How to draw on your inner genius
If you read as much marketing material as I do every week, you might think the most over-used description in the English language is the word “genius.”
Whether you modified a toaster oven, built a space station device, or created a reasonably-good cookie from your own recipe, you run chances of being labelled a genius.
But as over-used as the term may be, it is still reassuring to understand that our world recognizes innovation and creativity that comes under the description of “genius.”
But it really is time to give this word back its prestige.
I’m a big fan of Steven Pressfield’s bestseller The War of Art(now there’s a genius!). He points out that the origins of the word stems from the Romans who saw it as a way to express the inner spirit that watches over all of mankind and guides us to what we are to do in life.
“A writer writes with his genius; an artist paints with hers; everyone who creates operates from this sacramental center,” Pressfield suggests. “It is our soul’s seat, the vessel that holds our being-in-potential, our star’s beacon and Polaris.”
In other words, inside each of us is our inner genius. That is such an exciting and yet comforting thought. But how do we get it touch with it?
First, we agree that we can try and fail and it is just as acceptable as if we try and succeed. That is because each time we try, we learn something, and most importantly, we start to see what works and what doesn’t.
We see that just because what we thought would happen in our experiment didn’t happen, we do see what did happen and we move forward from there.
Next, we move, physically and mentally. We move physically by walking or running each day, by standing up and stretching when we have ben seated a long time, and by working out either in the neighbourhood gym or our home. All of this physical movement helps us develop a more fit body and mind.
Mentally, the movement allows us to change our perspective. We see the things we thought we knew in a different light and something emerges from the shadows to inform us of a characteristic that we missed.
When you move, more oxygen flows to your brain and stimulates your creative thinking process.
HDon’t just stop by questioning the people that you meet; you must move on to seek answers in the media you consume each day, the events that you attend, and in the conferences and courses you take in.
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, be mindful. When you are able to really be in the moment you are in, your perspective changes even more gloriously. You begin to understand the hidden nuances of each minute of your time spent. You sometimes see that what you were sure you saw is not there at all. At other times you look at the same ordinary thing you have seen a thousand times before and suddenly see something extraordinary and revealing.
Creative patterns emerge. Tentatively, you pull them together and in one amazing moment of genius, you see that they fit.
We all have an inner genius just waiting to come out. If you train it, it will emerge regularly and those moments of insight will take your personal development and your business development to a whole new level.
Paula Morand is a leadership building, revenue boosting, strategy expanding keynote speaker, author and visionary. This dreaming big and being bold leadership expert and brand strategist brings her vibrant energy, humor and wisdom to ignite individuals, organizations and communities to lead change, growth and impact in a more bold fashion.
24 years, 27,000 clients, 34 countries, 15 books, former radio personality, 11x award winning entrepreneur and humorous emcee.
Check out Paula’s bestselling books on Amazon: “Bold Courage: How Owning Your Awesome Changes Everything”, “Dreaming BIG and Being BOLD: Inspiring stories from Trailblazers, Visionaries and Change Makers” book series; and her newest release 2018 “Bold Vision: A Leader’s Playbook for Managing Growth”.
For speaking inquiries email bookings@paulamorand.com or call toll-free 1-888-502-6317.