Rosie, you have your own distinct brand of smart. As a result, you're likely more geared toward some types of intelligence than others. The important thing to remember is that the scores you receive below are an indication of where you stand today. Everyone possesses the capacity to improve and change. To help you do just that, Emode's experts have provided a series of action steps in each section below to help you fulfill your potential. But first, let's examine what you're best at.

Your greatest strength is Personal Intelligence. You scored a 10 out of 10. This means that you scored above 100% of the others who took this test.

What is personal intelligence?
People with a high level of personal intelligence aren't afraid to ask themselves life's big questions: "Why am I here?" or "What's the meaning of life?" These issues are everyday fare for people using their personal intelligence. By being willing to explore the unknown, personally intelligent people can seem positively fearless to those who'd rather focus on simpler, more concrete issues. It's true: Asking deep questions that may have no definitive answers can be scary at times. However, by delving into these existential places, personally intelligent types can become very in tune with their feelings, values, and ideals. It's a kind of self-knowledge that people with less of this intelligence rarely experience.

After all, getting to know who you are and understanding your place in this world should not be things left only to philosophers, psychologists, and religious scholars. Developing a solid sense of yourself can be crucial to nurturing self-esteem and a positive self-image. People who score high on personal intelligence are typically comfortable expressing the full spectrum of their emotions. They are also generally in tune with their conscious and unconscious feelings. Perhaps most importantly, people with a high degree of this intelligence appear not just to recognize their own emotions, but the underlying causes for them, as well. This can make personally intelligent people very self-reliant and able to improve their own lives.

People who are personally intelligent seem to realize that it's not so important what the answers to life's big questions are, but that the questions are being asked. By forcing yourself to face who you are, you can begin to accept who you are, as well. Possessing inner peace can make what others think of you matter much less. In activating personal intelligence to its fullest, you can effectively enrich your life. This is true because in many ways, this kind of intelligence represents an integration of your mind and heart.

Most everyone has at least some degree of each of these six types of intelligence. Yet it's also true that almost no one uses any one kind of intelligence to its fullest potential. Most of us take advantage of certain aspects of an intelligence we have but don't explore its other benefits. As you read the sections below, notice the ways you're actively using your intelligences today and the ways you can expand them in the future. The Take Action sections will help you get started.

Before looking at the details of your remaining intelligences, you might want to know how we generated this summary of your skills.

While you were answering the test questions, we measured your intelligence level in six distinct areas: linguistic, logical/mathematical, personal, physical, social, and visual/spatial.

As you look at your multiple intelligences profile, you may notice that you can receive the same score on more than one of your intelligences. Don't worry, that's very common. If some of the intelligences share the same score, it simply means that you're equally good at all of those skills.

Here's how your intelligences profile is ranked. First, we calculated your overall score for each intelligence. The higher the score, the higher it is ranked in your intelligences profile. If you receive the same score on more than one type of intelligence, our researchers then looked at how difficult it is for people to get high scores on those different areas. They then ranked those competing intelligences in order of difficulty.

You scored a 10 out of 10 on Visual/Spatial Intelligence. This means that you scored above 100% of the others who took this test.

What is visual/spatial intelligence?
People with visual/spatial intelligence have the interesting ability of being able to form high-quality mental images and even manipulate those pictures to form new things. Visual/spatial abilities can include being able to visualize accurate representations of existing objects and having the skill to imagine detailed original designs or scenes. In the career world, this can make visual/spatial types great at everything from mechanical engineering to interior design.

People with this intelligence typically have a high level of attention to detail and are well in touch with their surroundings. As a result, visually/spatially intelligent people can make great hunters because they tend to notice even small changes in their physical environment — a key when tracking prey. They're also the kinds of individuals you'd want in control of the map on a road trip. Visual/spatial intelligence can make people great with directions.

In addition, people with strong visual/spatial intelligence typically love aesthetics. They can usually find beauty in both manmade and natural things. Appreciating a sunset, noticing how patterns and colors fit together to make a great outfit, and having at least a passing knowledge of architecture and design are all different ways that their love of beauty can manifest.

People who use this type of intelligence tend to think in pictures rather than numbers or words. As a result, those who score relatively high on visual/spatial intelligence are better at learning concepts when seeing charts, pictures, or diagrams rather than hearing a lecture. Overall, using this type of intelligence can enrich your life because it requires a vivid imagination. Indeed, by forming creative mental images and really seeing the things around you, you can make the world a more wondrous place.

You scored a 10 out of 10 on Social Intelligence. This means that you scored above 100% of the others who took this test.

