The Dots:
Let’s face it, 98% of us were born a Genius. Then at the turning point in the screenplay titled “Your Life,” a transformation started through the continuous pruning of your limitless nature. Impacted by the rules of schools, family traditions, societal norms, and unresolved trauma, your innate brilliance was forced to go into hiding. Still today, your Genius lays dormant inside you as an unexpressed potential. How do we know this? Look to “The Creativity Test,” a brainchild of George Land and a tool initially whipped up to measure the imagination prowess of NASA’s best and brightest; it turned out to be quite the thing. It hit the bullseye so precisely that Land couldn’t resist unleashing it onto the public. So, here’s the study setup: a troop of 1,600 sprouts, ages 3 to 5, were put to the test. The mission? Spawn new, off-the-beaten-path, and inventive solutions to problems.
Here’s where things get jaw-dropping: a whopping 98% of these ankle-biters scored in the “highly creative” zone. But, the plot thickens. Land didn’t stop there; he stuck with the same bunch, revisiting them at ages 10 and 15. Well, brace yourself: those soaring creativity scores took a nosedive, plummeting to 30% for the 10-year-olds and further down to a mere 12% for the 15-year-olds.
And for the grown-ups? Out of a colossal 280,000 adults put to the same test, a paltry 2% made the “highly creative” cut. This number tells a story, doesn’t it? It serves as a thundering wake-up call about how our repetitive cookie-cutter upbringin’ can, quite tragically, stifle creative thinking.
Before you go all-out victim and evoke your martyr syndrome, let’s peer into the vast universe of the human intellect. The concept of Genius stands as a beacon of extraordinary capability and exceptional creativity. Genius also stands for an honor placed on someone other than you. From the study above and my observations, I firmly believe that a unique and brilliant Genius is inside every one of us. What if you rediscovered what makes you a Genius and unleashed it on the world? What if you combined your once-lost childlike Genius and paired it with the knowledge you have attained till now?
"But something ethereal happens when you overcome the defiant, noncompliant parts of yourself. There's a kind of clarity that happens."
- Rabbi Mordecai Finley Tweet
The Two Distinct Yet Interconnected Facets of Genius - Potential & Kinetic
Let’s take a trip down memory lane. Our science teacher introduced us to the intriguing world of potential and kinetic energy in middle school. Remember that? It’s all about that transition from something waiting to happen, full of possibility, to something in full swing, making waves and bringing excitement to the table. The difference between the two forms of energy boils down to one simple word: motion. The same concept can be applied to our Genius muscles. Over our lives, our creativity that was in motion slowed. The muscles of imagination, curiosity, wonder, and play gave way to conforming, making a living, protecting ourselves, following in the footsteps of those who came before us, and/or blindly repeating generational cycles. Therefore, our collective and individual Kinetic Genius started to lose its momentum and then, over a short time, came to a crawl. With less motion and the lack of space to flex, our Genius begins to atrophy, transforming mental might into a soft and pudgy Potential Genius. The first question that bubbles to the surface: What can I do to get my Genius back? Then, a second question: What can I do to make sure this does not happen to my children?
Understanding What Happened: The Impact of Societal Conformity on Adult Genius
The Impact of Societal Conformity on Adult Genius is a topic that deserves our undivided attention. Society has this uncanny ability to impose norms, expectations, and standards that snuff out individuality and stifle creative thinking. It’s a real shame, but the truth is that many adults end up conforming to these societal pressures just to fit in, gain approval, or avoid criticism. To be honest, this process started when we started school. Because of this pruning process, our unique perspectives get buried, our creative Potential gets suffocated, and our Genius goes into hiding. It’s high time we break free from the chains of conformity and embrace our individuality with gusto!
Now let’s turn our focus to the Influence of Parenting Styles on ourselves and our children’s Genius. Picture this, parenting styles that prioritize conformity, obedience, and following established rules unintentionally end up clipping the wings of a child’s intellectual exploration and self-expression. When kids are overly controlled or discouraged from pursuing their own interests, passions, and ideas, their potential Genius gets locked away, collecting dust. If this happened to you, the cycle is likely repeating itself right now before your eyes on the next generation. But here’s the good news: we have a choice. We can complete the generational cycle influencing our gifts to the world to fit into a box, or we can create an environment that fosters autonomy, open-mindedness, and creativity to encourage independent thinking. That’s when the magic happens; it’s when we give our children the freedom to unleash their Genius while, at the same time, we rediscover our Genius. We can watch them soar from the clouds!
