I don't believe in genius
I believe in hard work.
I believe in giving yourself over to something greater than you.
I believe creativity is our birthright and that we all show up to this world with creative gifts, that it is our responsibility to nurture and use these gifts, and that we are constantly co-creating with the world around us, whether we realize it or not.
Genius is a myth. A false idea that keeps us separate from who we can be.
Tech innovator and entrepreneur Kevin Ashton:
There is really no such thing as a genius—or, to be very specific, there is absolutely no evidence to support the modern sense of the word, which originated in the late 19th century and literally means “exceptional hereditary general intelligence that can be measured and used to predict future greatness.” That term, by the way, was intended only for white men of European descent. This divisive classification scheme of genius at the top is the kind of thing you need to call bullshit on.
I couldn’t agree more.
True expertise emerges with practice. With giving space to a thing. With devotion and attention.
I align with Malcom Gladwell’s idea of 10,000 hours. That consistent and focused practice is crucial for achieving mastery in any field.
And I believe in David Lynch’s philosophy of Catching the Big Fish That ideas are like fish. If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you’ve got to go deeper. Down deep, the fish are more powerful and more pure.They’re huge and abstract. And they’re very beautiful.
Fvck genius.
We show up, we do the work, we go deep, we reel in the catch.
