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Accessing Genius
by Sharon Good
For most of us, when we think of
"genius," Einstein or Mozart comes to mind. Certainly not ourselves. We
see genius as the domain of the elite -- the extremely smart or
extremely talented.
In "Power
vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior," David
Hawkins (www.veritaspub.com) says that genius resides within all of us,
that the processes of creativity and genius are inherent in human
consciousness. Every one of us has moments of genius, but they often
surprise us and we don't know where they came from.
It has become clear to us that much of our genius is squashed at an
early age. School curriculums are standardized in the interest of
conformity and control and rarely address diverse talents and learning
styles.
If you perform outside the
expected norms, there is no context for your creativity, and it will
often be suppressed as an undesirable deviation, rather than encouraged
as unique and noteworthy.
In discussing this topic, I'm going to call on some experts, beginning
with Merriam-Webster, who defines "genius" as "extraordinary
intellectual power especially as manifested in creative activity," but
also as "a peculiar, distinctive, or identifying character or spirit"
-- in other words, your unique gifts and talents!
Everyone is a genius and an
artist. Your genius may be in painting or music or writing, or your
artistry may be in making people feel comfortable, organizing events,
fixing cars, raising children or raising tomatoes.
We often miss these flashes of genius because we narrowly define genius
by either high IQ or outstanding artistic ability.
But IQ only measures one type of
intelligence. In his new book, "Intelligence
Reframed," in which he expands on his earlier work on multiple
intelligences, Howard Gardner (www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm)
posits 9 separate intelligences: logical-mathematical, musical,
linguistic, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal,
natural (as in "nature") and spiritual/existential.
Gardner defines intelligence as "...a biophysiological potential to
process information that can be activated in a cultural setting to
solve problems or create products that are of value in a culture."
Clearly, there are many ways to
process information that contribute to a culture. Many of our most
useful inventions were created by ordinary people.
In the 1950s, a divorced secretary, fearing for her job when the speed
of her new electric typewriter caused her to make more mistakes than
usual, filled an empty nail polish bottle with white tempera paint to
cover her typing mistakes, thereby inventing Liquid Paper.
In 1948, a Swiss electrical
engineer came back from a nature hike with his clothes covered with
burrs. His curiosity led him to look at them under a microscope, where
he saw what looked like little hooks that had attached themselves to
the fabric of his trousers. He saw its potential as a unique fastener,
and after a few years of experimentation, Velcro was born.
Michael Gelb (www.michaelgelb.com) has made a career of studying
geniuses. [See his book "How
to think like Leonardo da Vinci"]
He cites seven critical
principles, which he learned from Leonardo da Vinci
(www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/LeoHomePage.html), that need to be followed
to bring out your genius:
~ Curiosita: An insatiably curious approach to life.
~ Dimostrazione: Willingness to learn from mistakes
and continually test theories through experience.
~ Sensazione: Using the senses to connect with the
world around you.
~ Sfumato: A willingness to embrace contradictory
ideas, ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty.
~ Arte/Scienza: Developing a balance between science
and art, logic and imagination: "whole-brain thinking."
~ Corporalita: Taking care of the physical body,
cultivating fitness and poise.
~ Connessione: Recognizing and appreciating the
connectedness of all things: "systems thinking."
These are practices we can all embrace. While the world around us may
not seek out our genius, we can value and nurture it ourselves, working
with the principles of daVinci and the examples of his peers to create
a welcome environment for it.
~ Genius emerges from the interplay of logic and
imagination. Gelb calls these "critical thinking" and "creative
thinking." Both are vital to powerful thinking. Logic alone is
earthbound, while imagination alone is ungrounded. Put the two
together, and magic happens.
~ One of the most important components of genius is
intensity of focus. When you're working in your arena of genius, it's
easy to get intensely involved in your creation or quest for hours at a
time. When this is alternated with time away, in which you give your
ideas time to germinate, inspiration arises.
If focus is difficult for you, you can train
yourself. In "Conquest
of Mind," spiritual teacher Eknath Easwaran
(www.nilgiri.org/nilgiri.cfm?pageid=5001) says, "It is the nature of
the untrained mind to keep moving, moving, moving. But the mind is
infinitely teachable. You can make it natural for your mind not to
move, but to dwell like a laser wherever you place it. That is the
secret of genius."
Great artists start with talent, but it is through
this intensity of focus, and endless hours of practice, that genius
emerges. Easwaran observed that "after seeing the kind of training
Nureyev (www.ballet.co.uk/nureyev) must have undergone, I realized anew
why genius has been called just an infinite capacity for taking pains."
~ Don't let obstacles deter you. If you hit a wall,
use your creativity and imagination to dissolve it. When Isaac Newton
(www.newton.cam.ac.uk/newtlife.html) reached an impasse in his work
because the existing mathematics were inadequate, he created calculus.
~ Seek out an encouraging environment. When people
believe in us, we are capable of rising to genius. The film "Stand and
Deliver" tells the story of math teacher Jaime Escalante
(www.paccd.cc.ca.us/75th/alumni/escalante/escalante.html), who
motivated and inspired 18 disadvantaged, East Los Angeles barrio kids
to pass the Advanced Placement Calculus test. (Newton would have been
pleased!)
~ Take time to just be, and not always do. Keeping
ourselves constantly moving prevents the soft voice of inspiration from
coming through. Harvard business professor Shoshana Zuboff
(http://pine.hbs.edu/external/facPersonalShow.do?pid=6582) said that
her real work occurs when she is putting her feet up on her desk to
think and reflect.