But let’s remember the challenges of growing up and the erosion of adult Genius. As we journey through adulthood, responsibilities start piling up, societal pressures weigh us down, and practicality and conformity seem to take the front seat. It’s a transition that often leads us away from the realms of imaginative play, curiosity, and risk-taking – the very essence of a Genius. The demands of adult life, from career obligations to financial responsibilities and social expectations, have this sneaky way of chipping away at our creative pursuits, leaving us with limited opportunities to express and develop our Potential. But let me tell you, folks, we can’t let that happen. We must reclaim that sense of wonder, revive our creativity, and find ways to unleash our Genius in the face of these challenges.
It’s time to challenge the impact of societal conformity to break free from the clutches of societal norms and parenting styles that hinder our intellectual exploration.
Defining Potential Genius
Potential Genius is the latent intellectual and creative prowess that resides within an individual, often from a young age. It’s like a seed, holding the promise of a mighty tree. Here are some key aspects of Potential Genius:
- It’s the raw, unrefined talent that manifests in various forms. For instance, a child’s unique problem-solving approach or innate ability to understand complex concepts.
- Recognizing and nurturing Potential Genius is crucial. Parents, educators, and mentors play a significant role in this process. Encouraging curiosity, fostering creativity, and providing a nurturing environment can help a Potential Genius flourish.
- The concept of Potential Genius is not new. Throughout history, many individuals have shown signs of Genius from a young age. Mozart, Einstein, and Tesla are just a few examples.
Potential Genius doesn’t only reside in children. Adults, too, have a stash of untapped intellectual and creative firepower just waiting to be kindled and nurtured. Sparking that inner Genius calls for some serious self-reflection, exploration, and the gumption to challenge our long-held beliefs and limitations. By embracing a mindset of never-ending learning, dipping our toes in unfamiliar experiences, and chasing after intellectual and creative pursuits, adults can unlock their potential Genius and stumble upon fresh passions and talents.
Understanding Kinetic Genius
Kinetic Genius, the embodiment of unleashed Potential Genius, showcases the awe-inspiring journey of individuals harnessing their untapped talents and intellectual prowess through intentional action, boundless creativity, and remarkable achievements. It represents the transformation of raw Potential into tangible results that leave a profound impact. Let’s delve into the key aspects of Kinetic Genius:
Activation of Potential: Kinetic Genius comes alive when individuals take purposeful steps to unlock their innate abilities, refine their skills, and channel their creative energy toward meaningful endeavors.
Action and Accomplishment: The essence of Kinetic Genius lies in an unwavering drive to translate Potential into concrete outcomes. It radiates through exceptional achievements, invaluable contributions, and the positive change individuals inspire within their chosen domains.
Continuous Growth and Learning: Kinetic Genius thrives on an insatiable thirst for growth and knowledge. Those who embody it wholeheartedly embrace challenges, eagerly seek opportunities to expand their expertise, and constantly push the boundaries of their skills.
Persistence and Resilience: Cultivating and expressing Kinetic Genius demands unwavering self-integrity that is manifested in more familiar terms such as discipline, commitment, perseverance, and resilience. In the face of obstacles, setbacks, and failures, individuals with Kinetic Genius display unwavering determination, bouncing back stronger and relentlessly progressing toward their souls’ goals.
Impact and Influence: Kinetic Genius possesses the extraordinary power to make a lasting impact on personal fulfillment. Individuals who embody it become beacons of inspiration, influencing others through their remarkable accomplishments, boundless creativity, and innovative thinking. They emerge as thought leaders and catalysts for transformative change.
It is important to recognize that while historical examples of Potential Genius exist, the concept of Kinetic Genius unveils the remarkable journey individuals undertake to fully actualize their Potential. Society can reap the immense benefits of diverse talents and contributions by nurturing and supporting the development of Potential Genius into Kinetic Genius.
