I’ve been working hard on a small project, it’s taken a lot of my time. What was particularly most frustrating was that I almost finished it, and just before saving it, my system hung! I lost everything. I felt very bad for a while, but as the adage goes, the house of the king that gets burnt only beautifies it. This is because normally, the king has money and would build it again only better. Well, unsure if this king had more than he had done to offer, I started from scratch again, and learnt a lesson in the process.
When I finished, I got some of my colleagues to come take a look at it, and compare it to what we had used before. People agreed it was much much better than what we had been using before, in fact someone asked, “where was this all the while?”. I paused, and thought, “I didn’t bring this our of somewhere else other than my head, where was it all the while?”. I remembered, every one of us, had a genius inside, we have loads of untapped talent, we have bundles of abilities, that if we place a demand on ourselves will manifest. There is a lot more to us than we are utilizing. A lot more. You only need to tap into your inner genius.
There is no such thing as Talent. There is Pressure – Alfred Adler
I don’t know about you, but I have come to discover that like carbon becomes diamond when put through sufficient pressure, you also can come up with diamond equivalent quality results if you put yourself under sufficient pressure. Talent surfaces when people put themselves (or sometimes are put) under pressure.
Diamond is a gemstone that is really inspiring. I’ve done some studies on diamonds, and I think it’s going to be worth writing about someday soon. It is a mechanical and eletromagnetic wonder! The journey into becoming a gemstone wasn’t so easy though, but enough of diamonds for now.
Here are some simple ways to put yourself under the sufficient pressure that brings out the genius in you.
1. Do a why why analysis: By asking yourself why a thing happened and asking another why for the reason you gave, you can continue and eventually put yourself under pressure to define root causes. For example, you can ask, “why are more people buying cars?” – Because the middley class have more money. Why do the middle class have more money? – Because there are more jobs. Why are there more jobs?…if you continue like this you’ll come up with the root cause and that will polish up your ideas.
2. Give yourself a deadline: Deadlines are powerful, and it doesn’t matter if you set them or your boss set them. If you make up your mind to win credibility even with yourself, deadlines will matter to you. If you set yourself a deadline of 10am the following morning to deliver, the thought of what you are doing will occupy your mind.
3. Use similies: Take yourself out of the scenario and compare it with a simpler issue. An issue like wanting developing a process for transistion can be compared to trying to get your family through your decision to move to another side of town. By trying to understand what you would do in this regard, you can come up with better ideas on how to develop your change management strategy.
4. Sleep on it: It is said that the subconcious mind goes on to work on whatever is holds you concious attention. Dreams come from a multitude of activities (businesses). When your mind is all worked up and nothing seems to work, sleep on it. This will be like the cooling process that will bring out the diamond.
9 thoughts on “Tapping your Inner Genius”
Personally I’ve realised that our best often comes out under self imposed pressure. One never knows how much strength, talent and reosurces he/she possesses until a demand is placed on it. It also pays to be inquisitive, always seeking answers to real or imagined questions, and that brings me to the “thinking” dilemna. I personally believe that a lot of people never finish the thinking process, that’s why they never get the right solutions, and your “why why analysis” just about answers it. Break the thoughts and questions down into the least possible parts, and you will always create your masterpiece, discovering along the way that your genius is inside you begging to be set free…….
deolu, thanks once again for this site, it’s been a huge blessing since i started frequenting since around august this year.
I have always worked better under pressure but i hate pressure but i found out recently that even under self induced pressure i get the results i desire…reading your blog 2night i have decided to find ways of enjoying PRESSURE especially self induced.
thank you
You hit the nail on the head. I was thinking today that I need a little self-prodding to get myself going with a [personal] project. The carrot and stick theory hardly works in personal enterprise except one is very determined.
Thanks for sharing :D.
I once read about a pregnant woman who jumped a 7 feet wall because a Dog wa pursuing her.Ordinarily she wouldnt do that but the situation she found her sel and the WLL to live make the 7 feet wall look like a plain terrain.I think the same goes with whatever we have in our hand to do,with deeper commitment,a better way of doing something can be discovered,what seems impossible or unattainable can be achieved.
This inner genius is that hidden potential that is inate in everyone one of us.
Most time people go through life without really drawing out this inner genius because of insufficient pressure to pull it out.
Just like the chick has to exert pressure to break out of its shell so also we must exert pressure on ourselves in order to call out this inner genius.
Hence, the greater the pressure, the more inner genius released.
Stephen, I agree with you, but I think there is a limit after which the pressure becomes destructive. What do you think?
I think knowing that limit is wisdom. But you alone can determine that limit or put that limit on yourself.
Self induced pressure is also different from external pressure.
This quote by Richard Byrd (explorer & aviator) explains my thought on this matter. “Few men during their lifetime come anywhere near exhausting the resources dwelling within them. There are deep wells of strength that are never used.”
I have discovered for me that working under pressure works great for me.of course, it has some disadvantages such as losing sleep in a short period but i find it difficult to work towards a goal over a lengthy period of time…It brings out a lot more than i thought i had in me but too much pressure is a bad thing. its up to the individual to determine at which level he functions maximally.
Realy this is thought provoking!
there lies in the heart of every man
what makes a man great but the courage to pursue it -lack many a man