Hi everyone, I have huge respect for those among us who, via their dedication to a vision and devotion to their practise arrive at a place where the world calls them a genius. These are the people who move me, who bring tears to my eyes when I watch them in action or read of their achievements. Heroes. Every one of them. Genius is much less about genetics and much more about ridiculous amounts of hard work, self-belief, focus and perseverance in the face of any setback. Youre a genius. You have it in you, from the moment you were born. Maybe the people around you have limited it or your fears have stifled it or your distractions have smothered it... ... but its there. Just aching to be expressed. Geoff Colvins great book Talent is overrated is a must read on this beautiful subject as is The Talent Code by Dan Coyle. Here are 5 of the geniuses I most admire (I could add 100 more): 1. Nikola Tesla Sadly, at the end of his life in 1943 he was nearing madness, obsessive about germs, advocating eugenics and telling people he was working on a ray that would explode 10,000 enemy aircraft. But at the height of his powers, Tesla was a Titan. He invented the fluorescent light, the laser, the remote control and alternating-current transformers. A true game-changer. 2. Miuccia Prada The granddaughter of Mario Prada, founder of the high fashion conglomerate, is in a league of her own when it comes to designing clothes with whimsy and excellence. I admire her for her exceptionally creative work that results in luxury goods unlike anyone elses in the marketplace. And for her ferocious productivity. She also holds a Ph.D. in political science. (My favourite subject). 3. Pablo Picasso He painted 1,000s of paintings to deliver just a few true masterpieces to the world. He had little time for socializing, preferring to lose himself for long hours in his studio. Picassos work reflects his originality and comfort with his personal style. An artist--and genius--in the most real sense. Please visit the Picasso museum in Barcelona as soon as you can.( Im planning to it). 4. Serena Williams With her explosive serve and her mastery on the tennis court, Williams has risen to the lofty realm of sports genius. She has trained her brain via relentless practice over many years to spot opportunities her opponents cant see and to make moves few others can make. Id also add Lionel Messi, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods to this group. 5. Steve Jobs Before there was Zuckerberg and Brin, Dorsey and Mayer, the dominant tech genius was a man in jeans and mock turtlenecks named Steve Jobs. He was mercurial, rude, meticulous and so far ahead of his time peers spoke of his reality distortion field. Jobs disrupted convention and ran his own race. He wasnt about the money--he was all about the beauty of the products he made. And for that, I love him.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 17:17:16 +0000
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