The ancient Greeks and Romans held a unique perspective on exceptional individuals; they believed that such a person didn’t possess genius but instead, they HAD a genius. In their eyes, genius wasn’t an internal trait but an external entity or consciousness, creating a clear distinction between “being” and “having.”
Could it be that we are ALL exceptional? That we ALL have that spark of inspiration within us? As a fundamentally creative species, we all harbour the potential to achieve feats we can’t yet fathom. The key to unlocking this potential lies in befriending our genius.
The genius communicates with those who listen, those who collaborate with this invisible force. The rest of us still have great ideas all the time but simply fail to recognise them, because we just don’t know how to listen, how to talk to the genius..
Here’s the truth:
you ARE a genius or, at the very least, you have one.
Just like your Higher Self, which always understands your value, your capabilities, and your significance in the world, no matter how your ego might be feeling in any given moment, your genius continually supplies ideas, drops inspiration, and lends a helping hand in the realm of creation, no matter how uninspired you may feel..
If you believe this doesn’t apply to you, it’s likely an indication that you haven’t yet formed a friendship with your genius.
Creatives, visionaries, and entrepreneurs often find themselves stuck because they invest immense significance in the outcome of their ideas. This can lead to inaction, allowing fear and imposter syndrome to halt progress rather than driving them toward the act of creation.
The beauty of this distinction between HAVING a genius and BEING a genius is that it relieves the pressure. As Elizabeth Gilbert describes in her book, Big Magic, viewing the genius as an external consciousness not only protects the artist from the shame of failure but also shields you from the egoic conceit that sometimes accompanies success. For the Greeks and Romans, any success must be credited to the external genius, and the only credit I (the artist, inventor, creator etc.) can take is for being open to collaboration with the genius.
So create anyway, simply for the sake of creating, act on that idea you had in the shower, pull over your car and write down that thought you just had. Don’t let it fritter away to someone else who is ready and willing to take action.
The Greeks had a philosophical concept for being visited by your genius, called Eudaimonia. It literally means to be ‘well demoned’, and signifies the state of living a flourishing, fulfilled, and virtuous life. It suggests that true well-being and happiness are achieved by living in accordance with one’s highest potential, moral virtues, and personal excellence. Eudaimonia goes beyond mere pleasure and includes elements such as personal growth, moral integrity, and the pursuit of meaning and purpose in life. It represents a state of true human flourishing and the realisation of one’s full potential. Modern commentators also have a name for this state – Flow.
One of the ways that I connect with my genius is by going out into nature alone.
There’s something about this experience for me that opens the channel for inspiration; that opens the channel to the solution to that big problem; that opens the channel to creation.
I have come to learn that whenever I have a big challenge ahead of me, whether business, emotional or simply a desire to create, what I need to do strap on my backpack and get outside for six to eight hours.
Often what comes to me in these moments seemingly has nothing to do with the problem that I needed to solve, but more often than not, all the mud in the water settles, and I’m able to see clearly what couldn’t be seen before.
So what’s your portal? What’s your gateway to genius? Where are you and what are you doing when you have your best ideas?
For some it’s writing, for others it’s the shower, or sports, music, painting, driving, meditation, sipping coffee in your favourite cafe, visiting a museum or gallery. Another portal for me is being in conversation with someone who inspires me. Sometimes I’ll be having a conversation and I can’t quite believe the words that are coming out of my mouth – it is quite literally like some external being or force is speaking through me.
When you capture it, when you understand what that gateway is, for you, and engage with that portal deliberately, consciously, and excitedly, it can open up a whole world of creativity and inspiration.
So I’d like to propose a game. It’s a game that can strengthen your connection with your genius, expand your horizons, and open the door to eudaimonia. This game can dramatically increase creativity, and remind you how it feels to be a child.
Identify your personal portal of creativity and inspiration—your own unique gateway to genius. Once you’ve found it, immerse yourself in it, and then, if your genius pays you a visit, slow down and say hello.
Acknowledge its presence, spend time with it, and express gratitude for the inspiration and ideas it has shared.
Notice how it FEELS in your body when your genius is present…THIS is Eudaimonia.
As you connect more deeply with your genius, get playful. Ask your genius its name. (Mine’s called Colin) Create a visual representation of it by drawing it. Make it real somehow. Express your enthusiasm for collaborating with it.
It may seem silly, a waste of time, child’s play.
But child’s play is exactly the point. Have you ever noticed how easily children create? The ‘imaginary’ friends they play with endlessly? Children are in constant connection with their genius, constant conversation, constant collaboration with the creative force that knows no limits. Your genius only knows how to play like a child, that’s why we so often lose touch with it when we ‘grow up’ and get all serious.
This playful approach allows you to rekindle that childlike sense of creativity, where your genius knows no limits.
So, I invite you to embark on this journey, to explore the magic that reconnecting with your genius can bring. Share with me your genius’s name in the comments below—let’s celebrate the infinite creativity that resides within each of us.