Understanding the power of perseverance and self-reliance in introverted geniuses is beneficial to people who want to further improve their lives, work or study effectively, regardless of whether they are geniuses or not.
Many studies have explored as a means of identifying emotional intelligence (EI) skills (e.g., Goleman, 2015:7-21). However, until now, no investigation has sought to understand the relationship(s) between perseverance, self-reliance, mindfulness, introversion, and introverted genius. More specifically, how they succeed in their work even if/when they experience repeated obstacles, rejection, etc. This research mainly takes a critical literature review approach that develops on the understanding that there is a connection between the success(es) of introverted geniuses and emotion, EI, mindfulness, perseverance and self-reliance.
The findings of the critical literature review are then explored further via a (qualitative) case study: the participant has been chosen because his view is recognized as having the characteristics of an introverted genius.
This qualitative study aims to validate or invalidate claims such as certain EI skills serving to help introverted geniuses carry on with their work despite the adversities they must confront.
The results suggest that: mindfulness helps introverted geniuses maintain perseverance and it is a crucial EI skill which can be trained; there are specific characteristics of geniuses and introverted geniuses; there are differences between talent and genius; and recognition of emotion, i.e., anger, leads a typical introverted genius to resort to self-control and thus s/he avoids unnecessary arguments or loss of energy and time (see Skowronsky, 2005:94).
These results have the potential to impact upon future research in the field of EI, especially in the sector of EI competences (Goleman, 2015:7-21).
