Discover Your Genius: How to Think Like History's Ten Most Revolutionary Minds – Cultivate Perspective and Emotional Intelligence

by Michael J. Gelb, Norma Miller (Illustrator), Martin Kemp (Foreword by)

Unleash your creative potential.Michael J. Gelb, bestselling author of How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci, draws upon history's most revolutionary minds to help you unleash your own creativity. With fascinating biographies of all ten geniuses, personal self-assessments, and practical exercises, this book is the key to unlocking the genius inside you!




Plato -- Deepening your love of wisdom

Filippo Brunelleschi -- Expanding your perspective

Christopher Columbus -- Strengthening your vision, optimism, and courage

Nicolaus Copernicus -- Reorganizing your vision of the world

Queen Elizabeth I -- Wielding your power with balance and effectiveness

William Shakespeare -- Cultivating your emotional intelligence

Thomas Jefferson -- Celebrating your freedom in the pursuit of happiness

Charles Darwin -- Developing your powers of observation and cultivating an open mind

Mahatma Gandhi -- Applying the principles of spiritual genius to harmonize spirit, mind, and body

Albert Einstein -- Unleashing your imagination and "combinatory play"

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, History, Psychology, Personal Development, Science, Business

384 pages, Paperback

Published January 21, 2003

About the author

The world’s leading authority on the application of genius thinking to personal and organizational development, Michael J. Gelb is a pioneer in the fields of creative thinking, innovative leadership and executive coaching. His clients include DuPont, Emerson, Genentech, KPMG, Merck, Microsoft, Nike and YPO.

Michael is a Senior Fellow at The Center for Humanistic Management and a member of the Leading People and Organizations Advisory Board at the Fordham University Gabelli School of Business. Michael was also awarded a Batten Fellowship in Innovation from the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business, and he co-directed the acclaimed Leading Innovation Seminar there for more than 10 years. Michael was honored as “Brain of the Year” (1999) by the Brain Trust Charity – other recipients include Steven Hawking, Garry Kasparov and Edward De Bono.

Michael is the author of 17 books including How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci, Discover Your Genius, Innovate Like Edison, and The Art of Connection: 7 Relationship Building Skills Every Leader Needs Now.

Michael’s books have been translated into 25 languages and have sold more than one million copies. Recent releases include The Healing Organization: Awakening the Conscience of Business to Help Save the World, co-authored with Prof. Raj Sisodia, and Mastering the Art of Public Speaking: 8 Secrets to Transform Fear and Supercharge Your Career.

FUN FACTS

Author, Speaker, Consultant, Juggler!

A professional juggler who performed with the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan, Gelb introduced the idea of teaching juggling to promote accelerated learning and team-building. He is the author of The 5 Keys to High Performance: Juggling Your Way to Success.

A passionate wine lover, Gelb is the originator of a unique and enjoyable approach to teambuilding as expressed in Wine Drinking For Inspired Thinking: Uncork Your Creative Juices.

Michael trained as a teacher of the Alexander Technique, (the method taught at The Juilliard School for cultivating commanding stage presence), while completing his Masters degree. His thesis became his first book – Body Learning: An Introduction to the Alexander Technique.

A fifth degree black belt in the martial art of Aikido, Gelb is co-author with Grandmaster Raymond Keene, of Samurai Chess: Mastering Strategic Thinking Through the Martial Art of the Mind.

Reviews

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to attend a series of telecourses with the author of this book. Michael Gelb brings such enthusiasm to this subject he makes you want to learn more about each of these geniuses. This was a fascinating book and series.

[Mars Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: This book discusses Plato, Brunelleschi, Columbus, Copernicus, Elizabeth I, Shakespeare, Jefferson, Darwin, Gandhi, and Einstein's achievements. The author includes more historical figures than this, but this is mainly what Michael J. Gelb focuses on throughout the book. He begins each section by talking about an individual he admires then gives the reader a summary of that person's achievements followed by a self-assessment and thinking exercises.

Pro: I learned a great deal about each person's life including their triumphs and misfortunes. (I probably learned the most about Brunelleschi, since I didn't know who he was prior to this book.) I also read some inspiring quotes.

Con: As someone who usually reads the foreword, I would advise skipping this. It's basically the author telling the reader how to read properly and why he excluded the minds that he did. I do not think the self-assessments were that helpful due to their subjectivity. I do not think he should have included Columbus at all but to each his own.

Whos should read this? People interested in reading brief histories and lists of achievements of each person.

