The Root of Genius is Us
Thelonius Monk was a one-of-a-kind pianist and composer of modern jazz, with a style as unique as his name. While his compositions have been described as “eccentric,” “singular” and even “weird,” he remains the most covered jazz composer of all time and influenced such other jazz greats as John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis. (Do yourself a favor and check out a little ‘Round Midnight or Straight, No Chaser on Spotify this evening, and you’ll see what the fuss was about.)
I recently read a saying attributed to Monk that, “A genius is the one most like himself,” and it began rolling around in my mind much like the harmonic rhythms of his music.
As counter-intuitive as it seemed, the more I thought about it, it dawned on me that what Monk might have been trying to say was that genius—having exceptional intelligence, creativity or some other ability—is not about acting in a way that will be praised by others. Instead, it’s more about looking inside yourself to identify what is real, what is authentic and what is undeniably you.
Only when you’ve done that can you then contribute your own form of unique genius to the world. Genius, if you accept his view, is rooted in “us” and grows from there.
Your Passion Points to Your Genius
This idea of discovering the genius in each of us has been on my mind as a result of a coaching session I had recently with someone who is going to change the world. She is a talented professional who has led a productive and balanced life and is someone who certainly would be described as successful by anyone who knows her.
While the bounds of coaching confidentiality prevent me from getting into details, what I can tell you is that despite her unquestioned accomplishments, my client experienced a personal challenge recently that revealed to her a gap in this world that needed to be filled, and she came up with an inspired idea for how to fill it—something having nothing to do with her professional training or expertise, but something about which she feels passionate. So passionate, in fact, that she is contemplating leaving the safety of her old career behind and turning her idea into a start-up business. I’ve always been pretty good at picking winning horses, and if I’m betting correctly this time, you’ll all be hearing her name soon.
Ultimately, conversations like the one I had with this client are THE reason why I am a coach. Don’t get me wrong, as a lawyer I got great pleasure out of winning cases and helping my clients achieve their business objectives. But for me, nothing compares to the tingles-up-my-spine joy I feel when I am able to help others discover their unique gifts, strengths and passions and become “most like themselves,” which is Monk’s prescription for discovering their genius.
If Monk was right, it seems to me there are two ways we each can contribute to creating more genius in the world. As illustrated by my coaching client, the first way is by being willing to do the interior work necessary to discover what makes you come alive and then having the courage to do more of that, even if it means ignoring the expectations of others or making a mid-career change. After all, becoming most like yourself is a calling no one can answer but you.
The second way to create more genius is by becoming a liberator of genius in others. You can do this both by being an example of what it means to live out your passion and by becoming a talent scout for other undiscovered geniuses, encouraging them to identify their innate gifts or calling out the genius you see in them. Once their potential genius has been identified, look for opportunities to help them turn that potential into reality.
Discovering Genius in Us
We live in a world of constant comparisons, and the reality is most of us compare up far more often to those who seem like they have it all together rather than comparing down to others who might be struggling. With this mindset, it’s easy to walk away from an encounter like the one I had with my client (the future world-changer!) and feel smaller and less accomplished in comparison.
What if, though, we treated our interactions with others less as occasions to compare likes on social media and more as opportunities to be inspired? What if we were like candles at a candlelight ceremony just waiting to be fired up by the examples of those around us? Once lit, what if we started looking for other dormant flames to spark? What if?
If the idea of discovering and liberating more genius in this world lights your fire, you might start by asking yourself the following questions:
How would you describe your real genius—the things that spark your passion and point to how you’ve been uniquely gifted to influence the world for good?
What is getting in the way of you doing that right now?
Looking around you, who do you see with untapped genius of their own?
What can YOU do to help them recognize and unleash it?
Genius is another way to describe one’s calling in life. My calling as a coach is to help others discover and live out who they’re designed to be—their own form of genius, in other words, in a world desperately in need of it. As you mull over the wisdom offered by Thelonious Monk, ask yourself when are you most like yourself, and how can you do more of it?
Next, cue a little Straight, No Chaser and enjoy the ride.
Mike Tooley is a Co-Founder with Upstream Principles LLC, a coaching and consulting firm dedicated to helping individuals, leaders, and teams go upstream to discover solutions for their leadership and employee development challenges. As a certified Leadership and Strengths Coach, Mike is committed to serve as a guide to help others discover, and live out, who they are designed to be.