What is social intelligence?
Social intelligence refers to the ability to read other people and understand their intentions and motivations. People with this intelligence are usually clued in to the differences between what others say and what they really mean. As a result, socially intelligent types may sometimes be accused of being mind readers. People who successfully use this type of intelligence can be masterful conversationalists. This can be due to a combination of excellent listening skills and the ability to meaningfully engage others. People who are socially intelligent can usually make the people around them feel comfortable and included. They also tend to enjoy interacting with a variety of people.

Other valuable skills that can come along with social intelligence are the ability to assert one's own needs, effective conflict resolution skills, and the gift of being able to solve most problems in a cooperative fashion. By being able to key in on others' needs — sometimes more clearly than those people can themselves — socially intelligent individuals can be highly perceptive. This trait can be a great boon in business as well as in personal matters.

Because they often feed off their relationships with others, if social types find themselves without a romantic partner, close family, or a circle of friends to share their life with, monetary and academic successes can lose their luster. When it comes to understanding the mindset of many socially intelligent people, Ralph Waldo Emerson may have said it best:

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success."

There's evidence that working to optimize social intelligence can even be beneficial to your health. It's been shown that lonely individuals are highly susceptible to depression and a variety of other mental and physical ailments. So by developing a close social network and learning to be emotionally available and depend on others, you can be not just happier but healthier, too.

You scored a 9 out of 10 on Linguistic Intelligence. This means that you scored above 90% of the others who took this test.

What is linguistic intelligence?
Generally, people with a high degree of linguistic intelligence have a greater gift for expressing themselves than most other people do. In fact, linguistically intelligent people often become known as real wordsmiths among their friends and colleagues. Whether their skills center on having the gift of gab or the ability to turn an elegant phrase, linguistically intelligent types know how to get a point across with precision and flair. Poets, thespians, writers, and public speakers are among the people who rely heavily on linguistic intelligence.

At times, having this type of intelligence can make for very persuasive communication. By choosing the right words at the right time, linguistic intelligence can help people clearly express their ideas, thoughts, and feelings to others. This can be a crucial skill in both professional and personal life. Linguistically talented people are often able to tailor their communication to a variety of audiences. Many also seem to know when subtlety is more appropriate than being overly direct.

Think about the people in your life who can tell a great story or who have others in stitches when telling a joke. That's linguistic intelligence, too. It's a skill that can make people a real hit in social situations. By crafting vivid descriptions and emotional language, people with linguistic intelligence can keep an audience riveted.

People who score relatively high on this intelligence tend to think in words instead of pictures. As a result, when it comes to learning something, they're better able to understand verbal explanations than charts or drawings. Studying the origins of words, slang, and metaphors can also be intriguing to those who score high on this intelligence. As for leisure time, when linguistic types are not telling stories themselves, they might be found curled up with a good book. Typically lovers of the written word, linguistically intelligent people can be voracious readers.

You scored a 9 out of 10 on Logical/Mathematical Intelligence. This means that you scored above 90% of the others who took this test.

What is logical/mathematical intelligence?
People with a high level of logical/mathematical intelligence are generally great problem solvers who are able to both think critically and analyze data. Individuals who have this intelligence also tend to see the world as a logical place. This is probably true because they're usually so skilled at picking up the patterns all around them. Whether it's a scientist noticing a repeated behavior in one of her subjects or a mathematician using patterns of numbers to solve a theorem, this type of intelligence can be extremely handy in intellectual pursuits.

However, there are also plenty of everyday uses for logical/mathematical intelligence. For example, whether you're reading the financial pages or the sports section, the newspaper is typically filled with data and statistics for you to interpret. Indeed, it's hard to grasp the complexities of important scientific, social, economic, or political issues if you can't understand the information given. Life is also filled with plenty of opportunities to use applied math. Balancing your checkbook, bargain shopping, and even gambling demand some level of logical/mathematical intelligence. When it comes to money, people who are logically/mathematically intelligent typically have the benefit of being better able to manage their own finances. They also have a leg up on understanding the factors that affect their investments.

As learners, people who are strong in this type of intelligence comprehend things most effectively through trial and error rather than through verbal instruction or visual diagrams. In particular, if given a problem to solve, logical/mathematical people will usually prefer to test out solutions themselves rather than to be told or shown what the right answer is. Moreover, people who use this intelligence can be stronger than most other people are at weighing the merits of different arguments. By looking at facts critically, these individuals are good at forming their own conclusions — an ability that can make them great business leaders and first-rate independent thinkers.

You scored an 8 out of 10 on Physical Intelligence. This means that you scored above 80% of the others who took this test.