[☯︎Hanna☯︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book gives a good insight on geniuses’ lives and their unimaginable abilities to create and bring food for thought to the table for next generations.

Interesting is that the author included exercises for readers to complete in order to get closer to deeper understanding what it’s like to think like Leonardo da Vinci or Albert Einstein. These are not mentioned for this purpose only but to help release oneself from what hinders to think out-of-the-box or give oneself more “space” to contemplate in a situation when an individual would restrict themselves due to emotional or mental issues or when it’s simply hard to focus.

There is no extraordinary info on how to literally become Einstein the 2nd, but it is a good reference for having a general idea of how these admirable people behaved and thought during their life time.

[Shara Vitone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audiobook and I enjoyed learning about the great minds and leadership skills of Plato, Brunelleschi, Columbus, Copernicus, Elizabeth I, Shakespeare, Jefferson, Darwin, Gandhi and Einstein. I actually felt like I would retain more of the information and gain a better grasp of the end of the chapter exercise questions if I read a print copy. I checked the physical book out from my library so I can browse through it again and take reflection notes in my book journal.

[Fran Hanyok · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such an interesting book with a lot of great information. I found it helpful in learning more about myself.

[Andy Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a follow up read to Gelb's book on DaVinci.
I like it as well. However, it did not knock my socks off like the DaVinci book.
For the most part, I recommend it, but not as much as the first book.

[Maven Witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the exercises in this book. My only main issue were a few of the choices of “geniuses”. While the author assures he’s chosen figures like Columbus or Thomas Jefferson for their archetypes by acknowledging things like their genocidal conquests, the author is simply admitting there were better choices and he chose these anyway. He also uses the excuse that women throughout history have not had the opportunity to rise in the ranks the same as men in terms of fame and that’s why there is only one woman chosen - again, excuses instead of making an effort to include more women historical figures.

The reason I still give a high rating is because the “geniuses” are not the main focus of the book, but the archetypal qualities they represent. They’re simply examples used to inspire while working through the exercises, which I felt were very unique and excellent. I enjoyed them thoroughly. I’ll be checking out the author’s other book about Leonardo DaVinci, which will undoubtedly include less excuses for the choices made.

[Antonio · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is my assessment of this book Discover Your Genius by Michael J.Gelb according to my 6 criteria:
1. Related to practice - 4 stars
2. It prevails important - 3 stars
3. I agree with the read - 4 stars
4. not difficult to read (as for non English native) - 4 stars
5. too long and boring story or every sentence is interesting - 4 stars
6. Learning opportunity - 4 stars

Total 3.83 stars

[Nderitu Pius · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was such a bore when he started to speak about how we should be like each of the people named in the book. I want to be like myself not to be like Einstein. Mahatma Gandhi seemed pretty theosophistic which is the worst thing to be, ever. Its like a soup of everything. A bad mixture. I don't like this book tho I tried to get itthrough

[Kain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jest tu sporo interesujących faktów o kilku wybitnych postaciach i całość połączona jest całkiem zgrabnymi przejściami. Jeśli zaś chodzi o porady i ćwiczenia..nie-geniusz nie jest w stanie zrozumieć geniusza, stąd są często do bani. Tym bardziej wczucie się w każdą z tych bardzo odmiennych postaci nie jest możliwe tak dla autora, jak i dla innych.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here ya to.. TL:DR ->

Go daydream. Go think about some historical figures.
Then go imagine you are them.

And there you go!

It was interesting, but not great.

[Trần Huế · Rating 1 out of 5]

Đọc thấy hơi lan man, nhiều đoạn thấy chả liên quan gì đến chủ đề, càng không liên quan đến tên sách. Không biết có phải do mình kém trí nên không tiếp thu được không nhỉ?

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book, especially the chapter on Gandhi.

[Moniem Rezk]

Really insightful book for the modern renaissance person

[Turgut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[{tion} · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really loved this book and his other one about how to think like Da Vinci. The look of the book and the way everything is organized is elegant and super pleasing.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for PMI CEU credit. Interesting background on 10 different geniuses from throughout history. Includes exercises to help facilitate thinking like each one.

[Mat Rueter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stream of consciousness writing yields lots of nonsense and redundancy, but can lead to profound insight and understanding.

[Mathew Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting perspective on these famous individuals.

[Stephanie Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF: I feel our lists of geniuses are vastly different, and unfortunately, I feel like that falls on personal morals and who we value as a "genius."

