The Anatomy of Genius

Eric Stone
7 min readNov 10, 2023

How to Tap into Your True Potential without Apology?

©2023 Artist Benichou

Starting with Einstein, genius is typically imagined in terms of the extraordinary, both intellectually and creatively. Words like mastermind, wizardry, exceptional talent, rocket scientist, mathematical complexities, are the usual cultural associations we endow such a notion with.

I’d like to offer an unusual take based on my experience as a leadership mentor and performance coach. I recognize that genius is misunderstood, let alone inquired into with compassion and curiosity. To me, compassion is the “space” where intelligence meets fate, the shortcomings and the humanity of people, with an acute desire to help or demonstrate understanding.

Beyond the vastly available homogenized interpretations, I have observed that genius is not as rare as one might construe. For the purpose of this concise article, I’d like you to imagine that in fact, you have genius cells in your brain. In addition, and only if you can allow some playfulness, that you are in fact a genius, probably in areas where your brain hasn’t yet connected the necessary neural pathways to access your genius cognitive potential.

For now, the question remains: has it been tapped into? What is it? How do you recognize it and, more to the point, set it in motion in your life? It is widely known amongst the scientific…

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Eric Stone
Eric Stone

Written by Eric Stone

In personal growth & development, great outcomes come from authentic shifts in perspective! These essays aim to catalyze awareness and empower creative thinking