What is physical intelligence?
When most of us think of physical intelligence, we think of dancers and athletes. Indeed, athletic prowess, physical grace, and control of the body for achievement or expression are each important aspects of this kind of intelligence. However, another important facet is the use of fine motor skills such as hand-eye coordination for activities like surgery, carpentry, and painting.

Very few people can accomplish the highest levels of physical intelligence, and those who do — whether sports heroes or heart surgeons — are usually both admired and paid handsomely for it. Yet everyone can benefit enormously from improving our intelligence in this realm. Until recently, physical intelligence was something that had been devalued in our society, mostly as a result of the industrial revolution. Once people developed machines to do tasks like farming and metal work, people's physical abilities in these areas were pushed aside.

Fortunately today, medical research demonstrates the importance of physical activity and maintaining a mind-body connection. It's been found that the more people use their bodies and preserve their physical capabilities, the more their thinking can improve, as well. Physical intelligence isn't just about muscle and athleticism. There are a variety of skills that can be worked on when it comes to improving physical intelligence including strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, dexterity, expressiveness, coordination, and good reflexes (Armstrong, 1999). People who use this type of intelligence frequently come to see their bodies as a source of joy, along with the added bonus of suffering less from stress and certain types of disease.

Famous uses of intelligence
We can all use a little inspiration. Check out how these visionaries put their different types of intelligence to work. The list below is a perfect example of how important each type of intelligence really is. If everyone were simply book-smart, where would we all be today?

Personal
Dalai Lama: Tibetan spiritual leader
Deepak Chopra: Spiritual guru
Oprah Winfrey: Talk show host

Visual/Spatial
Dale Chihuly: Glassblower and artist
Maya Lin: Architect of the Civil Rights and Vietnam Veteran's Memorials
Charles and Ray Eames: Furniture designers

Social
Dr. Phil McGraw: Author and therapist
Dr. John Gottman: Researcher and marriage counselor
Barbara Walters: Journalist and talk show host

Linguistic
Amy Tan: Writer
Pablo Neruda: Poet
Tony Kushner: Playwright

Logical/Mathematical
Erno Rubik: Inventor of the Rubik's Cube
John Nash: Mathematician
Suze Orman: Financial advisor

Physical
Twyla Tharp: Choreographer and dancer
Lance Armstrong: Bike racer
Dr. Christiaan Barnard: Surgeon of first heart transplant

Now that you know there is more than one way to be smart, it's time to expand your life by embracing all of your different kinds of intelligence. Over the next few weeks, Emode's experts are going to keep you motivated by sending you four emails — one per week. Each one will be filled with advice and ways to exercise your many intelligences, including:

• How personal and social intelligence can affect your relationships
• Ways to use your intelligences at work
• Maximizing others' different kinds of intelligence
• Learning to enjoy your intelligences in nontraditional ways

Look for your first email next week!

Fortunately, the field of assessing intelligence has come a long way from measuring the size of our skulls. However, even 50 years ago, traditional beliefs about intelligence indicated that people's capacity for learning was fixed. In other words, the prevailing view was that you're either born smart or you're not. Furthermore, measuring intelligence was almost completely limited to how well you performed on logic and math tests.

But fast-forward to the early 1980s, and you would have found Dr. Howard Gardner advocating a new way of looking at intelligence. His influential theory of multiple intelligences helped educational psychologists and others to broaden their thinking about what it means to be smart. According to Gardner, thinking about intelligence needed to acknowledge more than one form of intelligence. To describe the many dimensions Gardner felt made up intelligence, he coined the term multiple intelligences. His theory centers on the idea that intelligence is made up of at least seven to nine distinct abilities. It also postulates that all human beings possess a number of types of intelligence in varying amounts. What's more is that Gardner believed people's intelligence could be improved.

To help you put Gardner's theory in action, Emode created the Multiple Intelligences test. While Gardner looked at up to nine different areas of intelligence, Emode's test focuses on what we feel to be the core six: linguistic, visual/spatial, logical/mathematical, physical (or as Gardner called it, "body"), social (Gardner termed it "interpersonal"), and personal (Gardner used the term "intrapersonal").

We hope this test helps you understand that you no longer need to be judged by strict and narrow standards of what it means to be smart. Instead, you can start to appreciate the many ways that you and others are intelligent. If you'd like to learn more about this topic, Emode's research team suggests the references below for future reading.

Armstrong, T. (1999). 7 Kinds of Smart: Identifying and Developing Your Multiple Intelligences. NY: Plume.

Arnheim, R. (1983). Art and Visual Perception: A Psychology of the Creative Eye. Berkeley, CA: University of CA Press.

Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence Reframed. NY: Basic Books.