[Deborah Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd.
The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before." AE.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the book while I was listening to it, but the more I think about it the more things I find at fault with it. The premise of the book is that you can discover and develop your own genius qualities by studying the lives of other geniuses. Not a bad premise, although (as the author points out) there can be lots of disagreement on who qualifies as a genius worthy of study. I have no real disagreement on who the author picked for study, but rather on who he didn't pick, namely Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton, both of whom he mentions extensively in the book as examples used by other geniuses. In the case of Leonardo, the author has even written another book along the same lines on him, so it seems strange for Leonardo to have been omitted here.

While the author seems to value "spirituality," he does so only if it is non-Christian spirituality, and often praises his geniuses for going against the teachings of Christianity. In the case of Charles Darwin, he accepts as given truth his (in-fact unproven) theories of evolution, and actively denigrates those who believe otherwise.

While I wholeheartedly recommend his method of picking "geniuses" and studying their lives and thoughts, as a means of developing your own genius, I cannot recommend his book .

[Erik · Rating 1 out of 5]

OK. I did not actually read this (or even listen to it). The concept is fine, reviewing achievements of some of history's best known "geniuses" to learn what makes them tick. However, I found it difficult to continue just three chapters in. First, the sketches were not very deep, which would have been fine except that I have already heard of all of these people; I have read far deeper on several. I therefore found myself easily distracted and more interested in listening to music than to the audiobook. Then I started questioning what he considered genius. Without explaining why Columbus was so confident, the author declared him genius for sailing off into the unknown ocean. There is every chance he would not have made it and simply would have been dead, and more importantly, so would his entire crew. Sailing the Atlantic at that time is a huge achievement, but I believe it was due more to brazenness and not genius. Finally, the author pushed the anti-Church angle, especially when he reached Copernicus, seeming to forget that Copernicus was a monk (it was good enough to say he was not ordained) and believing that a moving Earth somehow violated Church dogma. Suddenly I felt like I could not believe another word.

[Devorah Royal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title is misleading. Its about great leaders in history and the defining characteristics that make them great. The material itself is not bad, if I knew what the book was to begin with. Had the book given a clearer title, content, and purpose in relation to what it actually is, I would have rated it higher. Books need to tell the reader very clearly what the purpose is, and if they fail to do that, it shows a lack of understanding for the reader. Recommended - if you like biographies written in a unique and summarized way. Not recommended - for what the title and intro imply that it's for.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this started out as more of a two-star book, but by the end, I'd edged it up to a three. I think the title may oversell it a bit as a self-help title, when in fact, it's mostly just a collection of biographies. That said, in judging the book for what it is, I found it a worthwhile read, featuring some of history's most interesting thinkers. I should point out, also, that I listened to the book on CD, which may not be the best way to read it, especially the brainstorming exercises.

[Alexander Ulloa Bautista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excelente reseña en general de 9 personajes históricos que con sus ideas y con sus trabajo aportaron al crecimiento de la sociedad. El autor da unos consejos de las personalidades para poner en práctica en nuestra vida, como Brunelleschi con su modo de analizar las perspectivas se hizo la bella cúpula de la iglesia de Florencia. Gandhi y su historia del niño al que le enseñó con el ejemplo, su coherencia, primero hacerlo y luego aconsejar. Leído, releído, entendido y recomendado.

[Anton Klink · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read it quite a number of years ago, I remember thinking it was OK but not much else. Neither I can't seem to remember too many specifics about it. Obviously it wasn't awful, otherwise I would have remembered that, but neither was it good enough to burn a vivid image into my mind, so two stars is the most I can give it in hindsight.

[D · Rating 1 out of 5]

Waste of time. It is just a chronological listing of some famous people. Some of the people, I think are not geniuses.

Get this. You cannot be a genius by copying another. That is a ridiculous proposition that has been implied in this book.

Instead of wasting time on this book, one would find that investing the same time on something you are passionate about, will be more rewarding.

[Bryan Bridgeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that it was good. I felt like he needed to include more female and people of color as his genius models, but he does a good job with the choices he does make. Also, I did not like that Christopher Columbus was on his list. That's like glorifying Hitler for his public speaking skills.

Anyway, those things aside, it was a challenging and fun read.

[Kiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audiobook. It's a great review of the contributions of 10 major historical figures, with an eye towards traits you might want to emulate, or strengthen, in your own life. I got inspired to start journaling about some of these topics and found them to be quite fruitful!