HEAD FIRST

HEAD FIRST

10 ways to tap into your natural genius

It has been known for many years that the traditional view of our intelligence through the results of IQ tests have limited our perception of what we are truly capable of. In February 2000 I told you about the Multiple Intelligences as defined by Professor Howard Gardner. He first described 7 and depending upon who you read, there can be as many as 9. I have reviewed a number of books by Tony Buzan, one of the leading experts on thinking and the brain and those of you who are familiar with his work will not be surprised to know that he has his own view on the issue of Multiple Intelligences. HEAD FIRST - 10 ways to tap into your natural genius is Buzan's contribution to the MI debate.

He believes that there are 10 intelligences and he groups them into the following three categories:

CREATIVE and EMOTIONAL Intelligences

1. Creative Intelligence - the ability to generate, develop and implement new ideas

2. Personal Intelligence - your "satisfaction-with-yourself" factor

3. Social Intelligence - your ability to communicate with others

4. Spiritual Intelligence - your understanding and concern of the "bigger picture" and your contribution to the good of others

BODILY Intelligence

5. Physical Intelligence - a healthy body means a healthy mind

6. Sensual Intelligence - your ability to make sense of the world around you

7. Sexual Intelligence - your understanding of your strengths as a man or woman and the ability to communicate and relate to the opposite sex.

TRADITIONAL Intelligences

8. Numerical Intelligence - what are you like with numbers?

9. Spatial Intelligence - your awareness of what is going on around you

10. Verbal Intelligence - the extent of your vocabulary and your ability to use it.

As he explores the Multiple Intelligences one by one he defines them in great detail, explains the benefits of developing them and gives a living example of someone who strongly demonstrates that intelligence. Each chapter is sprinkled with a series of interesting and related facts about the brain that add depth to this book. Buzan offers additional case studies to illustrate each intelligence and also suggests ways that you can develop each in your own life. As you work through the book you are invited to complete a "self-development" test for each intelligence so that you can build up your own Intelligence profile.

As you would expect from the inventor of the Mind Map, the book has illustrative and relevant Mind Maps of a quality I have not seen in any of his other books. This, together with good layout and a comfortable "look and feel" make this an easy but stimulating read. Overall I was impressed with this book and I believe it is his best yet, not only for the content but for the way it has been written. Once again he has made complex material interesting and more importantly for the reader, accessible.

I'd like to leave you with an extract from the book which really does put the issue of Multiple Intelligences into perspective:

"When reading HEAD FIRST, think of each of your Multiple Intelligences as a finger on a pair of unbelievably adept and agile piano playing hands. It is possible of course for you to play your life's music with one finger, or with two: for example using only your Numerical Intelligences or only your Physical and Sensual ones. The music of your life, however, is far better played with all of your Multiple Intelligences perfroming their magic on the keyboard of your existence"