Monday, September 2, 2013

Learn From Genius



I think true genius is being willing to imagine, experiment, and make mistakes. My oldest thinks Einstein is the ultimate role model--except for how he got lost biking to his own home, or forgot his wife's name on occasion... Well, I guess there's something to be said for balance too.

I especially loved Einstein's last bit there--as an animate believer in the power of imagination. I think envisioning our potential is how we find something worth striving for, and the fight is what makes life worth living.

Which is your favorite piece of advice and why? Do you have any heroes you think are pure geniuses? Have you ever imagined something up and then made reality?

And finally, enter an editing giveaway and sign up for my cover reveal/book release here! *squee* 

39 comments:

  1. I think making mistakes, making a mess, taking risks are huge parts of being creative. As someone with perfectionist tendencies, I remind myself of that constantly. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I KNOW! It's been like pulling teeth to let my babies go and let other people see them before they're exactly right, but I'm learning it's best to operate and remove growths before finalizing the prose.

      Delete
  2. I really like number 2. It seems so true with writing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely. That's the one my hubby loved most too.

      Delete
  3. The first three (well, all of them really) are brilliant advice for anyone to follow, but especially writers. Curiosity, imagination and perseverance seem to be the perfect trifecta writers need. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now you've got me thinking visually. I'm seeing a triangle with a word written over each side, and the only thing that could make that image better is if it was a wedge of cheese. ;)

      Delete
  4. I like number three, sometimes you have to make a mistake to learn something new. Happy to help with cover reveal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. USUALLY you have to make mistakes to learn something new. ;)

      Delete
  5. I love quotes, and Einstein's are priceless and full of life lessons. For a writer, imagination is everything, though, without perseverance where would we be? All good!

    ReplyDelete
  6. My favorite piece of advice actually a quote from A League of Their Own: “It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.”

    Yeah... :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Einstein lived an interesting life. I think my favorite is #7, but ask me in a hour and that'll probably change.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely interesting. It's not everyone who helps to create the atom bomb.

      Delete
  8. I think that Einstein was just brilliant. I love that to him the world and everything else looked different and he stayed true to himself, even if some people did think he was kind of crazy at the time. All his advice is sound and still very applicable to life today. I tagged you for The Next Big Thing on my blog if you are interested.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love quotes! I love Einstein quotes because he was a genius, yet still had a lot of plain old common sense.

    I have many favorite quotes but since I spent the day at the Ronald Reagan Library, I'll share one of his: While I take inspiration from the past, like most Americans, I live for the future.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awesome. Live for the future. That's advice I occasionally have a hard time focusing on.

      Delete
  10. Einstein was a genius and not just in the sciences. Imagination is so important, and it's frightening to see how little of it so many adults have these days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Product of the public school system, but I won't get into that rant today. ;)

      Delete
  11. True genius is be willing to imagine, experiment, and make mistakes...

    exactly that's what help us growing. Experiences shape us and mistakes teach us in so many ways :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We learn more from our mistakes than our failures, eh?

      Delete
  12. These are very interesting quotes. I like the one about mistakes. I say, "Everything I know, I know because I've made a mistake. I know a lot!"

    ReplyDelete
  13. I think mistakes are natures way of making sure we really become educated in something. I can't tell you how many times I "followed the rules" and regurgitated, but it wasn't until I made a real mistake that I figured out what the rules actually were (and they were sort of surprising).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amen to that! I think the self-taught genius far outshines the one who's been taught everything. (Yet another reason to home school.) ;)

      Delete
  14. The last one is surely true. Imagination works best at ones zoo. Then we can make up an answer that is a hit, even if we really are full of ummm it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes indeed! No good comes from squashing creativity.

      Delete
  15. Wow, love these life lessons, especially the bit about imagination. (No surprise, right?!) Also, the third one (about making mistakes) is something I really needed to hear right now. I've been feeling really depressed about my artwork lately, so this is something I must better try to keep in mind so I don't lose perspective...

    ReplyDelete
  16. I've always loved that quote about imagination being stronger. it truly is. I've always looked up to Dr Seuss. He was a creative genius in my eyes. Totally outside the box ... with a fox ... wearing socks ....lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As long as it comes with cheese, if you please. ;)

      Delete
  17. I love all of those! I think perseverance is especially important!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm having a rough day, so this was wonderful to read.

    ReplyDelete
  19. An imagination is a writer's greatest tool. I really like #4 as well.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ha! I'm the queen of making mistakes. Now I don't feel so bad about that. :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Gosh! Whenever I come across an Einstein quote, I'm like YEAH!!!! This is a particularly awesome collection. I love #4. Striving to be of value really brings the right shift into perspective. Plus I'm a huge mistake-maker, so I'm always relieved that those risks add up:D… uhm to something positive! Heidi

    ReplyDelete

Hit me with your cheese!