The root of the word genius is the Latin gignere, meaning to ‘give birth’ or ‘bring forth’. Maybe it’s no coincidence that the word ‘genuine’ can be traced back to this same root.
When we are bringing our true self to the world – in other words, being genuine – our qualities and strengths emerge naturally. We sort of give birth to ourself.
On the other hand, when we fake it in order to live up to internalised notions of virtue or intelligence or value to society, we hide our gold behind a leaden mask. Einstein said it best:
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.
When it comes to unique ability, we are each sitting on a goldmine. Sometimes we just need to dig. Or maybe we just need to drop the act and be the natural geniuses we already are. Much like a fish simply swims.
Here are some questions to reflect on:
- What do people often ask you for help with?
- What activities can you get lost in?
- Which forms of knowledge stick to you like glue?
Spot the patterns, look for the themes and figure out what you’re really here to do. You’re already a genius. You are holding all the cards you need to live a richly fulfilling life.