Eleanor Roosevelt said,
‘Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.’
In every realm, in every sphere of our engagement with industry, science, the environment, health, the arts, philosophy, great minds have risen to shift the paradigm of our existence. They’ve risen out of adversity or sometimes simply come into the world gifted, one step ahead of the rest. They are the risk takers, they challenge conventions and orthodox thinking.
Ever been around a great mind? They shine. There’s an aura about them. They exude an innate sense of comprehension that allows them the advantage of seeing things from a different perspective.
Having been in the graphic arts industry virtually all of my working life I’ve been exposed to a number of great minds, in the world of design and marketing primarily, but in the world of analytics as well. They’re not simply strategic thinkers or creatives, they’re visionaries who see the world as it can be rather than the way it is. They walk the thin line between what is real and what is possible. And the wonderful thing about what they bring into the world is that once they share their ideas with you, you think to yourself how apparent those ideas are, the simplicity of their concepts. Your immediate response is “why didn’t I think of that?” But that’s the genius of it, the ability to conceive of what appears to be so obvious once resolved.
In our current world Steve Jobs was considered a creative genius. He changed the way we interact with music and with each other, yet he was forced out of a company he created. But because he knew he needed to accomplish his vision he wouldn’t let up. Recall his brilliant presentations, simple yet compelling.
So take a lesson, never let up on your vision, no matter what adversity confronts you. I recently watched Hawking, a documentary on Stephen Hawking, the physicist’s life story. Throughout all adversity he refused to give into his debilitating motor neuron disease, he refused to quit. His intellectual brilliance and dry sense of humour continually prevailed.
The folks at Live Science (livescience.com) put together an article published online on October 06, 2011 titled; Creative Genius: The World’s Greatest Minds
Here are a few of their Great Minds;
‘Being labeled a “slow learner” in grade school didn’t stop Albert Einstein from making some of the greatest-ever achievements in science. He proposed the general theory of relativity, helped develop quantum theory, and received a Nobel Prize in physics for his description of the photoelectric effect.’
‘Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a prodigy who was composing by age five and wrote his first symphony by age ten. As an adult, Mozart’s music was extraordinarily complex, drawing influence from many different styles, and considered radical at the time. He composed more than 600 pieces, including concertos, operas and symphonies, in his short life and is considered the most significant European classical composer.’
A pioneer in radiology, Marie Curie won Nobel Prizes in chemistry and physics and had a unit of radioactivity, the curie, named for her.
Generally considered the most productive inventor of all time, Thomas Edison holds nearly 1,100 patents. He improved the typewriter and helped develop motion pictures and many of his inventions, such as the incandescent light bulb, phonograph, and tattoo guns are still used today.
Gandhi freed India from British rule through nonviolent protest, fasting while others fought. His nonviolent philosophy continues to influence national and international resistance movements to this day.
Here’s a link to the full piece: Creative Genius: The World’s Greatest Minds
So what can we draw from the Great Minds of the world through time? Here are my five takeaways:
1. They don’t understand what it means to give up
2. They are the risk takers, who challenge conventional thinking
3. They comprehend things from a different perspective
4. They’re visionaries who are able to conceptualize simplicity
5. They defy stereotypes
I’d love to hear about some of your experiences with great minds. I’d love to hear from some great minds!
Edward Rajewski,
Strategy and Relationships Director at Resource Integrated Ltd. Edward@ri007.ca
