What makes Genius : Part 3 : Character!
INNOVATE or IMITATE? Have you been paying attention to the global innovation obsession within business lately? [currently the most requested topic for speakers globally BTW]
And the consequent panic emerging from the apparent shortage of talent to produce said innovation? Whether entrepreneurial or multinational-scale the mania is on the move. The very word innovation, so overworked it’s threatening to become one of those trance-inducing sirens that lures desperate managers into all manner of money-draining consultancy cesspools. Blahblahinnovationblahblahblah blahbl.. oh wait did he say innovation?! signsign BUY quick!
Talent is being taken VERY seriously by those who need strategic advantage in the future. So much so that it held priority at the Davos session of the World Economic Forum this year. The hunt for genius is on >> 
“cherish forever what makes you unique, cuz you’re really a yawn if it goes” – the Divine Miss M Bette Midler
Yet another perfect popped pea in a ipod pod is not what the world needs now. WE WANT YOU! to be all you can be..
Fight for your right to be you. Not for some dumbass war on behalf of oil interests, religious hypocrisy or political ideals masking profiteering. But for you. Genius that you are. 1st class you, not some 2nd class somebody else’s socially acceptable version of you.
“To be nobody-but-myself – in a world that is doing its best, night
and day, to make you everybody else – means to fight the hardest
battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting.” – words of wildman poet e. e. cummings
True innovation and worldchanging ideas ONLY love those true to themselves. If you’ll fight to be you, you’ll fight for the big idea against the gigglers, system stalwarts and devil’s advocates. So often brilliant beings smother their characterful colourful selves for fear of being the lone freak.. and give birth instead to the sub-optimal cubicle slave who plays it safe & ticks all the right social boxes then still wonders : why oh WHY : they feel so empty. Yeah life as a zombie must be pretty f#!%! up. Is THIS your birthright?
I bloody hope not!
You’ve heard all the old chestnut/new age mantra that if you do what you love the money will follow? “yeah yeah but in the real world..” but hark! dear friends the maxim is coming true!
Check out Keith Ferrazzi’s article in Fast Company on finding your genius for profit and pleasure; that only your particular combination of talents, life 
lessons, culture and character unlocks. Never has there been a time when you will be more celebrated for being unique. Economists the world over are urging on you to do just that. Seems we’re finally disassembling the Industrial Revolution’s cog-hungry machinery. (thanks China/India for filling the gap). Creativity and the bearers of unusual opinion are starting to fetch a very high price.. aaah renaissance 2.0 naturally :-P
Genius is marked by CHARACTER – whether you’re an alpha geek, creative freak, cynical curmudgeonly old crust, a fairy godmother or prankster empirebuilding entrepreneur. Character knows no bounds of age, colour, culture, ability, wealth bracket, even species – everything is imbued with it. The willingness and courage to embrace it, the only barrier.
So hooray for those daring enough to have an opinion of their own. They’re more interesting, engaging, memorable. They come up with fresh ideas with an inconsistency bound to drive those brave enough to hire big characters crazy. Their views may not be popular, they may not be blessed with ravishing goodlooks, but damn, full-blooded characters are never boring to be around. And often have a sexiness that defies logic (try Rasputin on for size!)
Who ARE you? Is your work an expression of your passion? What do you dream of that you’ve never told anyone? Do you LOVE who you are? What do you really dig(g) about being you? What did you use to love doing, that you don’t do anymore? What do you stand for? Who would stand up for you? What makes you special? What are your stories?
… ask! Interrogate your soul, let the questions open a quest.
Do it Uncle Walt style :
Re-examine everything you have been told at school or church or any book, dismiss what insults your own soul and your very flesh shall be a great poem
BTW. If you are one, you know that you will frustrate and jangle
control-freak managers, teachers and well-meaning friends & family, but frankly please all & you please none. We will all be the poorer if globalisation means we liquidise and homogenise our cultures: diversity fertilises creativity. Celebrate your unique coding and share it.
Be triumphantly you*!
Because you’re worth it ..hohoho
PS. if you have time check out Tom Peter’s (patron saint for brandYOU characters) views on talent if you need more voooma to substantiate any urges to run like hell to the light
HAve you seen the Malcolm Gladwell TED Talk?
Wandered in off your stumble page. Don’t remember exactly how I got to it. Friend of a friend I think. Your nic caught my name as my son’s name is Maximillian (he is 2), and I thought hey, there is another guy with the name spelled with 2 ls.
Anyway, had a ball on your stumbles, headed over here, tooled around for quite a bit….
Nice series on the “Genius”, kind of inspiring.
Keep up the good stuff, I have added you to my frequent visit list.
T
B.R.I.L.L.I.A.N.T.
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Thank you guys *blush*
just checking out your blog. you added me to mybloglog.com take care
paul
Indeed! Solid post, Max. Innovation |= Creativity. Creativity does NOT scale, for which reason the good ones are able to operate (& sell) at a premium.
What part does humility play in this act of character? Passion does carry with it humility (hopefully), but it doesn’t do so overtly. This is Jim Collins’ “step 5 leader”–the one who is humble enough to foster a learning process across the board.
If we’re able to learn together, we can create together, don’t you think??
Can’t wait to read more of this more regularly, Max!
Abhilash! so delighted to have discovered your site ..
Thank you indeed, coming from a man who’s been through Life Lessons 302 I think you know the invaluable treasure it is to be able to learn quickly from what life throws our way.
Wild success coupled with an intimate understanding of your own mortality I believe installs little apps that lend humour and humilty to our passion and drive.
Lifelong learning is my passion: because I believe being clear kills fear and opens up realms of possiblity unimagined through the fear filter.
Rock on Cali surferboy that you are sure to be now after the intro in Oz :-D
Max,
I just discovered your blog through MyBlogLog. Very nice idea. Here is a good example of how a very distinctive character wins in Life. A person who you can see in his face is happy doing what he loves. Happy New Year.
http://p6.hostingprod.com/@ricardosblog.com/blog/2006/12/the_birdfeeder_a_photo_story.html
amen
percocet…
…
Sadly those with opinions and characters are often not appreciated by managers who prefer the dull-witted ass kissers, sycophantic line towers and fellow club members ;)
Very inspiring article!
Uuuurgh agreed wholeheartedly Wendy. hail to those who manage to make it through the managers with their spirit still ablaze.
Squelching soulfire is part of the curriculum for the socially acceptable I hear, and there are those for whom zombifying has been sytematitised into a science.
All the more reason to raise the alarm and get the live ones out while they still have the discomfort of feeling like *something’s missing* before all their character and courage puddles out of their soles.
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The astonishing tool that borderless netizens freely (and I do mean in the enlightened opensource way) use to discover and grow their own genius ..and bank accounts.
Genius begets genius.
Thank heavens for Wordpress.
That special breed of genius I hunt isn't defined by a Stanford-Binet number; rather by a visionary capacity, good taste in problems, the ability to forge unusual creative connections, the brave foolishness to fail gloriously and generosity of spirit to build something beyond personal gain.
Unearthing the pioneers too prescient for their time, quirky Amelie.types who find magic in the mundane, the people who give a damn. Those who approach the world with bright minds, big hearts & clean hands. ..then what? Find out here
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