A person needs not only to adapt a bunch of soft and hard skills to get by in life, but each one of them also needs development.
In doing so, an individual would need to employ an intelligence method, which would make things a whole lot easier. And that is where developmental psychologist Howard Gardner comes in.
He explored and formed a theory of people acquiring different learning methods to understand various concepts.
There are eight types of intelligence, according to Gardner, and intrapersonal intelligence is something that each person has. It is an understanding of oneself by processing feelings, and developing a higher sense of “self” and who he or she truly is.
What Is The History of Intrapersonal Intelligence?
Howard Gardner is a professor of cognition and education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He first took notice of the possibility of intrapersonal intelligence existence because he deems writers, philosophers, and poets to belong to a different spectrum of intelligence.
So, he examined Virginia Woolf’s “A Sketch of the Past,” where the writer talked about “the cotton wool of existence” or the mundane events that happen in a person’s daily life.
The turning point here is not the literary piece itself which tackles her childhood and her feelings toward her parents; rather, Woolf’s ability to examine herself, her feelings, and write about them.
Allowing emotions to flow and get understanding is not something many people care about. Therefore, many find it challenging to articulate and address them.
However, it is widely believed that intrapersonal intelligence has been in existence since the early times. Take Aristotle, for example.
His whole philosophy lies in examining his motives to give adequate and intelligible reasoning. Therefore, he is one of the earliest persons to exhibit intrapersonal intelligence.
How Would One Recognize an Intrapersonal Intelligent Person?
Believe it or not, each person is intrapersonal intelligent in his or her ways. However, it manifests differently in every person, who makes it seem as if he or she only possesses other types of intelligence, such as linguistic, spatial, naturalist, etc. In some, it takes a long while to get a grip on exploring his or her feelings.
So, what sets an intrapersonal intelligent person from the rest? One, these people are “introspective.” It means they analyze their thoughts and feelings, and sometimes, give themselves a critical, yet objective judgment.
A person with intrapersonal intelligence finds it easy to understand what is going on with them. Of course, it does not happen overnight. It takes some time, and an overwhelming and constant desire to know and understand themselves better.
Then, in turn, they use every bit of understanding to improve themselves, learn their activity patterns, and know the appropriate responses and action plans.
A great example would be someone with immense self-discipline; that person might be someone who diligently works out or someone who keeps a journal to keep track of their daily lives.
Why Is Intrapersonal Intelligence Important?
Knowing who oneself is, is an excellent foundation of a more tranquil life ahead. By knowing how to respond to impending thoughts, both positive and negative ones, and feelings, anyone can quickly identify their strengths and weaknesses.
Put on the impact of intrapersonal intelligence, Author of Mindvalley’s Superbrain Program, Jim Kwik says, “We need to understand how our minds work so that we can work our minds better.”
