And the problem when you think of gifted individuals is that the same clichĂ© immediately comes to mind. Gifted individuals are very intelligent children who are ahead of the rest of their class. So, well… I told myself that I couldn’t be talented. Except that being gifted doesn’t mean that you’re a genius and that you succeed in everything you do. Particularly because the school system isn’t adapted to these people at all. In the end, many gifted individuals have major difficulties at school and go undetected.

It’s all about IQ

Gifted, high potential, precocious and even “zebra”! All of these terms designate individuals with an intelligence quotient (IQ) higher than the average (which is around 100). The IQ of a gifted individual is at least 130! But this is not expressed in the same way for all gifted individuals. For me, what made me think about it was my sensitivity and my hyperactivity. As I got older and got to know myself by looking introspectively, I became aware of who I was… But, in fact, I’ve always been like that. Since I was a small child, because you can’t just become gifted, you’re born that way!

So how do I know if I’m gifted?

The tests to take...

To find out whether you’re gifted but unaware of it, you shouldn’t do an online IQ test. It has no scientific value. A test on the Internet cannot interpret all of the subtleties of our intelligence! You should make an appointment with a psychologist or a neuropsychologist to get a very thorough analysis. It is the observations made by this practitioner that will determine whether or not you are gifted. This analysis will cover several aspects of our intelligence:

  • How we express our emotions,
  • How we process information,
  • How we use our memory,
  • How we move spatially,

In concrete terms, this test will establish a link between your behaviour observed by the shrink and cognitive functioning. But beware, even this sort of analysis isn’t fully reliable because some factors may influence the result: stress, the fear of failing, a damaged psychological state… The best thing is for you to be monitored long-term by a psychologist because finding out if you’re gifted can take time.

Women are less well-detected

As in many fields, work carried out on gifted individuals “is subject to the law of male before female”. Gifted women are detected less because of our patriarchal society. We’re used to being less prominent and blending into the crowd. Women have a lower self-esteem than men and are unaware of their potential! That’s why many women don’t realise they’re “talented”.

Editor’s note – Do you feel different? Misunderstood?


If you’re wondering whether you’re gifted or not, it’s probably because you feel out of step with other people. Maybe you feel out of place? Different? Misunderstood? If this situation puts you at a disadvantage or makes you feel bad, make an appointment with one of our specialists in order to find solutions together.

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