You’re describing actual burnout. But gifted child burnout is different. It’s laziness cultivated by an early childhood where the child was praised for their intelligence, rather than for effort or ambition. When the child eventually reaches a point where they would have to expend significant effort to succeed, they do not, as it is alien to their conception of self-worth. To an outside observer, that, due to their own belief in the myth of meritocracy, expected a lifetime of great achievements from the child solely due to the child’s intelligence, it appears as if the child has burned out.
You’re describing actual burnout. But gifted child burnout is different. It’s laziness cultivated by an early childhood where the child was praised for their intelligence, rather than for effort or ambition. When the child eventually reaches a point where they would have to expend significant effort to succeed, they do not, as it is alien to their conception of self-worth. To an outside observer, that, due to their own belief in the myth of meritocracy, expected a lifetime of great achievements from the child solely due to the child’s intelligence, it appears as if the child has burned out.