William Jones - An Intellectual Outlier
Exceptionally to Profoundly Gifted – Part 2
William Jones
Here are the details for William’s background while growing up:
William said both his parents were permissive in their parenting style. His mother’s MBTI® is INFJ (Protector) while his father’s is ENFP (Inspirer). Williams’s adult preference is EnFp (Inspirer). [1] During childhood, William showed INFP (Idealist), which is a more introverted preference than his adult evaluation. All three are F-Feeling types, tenderhearted people who tend to make choices for themselves and others that will leave everyone happy. F- Feeling people can suffer greatly when others do not understand them. William appears to fit the Rainforest Mind (Prober, 2016) [2] description about the depths of sensitivity and its effects on the individual’s interpretation — and the degree of the sense of comfort or belonging — in his world. William’s younger brother preferred ISTJ (Duty Fulfiller) as a child, an excellent profile to be a “good” student. William’s younger brother was someone likely to do what is expected without rebelling or asking questions, unlike the rest of the family. This particular difference between them became extra problematic for William during his school years.
William wrote this about his parents:
Both my brother and I were people pleasers, and we didn’t really act out or misbehave. Once I had a party at age 16 and I invited my co-workers and it was a bit overwhelming, and my mom thought it was great because I had friends and my dad came home and was furious but eventually calmed down. He probably minded that there was nowhere to park. As far as college [planning] or homework, both parents were pretty supportive. I didn’t feel either was judgmental of me.
William and his brother attended a public school that served a region of small towns. The middle and high school were in the same building, which meant unusually intelligent, advanced students like William and his younger brother could be grade skipped in the subjects where they needed it, because acceleration wasn’t restricted by the building’s limits. William’s intellect is in the Level Four range, and his younger brother’s is in the Level Five range. As with others in this study, the brothers’ differences caused some issues for the whole family related to comparisons and relativity. [3]
And with William’s naturally sensitive, loving personality, he kept forgiving others for their misunderstanding and insensitivity to him as he struggled alone to figure out his path. After high school, he left college during the first semester. He had chosen to attend a satellite community college to a major state university, which, like his secondary education schools, did not meet his true peer needs. Many young men and women as exceptionally gifted as William, whose K-12 educational institutions are a poor “fit” like the one William experienced, view school as a waste of their time. For William, though, he just found it hard to become engaged in the coursework and never connected to the other students while he was there. He simply didn’t have access to peers and friend groups who had goals that went beyond learning a trade that would get them a job. If that is the norm for fellow students during their school years, some Level Four intellects are unlikely to seek a professional career that includes higher education.
William was in his early thirties when interviewed. As an adolescent, he knew his family had little money and would not be able to help him with school costs, so he ruled out trying to get into or attend a postsecondary institution with a stronger reputation than he selected.
Another complication was that his parents divorced after their children graduated and left home. The impact on William was life-shifting. He was raised Baptist, and the whole family was heavily involved in the church and faith. From a life full of the clear rules and answers some religions provide, all four members of the family went into a time of great emotional turmoil.
William described some of what those times were like for him:
For about two years, I took Prozac every day to keep me even-keeled. Breaking up with my ex-girlfriend was a large — additional — moment. I spent two to three weeks on the couch crying, not able to deal with it or move on. I realized I would start to get better by doing at least one thing a day. I had to face myself and my decisions of the past couple years. I am surprised that I didn’t feel actually suicidal.
After he settled into his career in athletic equipment and sales in a much larger community, William saw how much he loved working with, talking with, and getting to know other people. He keeps getting promoted and relishes additional responsibilities.
The IT [Informational Technology] chairperson at the U would come into the café at my place of work, and we became friends. My former therapist mentioned that I was always seeking a mentor and this was a very good thing.
He also met and enjoyed the company of a woman he described as “highly educated” from whom he rented an apartment. They slowly fell in love, got married, and now have two children. She is in a medical field, both work full-time, and they share parenting duties. He is clearly happy with his young family.
When asked the question about substance abuse, and mental or emotional health issues, William revealed his father suffered from a deep depression that not only impacted his father but also his parents’ marriage and may have contributed to the move away from any of the family members being Baptist anymore. William is deeply on the path to healthy emotional growth and continues to take actions and make choices that move him forward. He wrote:
I’m kinda like “flow”; I don’t try to make things into what I think they should be. I try to fit in and make things work for me as well as everyone else. I used to try to make things the way I thought they should be. The role that I’ve created for myself at work, I really want to facilitate things, and if I want to make a difference in the world, I will make it and it will just attract people and we’ll make it work. They needn’t be just like me, but it will work. They bring what they bring. Sales had been an aggressive act, one where we’d try to get people to buy something. And now they’re moving it to a more supportive act where we provide information that helps the customer see and decide what they need or want. Of the 250 other companies like ours in the country, what can we bring that is missing for the people, and show them how what we have will work for them? It’s the ultimate rush. As a partner and father, I see myself in a supportive role, and I see I’m a lot more family-focused than a lot of dudes my age. I think I’ve got more of a focus on making them full and happy and smiling and am more hands off when they are. Gen [his wife] frets over every detail like which preschool and I think they can walk to one.
