Thinkday – What is a Genius?

What does it mean to be a genius? Most people would say that to be a genius you have to be really smart. I don’t think that is the case. I see genius as being the ability to think and excel in a given category.

By my definition everyone has a little bit of a genius inside them. Some people know a lot about math, excel in school, are artistic, are true friends, can build with their hands, excel in sports; some people can accomplish anything they put their minds to. There is nothing I hate more in life than to watch people dismiss others because of their perceived lack of ability. We see it every day. At work someone may be marginalized because they are a “bad worker” or someone won’t be given an opportunity because they “probably couldn’t do it.”

Every biography I have ever read of people who accomplished something big with their lives involved at some point one or many major set-backs. These setbacks in many cases would discourage most people from accomplishing their dreams, but yet these geniuses found the fortitude to overcome and accomplish great things. That is why we call them geniuses; otherwise we wouldn’t remember who they were. Vincent Van Gogh: crazy yes, genius yes. Thomas Jefferson: crazy no, genius yes. Thomas Edison: eccentric yes, genius yes.

I always say that intelligence is about what you know, while wisdom is knowing what to do with that intelligence. There-in lays the key. Geniuses have the ability to apply their knowledge and experience to accomplish that which they have talent for, and excel at. Since everyone, even your weird friends and neighbors, or that guy pan handling on the corner, have innate talents. They can all be genius in their own right.

I am a member of Mensa. Those of you who don’t know, Mensa is civic organization whose only requirement for membership is an IQ in the top 2% of the world. I don’t think this makes me a genius in any way. There are plenty of Mensans who quite honestly most people would not see as being geniuses, I am sure you think this of me when you read my blog posts…I can hear it now: “wow, he really doesn’t get it does he?” As I said before, being “smart” doesn’t make you a genius. What you do, and how you succeed does.

So yeah, I think today’s post has two meanings. 1) Genius does not equal intelligence and 2) Everyone has the potential to be a genius. My parents taught me to always respect other people, and not to underestimate their ability. I am a father now myself, and I hope to instill the same into my children; that everyone is a genius in their own right and deserves respect and civility. And that is what I’m thinking about today.