Genius ... who me?

Student: I was so scared, I froze.
Tess: What thoughts entered your mind, that made you access the state of fright? What pictures did you see in the theatre of your mind... that sent a command to your nervous system, causing your body to “freeze?”
Student: My teacher pouted, pointed, paused, then she pounced.
Tess: What did she seem like when she did that?
Student: Like a wicked witch.
Tess: How big was she... what colour was she?
Student: Like a monster... big and black. Her finger was boney.
Tess: And how did you feel then?
Student: Horrible... Ugggghhhhh. Like she wanted my blood.
Tess: Hmmm... if the best learning is when we’re relaxed and having fun, is inducing fear a great strategy for encouraging learning?
Answer: NO (duh).

EVERY experience (positive or negative) has a structure. Therefore we can, if we’re not careful and most times unconsciously if we stay around others along enough, imitate their characteristics or habits (useful or not) and become like them.

Like how history and culture can affect our way of being in the world – whether corporate or social – and we only ever realise we exhibit these traits when we control quality and practice self-awareness.

When our sensibility kicks in, we notice our quirks or when other people say, “Oh how fascinating!” or “Eeew, yuk!”

What’s important about knowing this is... because human beings share the same neurology – if someone can, we can.

Remember the one-minute mile? Yes, after Roger Bannister ran it, suddenly hundreds could do the same. That’s right, we can when we think we can! And what we want is to consciously model genius, not unconsciously mimic idiots. What we want is to constantly measure ourselves against the greats, not mark ourselves down or sell ourselves short by imitating mediocrity.

For five years now, I’ve travelled far and wide to study the process and format of what enables people to perform their unique and personal excellence. I’ve spent time working with genius of all types – entrepreneurs, entertainers, coaches and trainers (like me) and also the less official kind – social workers, university students, and parents.

All the time, I ask myself, “How are they able to be so extraordinarily successful... so effective, and yet able to live and breathe peace and happiness? How is it that the product of their genius expands and spreads happiness all around to others?

Of course, every man I interviewed claimed to be an expert lover. (And they were only too eager to demonstrate how.) Fortunately genius is as genius does, and their trail of evidence isn’t solid enough to convince me!

Here’s the pattern. From countless hours of interviews and listening (even to what isn’t said) from calibrating facial expression, gestures, spatial and non-verbal cues, I’ve discovered that everyone I consider an expert, goes through this process. Definition of expert: Someone who has accomplished more in their field than others and has the supporting social panorama as evidence.

1. Honouring Self

Each subject has a high level of self-esteem and a firm belief in their capabilities. While they all understand and accept they have weaknesses, each subject has a strong sense of response-ability and ownership over their existence, believing they have power over Self and control over their choices.

2. Clearing interruptions

Each subject has an array of “tools and tactics” that successfully removes blockages, resistance or excuses. In order for them to perform at higher levels, they deploy any or all of these, thus clearing the pathway to excellence. The belief frame is, “it’s a long and winding road to success – when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

3. Intense focus and purposefulness

Each subject knows exactly what they want. They do not dabble. They have a definite strategy for personal effectiveness and get a twice done in half the time. They work all the time. They say, “what I do is so enjoyable, it doesn’t seem like work at all.”
Imagine applying yourself to life at your genius levels! After all, genius is only a state, just like inspiration and creativity are states.

No doubt, a complex state... or what we call an emergent state... a state that arises out of a combination of several states. Would focus + purposefulness + passion + creativity + curiosity increase your genius? What else could texture and fine-tune “genius” for you?

So how will you know when you’re in the “zone?” Each subject describes a state of (wonder + delight + congruence + heightened awareness) — a place where time stands still and the world goes away... Hmmmm... Genius > Best Life. That’s so right!




Irritating boy in class who says silly things
Q: There’s a boy in my class who really irritates me. He’s always fooling around and wasting everybody’s time. He’s not actually dumb but it seems like he doesn’t get anything from what the teacher says. I want to shout, “what about that didn’t you understand?”. He says the silliest things.
A: So there’s a boy who fools around and seemingly doesn’t “get” his lessons.
What he does have is the ability to push your buttons, so much so you “get irritated” and want to shout.
You use labels like “not dumb,” “silly” and “wasting time”. I wonder... as you step back from all this, what are you beginning to realise about yourself — as his classmate, as a person?
Isn’t it funny how we learn about ourselves when we interact with others? There’s the tendency to judge, blame, label and make excuses, but the question really is, “who am I? What do I want?”. Is your self-identity dependent on other people’s behaviour or is it solidly up to you who you wish to be?
How we portray ourselves — if we have a “tit for tat” attitude — if we pick on others and compare them with ourselves, whether we have a superiority or inferiority complex, will show straightaway in our words and behaviour.
I like to play this game: I ask myself, “If I were a friend, what would I do? If I were to share my gifts, how would I behave?”
Ask yourself, “What would I need to think so he doesn’t have such power over me?”



So difficult to find good workers
Q: I’m a human resources manager in a small firm. It seems I can’t find good staff. Everyone doesn’t last. They all want less work, more pay. They say things like, “your business is too complicated for me”. What do I do?
A: You tell me! I’ve been asking myself the same question! I’ve also been noticing how I’m attaching unpleasant feelings to stuff when this happens.
I don’t like feeling those things (like self-flagellation: “Did I do something wrong?”), so I ask myself, “Hey what if I could experience something nice instead, as those people demonstrate what you described.
Now when I experience that, I play a cartoon in my head (like rewinding a funny film where the characters speak like chipmunks!)
And when that happens, I do a quiet giggle and I’m able to smile as I feel the humour come through.
What else can I say? What can we do? For as long as people have this “Gimme! Gimme!” attitude (meaning they want to take and not give) or they keep “I can learn!” out of their menu list of possibilities — then I say arm and insulate yourself with as much humour as you possibly can.
That’s how I stay positive. Find out what technique will work for you.