There is no accepted definition of Genius. In popular IQ tests, Lewis Terman suggested an IQ score of 140 on the Stanford test was genius, and his colleague Hollingworth put it at 180 – both are arbitrary. In the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer, a genius is someone in whom intellect predominates over “will” much more than within the average person. He suggests, ‘Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.’ This is the definition that resonates with me.
I believe that we all have the opportunity for genius. As Steve Jobs found his genius by finding elegant solutions to problems that we didn’t know we had. I never imagined that I would want to carry five hundred songs around in my pocket, let alone every song, every book and every film ever made!
That is genius!
I believe that Starbucks is Genius and there are probably a few hundred thousand young women who feel the same about Top Shop.
Most businesses are not genius. Most good and even some great businesses only innovate on what has gone before. They work hard every-day to make someone’s idea a little better. This is good work but is not genius. Genius is seeing something nobody else has seen and then working to make that vision a reality.
Most business is competitive – trying to push ahead of the other guy and make something a little bit cheaper so that we can fight our way to an extra point of market penetration. No matter good the work, this is not genius.
Genius is Creative not Competitive!
Genius doesn’t need to beat anybody, Genius creates new ideas, new products and new opportunities. Genius makes our whole world better and creates wealth where nothing existed before.
Genius is what built our Great Britain, time and time again over the millennium, and it is the lack of genius that has sucked the life out of our country once again.
The wonderful thing about genius is that it is all around us everyday waiting for someone to have enough confidence in an idea to push it to the end – success! Genius is what is happening with the tech sector in and around Old Street. The Government wants to replicate that genius elsewhere but if the Government knew anything about genius it would simply do its best to get out-of-the-way of innovation.
Selling is genius! The best salesperson looks at a product or idea and creates a path to market. A price-point, an audience, a pitch, a script, and the balls to pick up the telephone and initiate a relationship where none existed.
Great article Wyn! Thanks for sharing! Completely agree with your thoughts! Would just add that in addition to creative, genius is courageous – in face of ridicule and possible failure, genius pushes ahead! Genius is a visionary who pushes to turn that vision, no matter how hazy, into a reality somehow! Anyhow!