Genius

“You aren’t a genius - you have a genius.”

I’m pretty sure Big Magic by Liz Gilbert is where I read that quote. I’ve read that book at least three times and each time I fall in love with it a little more.

The word “Genius” comes from Latin and means “guardian spirit or deity that watches over each person from birth.” Kind of a cool thought right? You’ve had a genius with you for your whole life.

When you have to be the genius - everything is up to you. You have to produce all of the ideas. You have to know all the things. Geniuses aren’t given a lot of wiggle room for mistakes. We expect utter perfection - all those brains have to be good for something, right?

But what if the Romans had it right? What if the source of creativity and brilliance wasn’t something you could pry out of your own head? What if it was bigger than you?

Last month I took on a challenge to write 10 mini-books in 30 days and at least half of them had to be fiction. I felt confident in my ability to pump out enough words, but I was terrified that I’d run out of ideas.

And then something happened that shocked the crap out of me. I was writing a story, and a character forced her way in and stole the show. I knew how the story was “supposed” to go, and it suddenly took a left turn that made it 100x better. I’d never imagined that character before, never even considered it, but there she was, all spitfire and sparkle. ????

To be clear, she came to me - I did not create her. My genius interrupted what I'd planned to give me something better. It was kind of like I got to set the stage and then document what happened on it so that others could experience the performance.

We aren't the magic - We're the medium.

As a medium, our only job is to pay attention. So, think about the last time you bought a car. As soon as you drove off the lot every other car on the road was the same make and model as your car. In reality, there aren't any more of that car on the road, but you're more tuned in to seeing them. This is called the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon.

One of my favorite quotes of all time is "Finding is reserved for the seeker."

When you're thinking about all the things you've got planned for this year, keep an open space for your genius. Expect creative nudges. Look for opportunities.

All of my goals tend to go like this: Idea - Plan - Refine Plan - Perfect Plan - Take Action - Make Progress - Get Smacked in the Face by Something Unexpected - Adapt - Keep Going - Adapt - Keep Going - Adapt - Keep Going - Finish.

The genius is there for the “smack in the face” moments. It’s what helps you move past what you envisioned to create something even better, but only if you’re open to it. You can’t expect to see another way when you only allow things to be “one” way.

It's always with you, even if you're not being conked on the head by it. Learn to listen for it. The character in my story is the only time, ever, that my genius has barged in and demanded my attention. Most of the time it's like a flicker in my periphery that I just happen to catch a glimpse of. If you see that flicker, follow it. Maybe it's nothing or maybe it's genius.

So, here’s my New Year’s wish for you: Go big, be brave, and make nice with your genius. I’m excited to see what the two of you come up with over the next 12 months.

And if you want some help feel free to reach out.