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Procrastination and giftedness: 7 possible reasons
Not all gifted people procrastinate. When it happens, however, lack of interest, speed of execution, curiosity, perfectionism or abundant thinking can contribute to postponing a task.
Video in French. The article below is available in English.
Procrastination has more than one cause
Seven mechanisms can contribute to procrastination. The aim is to identify which really fits you, rather than consider procrastination an automatic trait of giftedness.
Although some gifted people put off what they should do now, procrastination clearly does not affect all “zebras”: others tend to complete tasks in an organised, efficient way. However, if you recognise yourself in at least 4 of these signs, the HEP screening test and the HIP screening test are recommended for you.
1) Their lack of interest
Many gifted people struggle to motivate themselves for tasks they consider uninteresting, such as administrative tasks or housework. Conversely, when passionate about something, their motivation can be boundless!
2) Their speed
Gifted people, particularly those with High Intellectual Potential, can complete certain tasks extremely quickly. Hence a tendency to do things at the last minute, because they can!
3) Their intellectual curiosity
Gifted people’s abundant curiosity can lead them away from a task or cause them to postpone it because so many other activities interest them at the same time!
4) Their perfectionism
The perfectionism leads them to see every task as a mountain of details to complete perfectly. This mountain often seems insurmountable, leading them to postpone the task.
5) Their impostor syndrome
Because of their impostor syndrome, gifted people tend to doubt their achievements and attribute their successes to external factors such as luck. This leads them to procrastinate. These doubts usually tend to diminish or disappear after their giftedness is identified.
6) Their low self-esteem
Low self-esteem affects people with HIP far more than those with HEP. They delay starting a task because they lack confidence and do not believe they can do it well.
7) Their branching thought
Many gifted people have branching way of thinking: one idea generates several others, which in turn generate more ideas. This divergent thinking often quickly leads them to lose sight of the original idea. When they think about starting a task, this form of thinking can therefore easily lead them away from it!
Frequently asked questions
Do all gifted people procrastinate?
No. Some gifted people postpone tasks, whereas others function in a very organised, efficient way.
Which mechanisms are described?
Lack of interest, speed, curiosity, perfectionism, impostor syndrome, low self-esteem and branching thought.
Does your procrastination resemble one of these mechanisms?
If it is part of a broader set of giftedness characteristics, understanding your functioning can help you stop automatically interpreting this behaviour as a simple lack of willpower.
