In 2004, I met a genius.
Nowadays, I realized that this term is loosely used and passed out like Halloween candy.
However, Todd Siler is an actual genius and a modern-day renaissance man.
He has a Ph.D. from MIT in psychology and …
Art.
That’s right. I said art!
He is the first person ever to earn a Ph.D. from MIT in art.
His artworks are in permanent collections of:
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- The Museum of Modern Art
- The Guggenheim Museum
- Many private art collectors internationally
He holds many patents on a wide range of inventions, from textile printing machinery to graphic input devices for computers.
In other words, as they say in Boston, he’s “wicked smart!”
His company Psi-Phi Communications teaches genius thinking in education, communication, business, and industry.
He also wrote the book, Think Like a Genius, You Don’t Have to Be a Genius to Think Like One.
Most of the answers you’re looking for are hidden in your mind – from ideas, products, stories, and experiences to confidence and inner peace.
The Goal Path is Twisted, Not Straight
I asked him how does he go about achieving his goals?
He drew this illustration. I told you he was an artist.
“If you have a goal, recognize that it is not a straight line to get to your destination. Think zig-zag.”
“Brick walls are there for a reason. They let us prove how badly we want things.”
Treat obstacles as “Momentary Disruptions”
“And you’ll encounter many obstacles on the path to your goal. Think walls.
Sadly, these obstacles stop the majority of people from achieving their goals.
I view these walls as ‘momentary disruptions’.”
They’re puzzles to be solved, and they have solutions.
I’ll find a way to go over, around, under, or through these momentary disruptions. It will not stop me from achieving my goal.
Once I have passed the momentary disruption or the wall, I will reflect on the input and feedback it took to solve this puzzle.
Using this input, I can easily bypass the next obstacle or wall.
COVID Corner
Eventually, on your path to your goal, you will encounter a different type of problem or a corner. Unlike a wall, it is another type of challenge. Have you ever been stuck in a corner? A corner requires a different solution and, thus, different thinking.
That solution is called thinking.
The answers are within you to move beyond this type of problem towards your goal.
The worldwide health crisis is a corner wall.
Don’t let it stop you!!
It is a solvable problem or puzzle.
You can go over it, around it, under it, or through it!
Pivot, Don’t Panic
You have products and services that your customers need.
Use online platforms to reach your prospects (GOAL).
Think like a genius – you don’t have to be a genius to think like one.
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