Marvin Syndrome: Helping ‘Brilliant and Underutilized’ Experts Self-Actualize

I’ve recently heard from several exceptionally talented, hard-working, conscientious, collaborative people who have lost their jobs. For years, they were growing steadily and getting accolades at work; some were with their companies for over a decade. They were blindsided by a layoff, or even worse - by an unjustified and unfairly low performance review.

As they look for new opportunities, some experience what I call Marvin Syndrome: a person is brilliant and grossly underutilized. Moreover, the person acutely feels the gap between the scale and significance of what they can do and what they actually do. I coined this term after Marvin the Paranoid Android, the robot character in Douglas Adams’ book “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Marvin was capable of solving all the major problems in the Universe, but was mostly utilized to perform mundane trivial tasks. No one gave Marvin the time of the day, no one consoled him, challenged him, made use of Marvin’s tremendous potential, or minded him at all as long as he did the simple things he was asked to do.

Unemployment can hit people with Marvin Syndrome particularly hard. They know how incredibly capable they are, and yet, at the moment, they feel that there is nothing worthwhile to do. Marvin Syndrome can also emerge as people are working at uninspired jobs that they can do with their eyes closed, feeling bored and not challenged even as others marvel at their accomplishments.

The inner narrative of a person with Marvin Syndrome may sound like this: “I can move mountains, but sadly, I only have to do this small thing. I’ll do it, because I have nothing else going on at the moment, but it is a waste, because anyone can do this. I want a greater challenge. This is better than doing nothing. Well… sometimes this feels worse than doing nothing.”

A person with Marvin Syndrome may experience embarrassment, guilt, a feeling of being lost, and even depression.

The label “Marvin Syndrome” does not imply that there is something wrong with the people experiencing this phenomenon. Naming the situation, though, may help us understand what is happening and find ways to feel better.

There are no “quick 1-2-3” solutions to address the Marvin Syndrome, much like there is no “quick advice” for a person learning to ride a bike, who is not helped by the advice of “just keep your balance”. Addressing the Marvin Syndrome is about a process for shifting perspectives and experimenting.

Where can a person with Marvin Syndrome start in order to feel better?

1. Act! Take matters into your own hands. Others may not fully understand or appreciate the value of your talent, expertise, and capacities. You’ve got to set the bar for yourself: What you would like to accomplish? What steps can you take to utilize your abilities? Don’t wait for others to “see” you and offer opportunities to you; don’t wait for the right opportunities to “show up”. Instead, consider how you can create opportunities. (We can talk about this together during a coaching session, or you can simply set aside some time to think about this, jot down ideas, and schedule time for implementation.)
2. Ask yourself: What would “brilliant and fulfilled” look like for you? What kind of things would you be spending your time on if your talents were well used?
3. Consider: What obstacles stand in your way? Can any of these obstacles be overcome? If not, go back to previous steps, re-think, consider the obstacles, and see if you can come up with specific plans to overcome them.
4. Assess how much time in your life is dedicated to exploitation (enjoying what you have) vs. exploration (discovering new opportunities that keep your brilliance engaged). If your “brilliant, and underutilized” Marvin Syndrome makes you feel stagnant and stuck, allocate more time to exploration; if it currently makes you feel. anxious and restless, consider more time for exploitation – use your brilliance in ways that are already within your reach, and enjoy!
5. Create your own portal to showcase your brilliance (rather than looking for someone to give you a chance) and share your own narrative about your abilities.
6. Connect with other brilliant people in your field who are doing work you admire; see how you fit in, and consider collaborations where you feel that you can offer a lot, not just ask for something.

I can also recommend two additional resources. One is a short article on setting goals (using a WOOP list) in a way that may be particularly constructive for people with Marvin Syndrome. The other is a wonderful book by Katalin Karikó , Breaking Through: My Life in Science. Dr. Karikó is a Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine.

Although these steps may sound easy, it is not always easy to get started on implementing them. If you could use a bit of help, and would you like to work on this together, I am here for you.?Schedule a Strategic Planning Session?for the time that works for you.

If you have a group of friends who would be interested in discussing Marvin Syndrome, Impostor syndrome or any themes around self-actualization for mid-career professionals, please reach out. I’m happy to organize a talk and a discussion with practical takeaways for your group.

Let’s create opportunities for your brilliance to shine through.

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Dr. Alina Bas is a Strategy Consultant and an Executive Coach with over 20 years of experience in Organizational Behavior and Leadership Development. As an Adjunct Professor, she teaches Advanced Executive Coaching and Development at the NYU GSAS. Dr. Bas has presented her research to audiences at Google, MIT Sloan, the U.S. Army War College, Facebook, and Academy of Management. Her clients are changing the world at Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, and other companies in IT, finance, healthcare, non-profit sector and higher education. https://AlinaBas.com