Head First – 10 Different Intelligences by Tony Buzan – Book Review

29-09-2021

In this book, first published in 2000, Tony Buzan writes that we all have ten different types of intelligence. This book is an incredible reference, if only to make the reader think in all the ways we think. There are great possibilities for personal growth by strengthening the areas in which we are good and by exercising in those areas that we have mostly ignored or even ignored.

Each intelligence chapter contains several sections.

1. A brief but comprehensive definition of intelligence.

2. A statement of the benefits to be gained from studying this specific intelligence.

3. An example of a person who excels at this.

4. A section with proof that you are really smarter than you think.

5. Case studies of more people as examples and role models.

6. Brain training. Nothing is free, exercises to make you stronger.

7. The end of each chapter contains tests and quizzes. Challenge yourself, see how you stack up against the experts, and maybe learn some new ways of thinking.

Here are the 10 types of intelligence with my brief summary of each. You may not agree with the choice of 10 as the correct number, but the chosen ones are certainly worth considering in many ways.

1. Creative. This is your ability to come up with new ideas. To be flexible, find new ways to use old ideas. The stars here are the ones who can find new quick fixes.

2. Personnel. The star here is a person who knows himself. He is self-aware and uses this knowledge for personal fulfillment.

3. Social. The star here can interact productively and meaningfully with other human beings. It’s about personal relationships.

4. Spiritual. It’s about the really big picture. Use your intelligence for more than selfish interests.

5. Physical. This person is aware of a harmony with their physical self. This person is physically fit, coordinated, and likely an athlete, artist, surgeon, etc.

6. Sensual. Use your five senses and your intuition to live fully. The human body, properly used, is an incredible complete organism capable of doing many things better than all the inventions of man.

7. Sexual. In its most basic form, the urge to survive, to procreate, to continue the human race.

8. Numeric. The ability to manipulate the language of numbers. This should be a simple thing because many of us only have to worry about ten symbols, from zero to nine. Some of us only care about zeros and ones.

9. Space. This is the ability to see the relationships of forms with each other and with the space where they exist.

10. Verbal. Verbal intelligence is a bit more complex than numerical intelligence. We manipulate 26 characters to define thoughts and communicate them to ourselves and to others.

This book is highly recommended as an introduction to many ways of seeing and thinking about your world. Being a Buzan book, the reader also gets the benefit of images from various complex and colorful mind maps.