Intellection: What Intellection Means to this World
StrengthsFinder Theme / CliftonStrengths Theme: INTELLECTION
What Is the INTELLECTION Theme
People with the Strength of Intellection are the truly deep thinkers in our lives who love to muse, reflect, and explore the landscapes of the mind. They are able to think and process in multiple dimensions simultaneously and seem to love the effort of applying mental energy to life—at times, to the point of befuddlement or exhaustion. In a phrase: They love to think and dive deep. And, small talk is really not their thing. Regardless of the situation or time of day, whether actively or passively, they are always contemplating, brainstorming, or mulling over something. There is a mental hunger present at all times. They are generally reflective and intelligent people who like to be fascinated, to wonder, and to be quietly awed. They may attempt to “think” their feelings, which, at times, makes them feel inaccessible. While typically prone to introversion, they can be very passionate and engaging when it comes to their ideas. While they can be characterized as cerebral, pensive, and heady, their primary motivation is actually curiosity, which fuels their endless hunt for mental activity. For them, the world seems to be an extension of their brain—a type of holding place for more thoughts. In that way, they draw out the best of our own thinking by encouraging us to go deeper into our own mental world. Their presence cheers a greater awareness, allowing the light of mind to reflect through. People with Intellection can make the abstract tangible and give us greater access to the invisible world all around us.
Why Should We Care
When it comes to taking an idea to the next level by exploring it from every angle, those with Intellection are among the best. It is their instinct to go deep with thoughts—the surface is boring to them. Experts in mentally peeling back the layers of a given challenge or concept, they reveal options, choices, and opportunities that may have been previously unseen or unseeable. Folks with Intellection are good foundation builders and are particularly skilled at scaling up ideas and filling pipelines. They curate a depth of understanding—be it macro or micro, focused or broad. In many cases, they effortlessly nourish an appreciation for the worlds complexities—as opposed to a disdain for them. This shift in focus allows for clarity and then concrete actions to occur. They ask us to look into challenges as opposed to look away from them. They open our field of awareness, help us create solutions, and remind us that wonder can be generative.
Ten Things to Know About People with INTELLECTION
1. Productivity. For them, being productive does not necessarily mean “doing” something. Sitting down to think, reflect, and process is likely to be viewed as a highly valuable use of their time. Then, once they’ve mapped something out in their mind, they can generally make quick work of it.
2. Philosophical. Discussing philosophies, theories, systems, concepts, and literature can be extremely fulfilling to people with Intellection. Questions that cannot be answered have a particular appeal and they like to entertain many angles of a thought without accepting or rejecting a specific one.
3. On/On. It seems that they are always—ALWAYS—thinking. Even if it is, at times, happening quietly in the background of their minds—there is always an inner-awareness of the mental activity lighting up their brains, which are perpetually growing.
4. Boredom. Being mentally stimulated is a key source of life for them. From crossword puzzles to intense conversations about the meaning of life, they create ways to stay connected, focused, and inspired. Boredom is not an option, and they may feel it more intensely than others.
5. Introversion. As introspection is at the core of this theme, folks with Intellection often prefer some time alone each day. They are generally comfortable spending extended periods of quality time in solitude.
6. Mental Empathy. The way that an empath tunes in and feels the emotions of others, people with Intellection channel the mental activity of others. They are excellent trackers of ideas and flows of ideas. They can deeply understand the ways that others think, process, and respond to life.
7. Digesting. At times, they might share an idea that seems either “far out” or non-sequitur. Generally, this is because they’ve already spent time working it out in their mind and have seen it mentally from all angles. Don’t be surprised if they hold the rest of us to a high standard, asking us to truly understand and appreciate their ideas.
8. Learning. For them, it isn’t so much about learning things as it is about challenging their mind and exploring things. Existential ideation, deep thoughts, new ideas, brain games, imagining, and wondering out loud can serve as solid nourishment for them.
9. Depth. They seem to be able to find a greater depth to almost anything. This stimulates and feeds their sense of wonder and astonishment. They generally dislike being asked to scale it back. Being told that “everything doesn’t have to be so complicated” or “deep” will likely annoy them.
10. Love. Thinking big, making big plans, thinking outside the box, and having deep conversations will go a long way in creating a genuine connection with them. Their love and expressions of it will, too, have a depth and multidimensional qualities.