Parallel Session Proceedings »
3.6.10 Coaching Creative, High-Potential Drop-Outs in Their Search for Meaning
Searching for meaning is an issue that occupies many creative, talented and gifted children and adults. Giving meaning to their existence can be absent, especially when they get stuck and experience a complete mismatch with the environment resulting in dropping out in school, or out of work. The experienced mismatch can lead to feelings of being misunderstood, a sense of loneliness, (learned) helplessness, and miscommunication between the gifted individual and important people in their environment, and vice versa. It is challenging for high-potential drop-outs to discover how to invest in their own development in a way that fits them, given the available opportunities in their specific context. However, when they are aware of who they are and of the environmental factors that positively contribute to developing their talents, they can become meaningful for themselves and others. Self-knowledge is therefore fundamental in the complex process of talent development. This process of continuing development is influenced by a wide range of factors. It is important for creative, talented and gifted individuals to gain insight in how personal characteristics (strengths and weaknesses) and environmental factors (opportunities and constraints) play a role in their development. Self-knowledge leads to higher self-awareness and contributes to the ability to make deliberate choices. It is also necessary to be able to take responsibility for their own development by gaining an internal locus of control and developing autonomous learning skills. An open mindset geared towards personal growth is a main prerequisite here. A process oriented model of talent development has been developed as a means to improve communication and mutual understanding, and to gain deeper understanding of supportive and hindering factors. This model is used to coach gifted children so that they themselves will be able to invest in what is needed to actualize their potential. It helps them to discover who they are, what lies within their circle of influence, in order to find out what they need to support them. This creates a higher sense of self-awareness, which gives them new perspectives on possibilities in finding their own way in their continuous search for meaning.