If you’ve been on the internet in the past few years, you’ve probably seen someone share an elaborate graphic of this quote in order to inspire their timelines.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Anonymous
There’s some truth to this overshared quote though, and there are nine major types of intelligence that help you to find what you’re good at, passionate about and ultimately what you should pursue, both in your personal and professional lives. So, what kinds of intelligence do you possess most? Check them out below.
Naturalist
What it means: Being in touch with nature, determining value among living things like plants and animals.
You’re rich in this if: You’re a farmer, chef, into gardening or taking care of and raising animals
Musical
What it means: People who naturally have rhythm and are always on pitch. Can you listen to a song and immediately translate it to your instrument of choice? This is you.
You’re rich in this if: You’re a musician (of course), a composer, producer and maybe even a mathematician (math and music share some common thinking processes).
Logical-Mathematical
What it means: Incredibly reasonable people who are able to view things symbolically to work through them. Able to make hypotheses and work through equations until a result is found.
You’re rich in this if: You’re a scientist, mathematician or detective. You love to play strategy games.
Existential
What it means: They take on the big questions in life — why are we here? How did we get here? What’s next?
You’re rich in this if: You’re sensitive and not one to shy away from questions and theories about our existence or life in general.
Interpersonal
What it means: These people are natural leaders because of their excellent communication skills, ability to understand others and their awareness of the moods and energy around them.
You’re rich in this if: You’re an empath, you work in a role that helps others such as a social worker or a teacher.
Bodily-Kinesthetic
What it means: This intelligence is rooted in physical skill and, essentially, hand-eye coordination. People who possess a lot of this have the timing and instinct to excel at various physical activities.
You’re rich in this if: You’re an athlete, performer or you just really love DIY projects and working with your hands.
Linguistic
What it means: This includes skills such as writing, learning and appreciating various languages and communicating and comprehending things on a deeper, more complicated level than most.
You’re rich in this if: You love to write, you’re a poet, you’re a public speaker or you love crossword puzzles and reading books.
Intra-personal
What it means: The ability to reflect on ones own thoughts and experiences in order to understand the human condition in general.
You’re rich in this if: You love psychology, philosophy and reflecting on why people are the way they are.
Spatial
What it means: People high in this are great at thinking about space, graphic design and three-dimensional terms.
You’re rich in this if: You love to sculpt or paint, you’re an architect or a pilot and you do a lot of drawing and puzzles in your free time.
So what kinds of intelligence do you most identify with?
You can use these tidbits to explore what you most identify with, what else you might love and what areas you need to improve on to accomplish your career and personal goals. Use the nine types of intelligence to get to know yourself and improve your life in the process!