The Relationship Between Potential & Kinetic Genius
The adult journey from Potential to Kinetic Genius is a metamorphosis. It’s akin to the conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy. A Potential Genius who harnesses their unique superpowers and applies them effectively will transform into a Kinetic Genius. But the bigger question is, What keeps us from putting our Potential into motion? Or, put another way, What is the cause of our inaction? The short answer is Resistance. What is Resistance, you ask? To get this answer, we must pull a page from Steven Pressfield’s book, ‘The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles’ Let’s walk with Pressfield as he introduces us to an unseen foe — Resistance. Now, this ain’t your typical bad guy. Resistance is the hidden force of self-doubt, fear, perfectionism, and procrastination that loves to keep you from making magic happen. Picture it as a sneaky saboteur, always lurking, especially when you’re on the brink of personal evolution and growth. The shadowy villain feeds off your inaction and relishes in blocking your path from Potential to Kinetic. And oh boy, this sucker loves it when we’re just about ready to take that transformative leap. Resistance is an umbrella term containing a more detailed analysis found in Positive Intelligence.
In the book, ‘Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Reach Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours‘ by the New York Times, bestselling author and revered lecturer at Stanford, Shirzad Chamine, found that we have two sides to our brain. The first is the inner sage or Jedi; the other is filled with voices (yes, plural) from the Resistance that are our unique combination of Saboteurs.
The Rotating Cast of Characters
Here is a detailed list of each Saboteur as outlined in Positive Intelligence with a brief description of each:
- The Judge: This is the universal Saboteur and the world’s biggest party pooper. The Judge spares no one from a verdict. This gavel-slamming critic thrives on pointing out your stumbles and missteps, constantly nags you about potential pitfalls up ahead, and obsessively highlights the glitches in others or the hiccups in your journey.
- Avoider: In a world filled with rainbows and unicorns, this Saboteur tap dances around the thorny, the tough, and the tedious – sticking to the sunny side, evading conflicts and tasks that pack a punch of unpleasantness.
- Controller: A Saboteur who thrives on the need to commandeer situations and puppeteer people’s actions according to their agenda. Always in a perpetual state of high-strung anxiety while becoming increasingly twitchy when the reins of control slip from its grasp.
- Hyper-Achiever: An insatiable Saboteur who craves ceaseless performance and accomplishment like oxygen. This relentless taskmaster measures self-worth solely by trophies won, and no sooner is the dust settled on a victory than it dismisses the win and feels the pangs of hunger for the next.
- Hyper-Rational: This Saboteur who’s all about living in a world of cold logic, applying stringent analysis to everything—even relationships. But beware, as this clinical detachment can come off as emotionally void, seemingly uncaring, or even reek of intellectual arrogance.
- Hyper-Vigilant: We encounter a Saboteur that thrives on a constant state of intense anxiety, always on guard against potential dangers and the myriad of things that could go wrong. It embodies a sense of unwavering vigilance that can never rest.
- Pleaser: The Pleaser seeks acceptance through helping, rescuing, flattering and pleasing others, but neglects its own needs, resulting in underlying resentment.
- Restless: This Saboteur constantly seeks greater excitement, is perpetually busy, and rarely at peace or content in the present moment.
- Stickler: This Saboteur exhibits perfectionism and a need for order and organization taken too far. It is anxious trying to make too many things perfect.
- Victim: This Saboteur seeks attention and affection through emotional and temperamental behavior, focusing strongly on internal, often painful, feelings and a tendency towards martyrdom.
These Saboteurs, originally our childhood guardians, protected us from perceived threats and helped us with physical and emotional survival. However, as adults, these protection mechanisms have become a little too big for their britches as they persist as hidden inhabitants within our minds while driving the bus while we go along for the ride. It’s time to take them down a notch or seven. The repeated patterns of thinking, feeling, and reacting have become deeply ingrained within our neural pathways, leading to instantaneous “hijacking” by our dominant Saboteurs. When triggered, the subconscious reactions influence our thoughts, emotions, behaviors, words, and actions. The harsh truth is that what once was installed to protect us is now holding us back and keeping us from realizing our true Potential.
The Saboteur Dance
Imagine you’re the hero in a high school rom-com, and your dream date just agreed to be your partner at the big dance. There you are, on that shiny gym floor, trying your best to put on a show, and then suddenly, your ensemble of pesky characters keep butting in, hijacking your dream dance. So, who are the intruding Saboteurs stealing the spotlight from your dream date?
Curious? I’d bet you are! Click here for a free assessment that will reveal your sneaky Saboteurs.
