Are you a Young Genius or Late Bloomer?

Have you ever opened up the New York Times, 7×7 or whatever your local magazine is, and read about some twentysomething who has taken the world by storm with the newest new thing, and you feel this twinge of jealousy, comparison and mostly, disappointment.

The clock is ticking and what have you accomplished?

Marcus Gladwell, author of Blink, Outliers and The Tipping Point says:

“Genius, in the popular conception, is inextricably tied up with precocity-doing something truly creative, we’re inclined to think, requires the freshness and exuberance and energy of youth.”

The good news is that it isn’t true.  In his New Yorker essay entitled Better Late, he talks about two very distinctive types of genius.

The first is the young genius - think Picasso and Mozart.  They know what they are creating - what they are meant to do.  All they have to do is execute.  He calls them “conceptual geniuses.”

The second type is the late bloomer or “experimental genius.”  For them, they are learning and experimenting as they go, often in a very nonlinear fashion.  Cezanne was an “experimental genius.”  His most famous works were created when he was in his 50’s.

Check out either the article or the 10-minute podcast.  Remarkable stories and hope for those of us who have not yet realized our genius.

Mean People and Things that Suck

I had a guy bring me to tears last week.

I had asked him for an informational interview - I’m trying to find a way to volunteer internationally.  He peppered me with questions, disagreed with me each time I made a statement and then scolded me when I tried to use a joke to deflect him from his badgering.

I was so mad that I was shaking.  I got off the phone and started doubting myself.  I let it get to me.

Last week, I had lunch with a friend who I haven’t seen in years.  She had happily

been at the same company for 12 years.  She had just given her notice.  Her company had gone through a huge reorganization that left her with a job she no longer wanted.  She was hurt that political maneuvering had replaced personal loyalty.

A colleague just had to lay off 3 people because there isn’t enough business.

Another business owner I know can’t get people to pay their invoices.

A friend of mine works for an unreasonable boss who berates her for the most inane things.

A lot sucks right now.  It’s not just the money side of this economic situation, it’s the stress.  People are grouchy, preoccupied, grumpy, distracted pissy, rude and stressed.

So how do you get back on your feet?  What do you do about the doubt, the stress and the insecurity that all of this brings up?

1. Protect your energy. Choose to be around people who feed your energy and choose to remove yourself from “energy vampires.”  It’s that simple, really.
2. Know what feeds you. Are you an extrovert who gets energy from being around others?  Are you an introvert who needs quiet time?  Do you love being in nature?  Or do spa days make you feel like a different person?
3. Learn what you can. Plan for the future.  Stay in the present. Figure out what you would have done differently to change your current situation.  Think strategically about the future and how you can tactically change your situation.  And most importantly, enjoy the ride.  Even when it’s hard and painful.  There is a lot of magic in the present moment if you can stay awake enough to notice.

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