This winter, a few of my clients
were sick or injured and had to stop their normal routine. Every one of
them reported greater clarity on personal issues that had baffled them
before.
Gelb corroborated this in an interview in the Spring
2001 issue of Linezine (www.linezine.com/4.1/interviews/mgmcgm.htm):
"In the last 20 years I've been asking people all over the world,
'Where are you when you get your best ideas, where are you actually
physically located,' and people almost invariably respond, 'I was lying
in bed, I was going for a walk in nature, I was driving my car, I was
taking a bath.' They almost never say, 'I was in a meeting.'"
~ Generate new ideas by being curious and open to
new possibilities. Albert Einstein (www.alberteinstein.info) said that
the childlike, open, imaginative, playful way of thinking was at the
core of his approach. When you dare to dream, you create the
possibility that your dream could come true.
Use creative thinking to dream
and brainstorm, without censoring what comes through, and then follow
up with critical thinking to see which of your ideas might be developed
further.
~ Pay attention to your ideas; take them seriously.
Gelb stated that "all the geniuses I've studied are pretty good at
paying attention to the inner muse." Great men like da Vinci, Newton
and Edison kept extensive notebooks, while Thomas Jefferson
(www.monticello.org) poured his ideas into letters. Today, we might
keep a journal or an idea log.
~ Always be open to learning, no matter how
accomplished you are in your field. Buddhism calls this "beginner's
mind." Have the courage to ask questions, even if you feel foolish, and
not just ones to which you already know the answer. Don't judge or rule
out the responses, but playfully explore and experiment with them.
~ Be patient and persistent. Thomas Alva Edison
(www.thomasedison.com) tested over 6,000 filaments before he created a
successful light bulb. Wilbur and Orville Wright (www.first-to-fly.com)
began building toy airplanes and kites at the ages of 12 and 8,
respectively. Twenty-four years later, when they took their craft to
Kitty Hawk, they had carefully tested each component and knew it could
fly.
~ Great geniuses usually also demonstrate great
humility. Einstein often protested that he had no special gifts, except
perhaps his curiosity, focus and persistence.
Ego is what bursts the delicate
bubble of genius. Take, for example, an athlete running a race. When
that athlete is performing optimally, he is mentally and physically "in
the zone," totally focused on the sublime ecstasy of pushing the
envelope of human limits. If his mind turns to the rewards -- glory,
praise, money or fame -- the intense focus is broken.
You may have experienced this
yourself, when you were "in the flow" with your creation and then lost
it when you began to think about how your work might be judged.
~ Remember that your genius may be focused in a
particular area, and don't discount it because you also have weaknesses
(as we all do). In his PBS special, "The Power of Invention," Dr. Wayne
Dyer (www.drwaynedyer.com) admitted that while writing books and
talking to audiences about spirituality is easy for him, don't ask him
to fix the screen door on his house.
~ Finally, trust yourself, value your own
experiences and talents, and don't look to others for approval. Your
genius may elicit jealousy and competitiveness, and the responses you
get from others may be aimed, consciously or unconsciously, at keeping
your genius in check, not encouraging it.
Listen to your own muse, and
protect your genius and your creations; don't expose them to criticism
during the early, delicate stages.
Genius may be elusive, but with a persistent effort, we can create the
optimal conditions in which it can show up. While we can't schedule
genius, we can tap into it by heeding the words of David Hawkins: "Do
what you like to do best, and do it to the very best of your ability."
Genius comes from something
within us, and also from something greater than us. We can align
ourselves with exalted values, such as perseverance, patience, courage,
humility, concentration and integrity, and then allow our talents to
shine.
Creative Tip
Set aside some quiet time at least weekly, if not daily, with nothing
to do. Let your mind rest. Give it free rein to wander. Keep a pad and
pencil or a micro recorder handy to note any ideas that may emerge.
Wise Words
"The art of using moderate abilities to advantage often brings greater
results than actual brilliance."
~ Francois de la Rochefoucauld
"Genius is only the power of making continuous efforts. . . . A little
more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless
failure may turn to glorious success."
~ Elbert Hubbard
"In ancient times, everyone was considered to possess inner genius. It
was a kind of guardian spirit that accompanied a person through life
and helped one overcome odds and achieve personal heights. We've lost
touch with this original meaning of genius (related etymologically to
the fabled genie in the lamp) in all our concern over IQ testing and
similar nonsense. It's time we brought it back."
~ Thomas Armstrong, PhD, "7
Kinds of Smart: Identifying and Developing Your Many Intelligences"
"No one can arrive from being talented alone. God gives talent; work
transforms talent into genius."
~ Anna Pavlova
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(c) 2004 Sharon Good. All rights in all media reserved.
Sharon Good is a Life/Career/Creativity Coach, Workshop Leader and
Author. Her books include "Managing With A Heart: 222 Ways To Make Your
Employees Feel Appreciated," "The Tortoise Workbook: Strategies for
Getting Ahead at Your Own Pace," and "Self-Publishing Basics."
Sharon is available for one-on-one coaching for:
* whole life balance using the Whole Life model
* successful career and life transitions with the Life Purpose
Process©
* support in achieving your goals and dreams
* guidance in writing or publishing your book
* developing your creativity
* enhancing and integrating spirituality in your daily life
For a **FREE INTRODUCTORY COACHING SESSION**, contact Sharon at
212-564-2073 or sharon@goodlifecoaching.com.
For further information, see her website at
http://www.goodlifecoaching.com
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