As soon as that email from Shirzad pings in, revealing your Saboteur ranking and cranking up your self-awareness to the Resistance, it’s time to announce a dance-off. Get ready because it’s you freestyling against the whole troupe of Saboteurs. Sure, the odds might not look friendly – it’s a crowded dance floor, after all. And as if that weren’t enough, remember, ‘The Judge,’ that head Saboteur, is observing your every move, on and off that dance floor.
If you discover yourself stuck, sporting your parachute pants and Puma Suedes, seemingly paralyzed, that’s the classic onset of Cognitive Dissonance throwing you off rhythm. This gnarly concept, the bedrock of that seemingly insurmountable Resistance wall erected right at the boundary of your comfort zone, is the mental discomfort you feel when juggling two conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes. Humans are creatures of consistency, especially concerning our perceptions and attitudes, so this internal tug-of-war can lead to feelings of unease or discomfort, often grinding us to a standstill.
It’s like ‘The Judge’ Saboteur whispering in your ear, telling you that you don’t have the moves to win this dance-off, that it was a brainless idea to even lace up those dancing shoes. And then, in a moment of panic, you decide to stand up your date, bailing on the dance altogether.
But then there’s this epic move called Cognitive Resonance. This mental state allows you to balance, reconcile, and even groove with two or more conflicting or competing beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously. It’s like being able to keep the rhythm amidst a jumbled mix of beats, maintaining a steady state of mental and emotional balance despite the discord. This open-source mindset, as I like to call it, is all about the willingness to keep refining your beliefs and attitudes as you take in new information or gain fresh insights. It’s a move that demands cognitive flexibility, a hefty dose of self-awareness and is closely tied to qualities like open-mindedness, adaptability, and resilience.
So, instead of freezing under the icy glare of the Saboteurs and their Resistance routine, get comfortable with the discomfort. Then, summon the courage to step into the spotlight, all dressed to the nines, ready to make an entrance into a gym buzzing with anticipation. Take a deep breath, block out the self-doubting voices, and step forward.
Busting a move with your Saboteurs demands some serious training and a seriously amped-up level of self-awareness. It’s about knowing in the moment who’s in control of your playlist. Is it you calling the tunes, or has one of the Saboteurs taken over the turntables? We can be bursting at the seams with Potential, and we can conjure up a technicolor vision of our future self. Still, if we keep tripping over the wires of Cognitive Dissonance, we just end up stuck on the dance floor, spinning our wheels.
What is the secret to remixing our Potential Genius into our Kinetic Genius? That’s all down to the sweet harmony of Cognitive Resonance. Life doesn’t have to be an either-or dance-off. Life can – and should – be about sweeping your dream date off their feet and wowing the crowd with your moves. The spotlight’s yours. Let’s do this.
Connecting the Dots
Embarking on the journey from Potential to Kinetic Genius demands an intimate encounter with our internal Saboteurs. These Saboteurs, originally our childhood protectors, have evolved into hidden obstacles, often preventing us from reaching our true Potential. Yet, with increased self-awareness and cognitive agility, we can engage in a harmonious dance with our Saboteurs, transforming our internal turmoil into a balance of Cognitive Resonance.
Cognitive Resonance, the skill to balance conflicting or competing beliefs, values, or attitudes, is crucial for unleashing our Kinetic Genius. It’s an open-source mindset that cultivates adaptability, resilience, and open-mindedness. It involves being comfortable with discomfort, overcoming self-doubt, and confidently stepping into our own spotlight.
The transformation from Potential to Kinetic Genius goes beyond personal accomplishments. It’s about creating a ripple effect. Those who embody Kinetic Genius become beacons of inspiration, influencing others through their achievements and innovative thinking.
Yet, this journey isn’t a solo endeavor. It needs support from parents, educators, mentors, and society. By nurturing an environment that encourages independent thinking, we can help individuals tap into their potential Genius and prepare for future innovations.
In conclusion, the path from Potential to Kinetic Genius is a dance with our Saboteurs, our internal conflicts, and societal norms. But with the right mindset and determination, we can make this dance a celebration of our unique Genius. It’s time to embrace this dance and showcase our Potential to the world.
Scott R. Stanfield
Change Catalyst. Modern Longevitarian. & Dot Connector.