[nostrademons]

Interesting. I suspect this varies a lot person to person - I'm thinking about Meyers-Briggs and the S/N divide here. I knew how to throw everything together from a very early age. I wrote one of my physics exams in rhyming couplets of iambic pentameter (you try rhyming ∇ · B, I dare ya :-)). I was making hanging mobiles out of the periodic table elements at 12, and my dad taught me how to balance chemical equations and graph exponential decay curves at 7.

What I didn't know how to do was put my nose to the grindstone and rigorously study one subject in depth until I learned all the dusty corners. I was very good at impressing people with off-the-wall connections and intuitions that they would never have dreamed of, but I couldn't finish my homework or solve textbook problems. I did learn that in college (but in an unorthodox way - by nearly flunking out).

But I can't help but wonder if this is a maturity thing and it would've happened without college. I actually felt that the greatest improvement in my ability to persevere and get through the boring things that weren't immediately obvious happened in the 5 years after college, once I got into the working world.

[calinet6]

You're very much still in your own head. I have confidence you're going in a good direction, but I encourage you to work on your ego.

[sillysaurus3]

There wasn't anything egotistical about his comment. It was relevant and thoughtful. The topic just happened to include his personal experience.