MONDAY MUSINGS: Extreme Brain Vitality

ADHD. ADD. High functioning Autism. The child who asks a million questions and then talks incessantly. I think I have an idea of what to name these people: folks like Elon Musk, Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Thomas Edison and more. Think about it this way: there are some people who are very very smart AND come up with lots of ideas. Ideas that just seem to pour out of their brains like a broken dam. You cannot control it, you cannot stop it, and if you are smart as well, you will learn to ride the waves that they create. What sets them apart from the rest of us simpletons is that they don't really care about us. Not that they don't love or feel. They do. Quite deeply. However, they don't seem to care about what we think of them. I know one of these people quite well. In fact, this person did not care at all what their classmates or even entire school thought when they attended high school EVERY. SINGLE. DAY in pajamas. And when it was time to give the valedictorian's address, they went up on stage in silk pajamas. And then went on to amass a fortune, open a tech company, and do wonderful things. We often allow what we think of others to really get in our way. Not so for those with Extreme Brain Vitality. These people realize that what others think of them matters little compared to the importance of the cognitive flow of ideas that seems almost endless. In fact, they find that what others think of them actually gets in the way because when we consider what others think, it often leads to us changing our plans or completing stopping what we are doing. What those with EBV think, and what they care about is how their IDEAS and PRODUCTS are perceived and used by others.

How can we support children who have these floods of ideas and dreams and plans of things? What types of capital can we engage to ensure that we don't quash these character traits that will definitely be challenging but could end up creating something great that will benefit mankind? (I know...this sounds nuts and like hyperbole but it could happen!). Capital could include space, time, documentation and acknowledgement, collaboration, listening, dialogue, money (obviously), and more.

Yup, it is much more work to support those with EBV. A lot of work in many instances. Would you rather have a classroom full of Stepford children? (do you know what this is in reference to??)