Multiple Natures works closely with the Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI). Developed by American development psychologist, Howard Gardner, in 1983, MI describes eight different ways to be smart

In his Multiple Intelligences theory, Gardner states that there are eight basic intelligences (rather than one underlying intelligence). These include:

Bodily Intelligence (Gross)
The ability to be aware of the functioning of one’s body and others' bodies, as well as to demonstrate strong physical coordination.

People with a strong Gross Bodily Intelligence have an aptitude for moving and manipulating the body in a variety of circumstances. They move with poise and grace and are highly adept at using body language to punctuate their points. Such people make good pilot, Ayurvedic massage therapist, sports medicine practitioner, physiotherapist, astronaut, etc.

Famous people with high Bodily (Gross) Intelligence - Sachin Tendulkar, Swami Ramdev, Hrithik Roshan, Saroj Khan, Tiger Woods.

Bodily Intelligence (Fine)
The ability to demonstrate strong coordination between the eye and hand and display finesse in hand movements.

People with strong Fine Bodily Intelligence have excellent eye-hand coordination and work effectively with tasks that require manual dexterity. They love to work with their hands and have a natural gift for activities that involve manual skills. Such people make good civil engineers, car designer, painters, etc.

Famous people with high Bodily (Fine) Intelligence - MF Husain, Ritu Beri, Abhinav Bindra, Dr. Naresh Trehan, PC Sarkar.

Interpersonal Intelligence
The ability to understand, communicate with, interact with, and influence others.

People with strong Interpersonal Intelligence have an aptitude for effectively interacting and dealing with others. They are often called on when friends or family want to share their problems with someone and need a good listener and adviser. Such people make good public speakers, politicians, radio jockey, journalists, etc.

Famous people with high Interpersonal Intelligence - Dr. APJ Kalam, Mahatma Gandhi, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, Barkha Dutt.

Linguistic Intelligence
The ability to understand, acquire, and use language effectively.

People with strong Linguistic Intelligence have an aptitude for learning and using languages. They are often attracted towards writing poems and enjoy reading anything including stories, dictionaries, signboards, and even instruction manuals! They may easily spell words that others are not even able to pronounce. Such people make good writers, novelists, curriculum designer, librarian, lyricist, etc.

Famous people with high Linguistic Intelligence - William Shakespeare, JK Rowling, Rabindranath Tagore, Ruskin Bond, Shobha De.

Logical Intelligence
The ability to think analytically, in an orderly or practical manner, and/or perform mathematical-related tasks.

People with strong Logical Intelligence have an aptitude for mathematical calculations, logical thinking, and pattern recognition. They possess an innate reasoning ability; can think in logical and numerical patterns and make connections between different pieces of information. Such people make good mathematicians, scientists, chess players, software programmer, etc.

Famous people with high Logical Intelligence - Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Aryabhatta, Vishwanathan Anand, Shakuntala Devi.

Visual Intelligence (Graphic)
The ability to view things accurately or create mental images, process them, and translate them from imagination to reality.

People with strong Graphic Visual Intelligence have an aptitude for design, drawing, coloring, painting, creating models, etc. They find it easy to think in pictures and images. You easily see images in your mind and can represent them in visually artistic ways. Such people make good graphic designers, painters, animators, image consultant, landscape architect, etc.

Famous people with Visual (Graphic) Intelligence - Pablo Picasso, Walt Disney, Manish Malhotra, Sarnath Bannerjee.

Visual Intelligence (Spatial)
The ability to manipulate objects within space and move objects around with precision.

People with strong Spatial Visual Intelligence can navigate your way effectively and easily visualize things in three dimensions. When it comes to inner space (inside their head, that is), they can easily see how things fit together. Such people make good architects, choreographers, event managers, interior decorators, etc.

Famous people with high Visual (Spatial) Intelligence - Galileo Galilei, Frank Llyod Wright, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Gustavo Eiffel.

Musical Intelligence
The ability to accurately perceive and/or produce acts of sound, rhythm, tone, and melody.

People with a strong Musical Intelligence have an aptitude for learning and playing musical instruments, singing, identifying melodies and rhythms, differentiating different sounds and instruments. It may be easy for them to remember a long list of songs and they can easily hear music in your head, even when it is not playing around them. Such people make good singer, musician, jingle writer, sound designer, etc.

Famous people with high Musical Intelligence - Lata Mangeshkar, AR Rahman, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Mozart, Zakir Hussain.

Intrapersonal Intelligence
The ability to be deeply in tune with or control oneself physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually.

People with strong Intrapersonal Intelligence have an aptitude for being in tune with their emotions, feelings, and inner self. They have a clear understanding of what makes them tick, and have good control over their emotions. Such people make good spiritual healers, writers who write spiritual or inspiring books, etc.

Famous people with high Intrapersonal Intelligence - Swami Vivekanand, The Dalai Lama, Anne Frank, Sai Baba, Osho, Paulo Coelho.

Naturalistic Intelligence
The ability to tune into nature (e.g., plants, animals or wildlife), or natural life sciences (biological, chemical, physical, etc.).

People with strong Naturalistic Intelligence have an aptitude for connecting with nature — plants, animals, the environment, etc. They enjoy spending time in the lap of Mother Nature and are disturbed when people pollute the environment, as they greatly relish and appreciate the wonderful gifts nature has given us. Such people make good environmental activists, Ayurvedic doctor, agricultural professional, etc.

Famous people with high Naturalistic Intelligence - Charles Darwin, Menaka Gandhi, Medha Patkar, RK Pachuri, Sunita Narain.

MI + MN – A Powerful Combination
Multiple Natures and Multiple Intelligences are largely exclusive of each other. Intelligences are abilities and Natures are tendencies. Intelligences tell us how we are intelligent or able; Natures tell us how we use our intelligence. The combined application of Multiple Natures and Multiple Intelligences provides a comprehensive model and tool for understanding people’s nature.

Read about Multiple Natures