INTRODUCTION<br > Knowledge itself is power ， wrote Francis Bacon. Certainly， when it comes<br >to knowing about our own aptitudes and discovering our hidden talents，<br >few would deny the truth of that statement. It is only by gaining such<br >self-knowledge that we can realize our full intellectual potential.<br > The purpose of this book is to provide that vital insight. By working<br >through the assessments which follow， you will be able to:<br >~ identify the type of thinking for which your brain is best suited;<br >~ discover your capacity for logical reasoning and scientific deduction;<br >~ explore your artistic talents;<br >~ find out whether or not you have a flair for languages and， if so， which<br > you could learn most easily;<br >~ assess your powers of co-ordination to see if you possess the level<br > of skill needed for many jobs and hobbies;<br >~ investigate your social intelligence and ability to express yourself<br > effectively;<br >~ pinpoint the kind of career and type of leisure activity which you sh~uld be<br > able to do best and enjoy the most.<br > Everybody hopes to find a job well-suited to his or her special aptitudes. Yet<br > very few people understand how to assess those aptitudes effectively. As a<br > result， many go into employment for which they are ill-suited， and so end up<br > frustrated， bored or over-stressed. Their intellectual powers lie dormant<br > instead of being properly employed to bring them the best chances for success<br > and fulfilment.<br > This lack of self-knowledge has serious implications both for individuals<br > and for society. Studies have shown that at least one-third of the working<br > population in Britain and the United States are seriously dissatisfied with their<br > jobs. They either complain that the work is beyond their capabilities， or is<br > insufficiently stimulating. Those who find the going too tough express<br > concern because they cannot master important concepts in the work or use<br > their minds in the right way to achieve important goals in that particular<br > activity. On the other hand， they may find the demands being made on their<br > mind are all too trivial; boredom and lack of interest rapidly set in because the<br > work is too easy， the tasks far too readily handled， the stimulation their minds<br > demand almost totally absent.<br >