When asked what he liked to do for fun, William said:
Video-gaming! Cycling! Cooking! Love cooking for friends! Mom got me a sous vide, basically a hipster slow cooker. For my creative aspect, I focus on a task when I get home. I find it more satisfying than dealing with the kids [both under age 5], so I feel I am contributing. Sometimes I do both — play with kids and cook. I’m not riding [my bike] as much as I used to, and I’m now running — three 5Ks so far this year.
William has found a work, family, and friendships life that he loves. More information about him are in later blogs or the last sections of the Gifted Children Grown Up (2023) book.
William’s story and responses make it clear that the undiscovered gifted, aka geniuses, of the world, can show up anywhere, not just in the classroom or corporate or tech-heavy jobs. Many super-intelligent entrepreneurs have dropped out of college. Among them are Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Jack Dorsey, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, Jan Koum, Michael Dell, Evan Williams, and John Mackey. Have fun with this article: 42 Successful and Influential Dropouts that Changed the World. Also, I recommend you look into how many of these people had opportunity that included wealthy or well-connected parents.
Handy references from past posts:
Gifted Children and Their Personality Types
On Substack: Gifted Children and Their Personality Types: https://deborahruf.substack.com/p/gifted-children-and-their-personality-e12?utm_source=publication-search
On Medium: Gifted Children and Their Personality Types: https://medium.com/@deborahruf/gifted-children-and-their-personality-types-f875785c53f6
Endnotes
[1] Lower case is used in MBTI results to indicate a slight, not clear or strong, preference for the factor.
[2] Prober, P. (2016). Your rainforest mind: A guide to the well-being of gifted adults and youth. GHF Press.
[3] When I talk about the relativity of intelligence, I mean its relative importance within the context at hand. It is closely related to how we determine a good fit for gifted children during their school years and later in their careers and avocations. See also, Chapter 1 in The Five Levels of Gifted Children Grown Up: What They Tell Us (2023) book or Losing Our Minds: Too Many Gifted Children Left Behind (Oct. 2024).
Books by Deborah Ruf, PhD
5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options in 2009. This is the original 5 Levels of Gifted book for parents and educators. Moderately Gifted, Highly Gifted, Exceptionally Gifted, and Profoundly Gifted children are the subjects of this book (78 of them) and their early milestones, behaviors, and parent journeys through how to raise and educate these children is a must-read. Parents who read this book can estimate their own children’s eventual IQs surprisingly accurately by the time they are age three to about six years old, before it is effective — or reliable — to have them professionally tested.
Here are links to the 5 Levels of Gifted book on Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/5-levels-of-gifted-deborah-ruf/1126358834 and Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Levels-Gifted-School-Educational-Options/dp/0910707987 or directly from the publisher: https://www.giftedunlimitedllc.com/store/p12/5_Levels_of_Gifted.html
Keys to Successfully Parenting the Gifted Child (2023). Need answers fast on what to do now? This is a short book — 80 pages including pictures — that is a great starter for parents just wanting some answers … fast! The content was originally from a PowerPoint I created for the parents of gifted children presentations around the country. The contents zero in on some of the most important things about raising gifted children that parents want to know. On Amazon, Keys to Successfully Parenting Gifted Children (2022, 2023) Print and ebook. The Nook version is also now on B&N.
The Five Levels of Gifted Children Grown Up: What They Tell Us (2023). This is a 20-year longitudinal study follow-up about the original gifted child subjects in 5 Levels of Gifted: School Issues and Educational Options (2005, 2009). In it, Dr. Ruf covers every conceivable topic to ask the 60 of the original study group of 78. She also shows readers how it is that people of the same original promise to succeed have vastly different outcomes. https://www.amazon.com/Levels-Gifted-Children-Grown-Up/dp/B0C9SHFRLH or https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-5-levels-of-gifted-children-grown-up-phd-deborah-l-ruf/1143719859?ean=9798988323709.
Losing Our Minds: Too Many Gifted Children Left Behind (Oct. 2024). This is the first book in a Trilogy meant especially for educators, parents, adult gifted, and therapists. Questions for discussion are at the end of every chapter. The book provides a detailed analysis of the different levels of giftedness, the concept of “good fit” in educational settings, and the impact of various school environments on gifted children. It also includes personal stories and experiences of gifted children and adults, highlighting the challenges they face in finding appropriate educational and social environments. Available now on both Amazon and B&N. It is not the old purple book from 2005. Also, the Kindle and Nook versions are formatted so readers can click back and forth easily and find their place again. Follow this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DL3BSC9X or this link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/losing-our-minds-deborah-ruf/1146410968?ean=2940185888872
Environmental, Familial, and Personal Factors That Affect the Self-Actualization of Highly Gifted Adults: Case Studies (D. Ruf, 1998) doctoral dissertation. Free PDF https://dabrowskicenter.org/ruf
Dr. Ruf is available for the following services.
Click for details and to schedule:
One-Hour Test Interpretation
Gifted Child Test Interpretation & Guidance
20-Minute Consultation
45-Minute Consultation
One-Hour Consultation
Podcast Interview
Bill Gates isn't gifted. He's a psychopath promoting dangerous mRNA bio-weapons. The majority of gifted individuals intuitively knew, or through simple research knew, not to get jabbed with the clot-shots.