The Secret Principles of Genius

by I C Robledo

  If I ignore this problem, will it resolve itself naturally?

  What would the solution to this problem look like?

  If it helps, write down as many responses as you can think up, and take some time to review them before you attempt to solve the problem.

  Create an operational definition

  Creating an operational definition means to define an exact process. This is the sort of thinking computer programmers may use before turning their thoughts into computer code. For example, let’s say a computer programmer creates a robot that can move around, identify objects, and move those objects. You may want to instruct it to make you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but the problem is it doesn’t understand the concept. You need to operationally define what you mean. So instead, you instruct it to open the refrigerator door, take out the peanut butter, jelly, and bread. Then, to get two slices of bread out, get a knife from the drawer, and spread peanut butter and jelly onto the bread, and so forth. This is the true definition of the problem (for the robot) of making a peanut butter jelly sandwich. The point here is to avoid being vague, and instead to be precise with exactly which steps need to be completed, in what order, and with what materials to get the desired results.

  Turn your operational definition into a system

  Take the idea of an operational definition one step further. Create protocols, checklists, or procedures so that everyone can be in agreement with how something is defined. This way, they can solve problems using an established system to increase efficiency. There is no reason for you to solve the same exact problem in a different inefficient way each time. Define the problem once very thoroughly, then use the same system that is proven to work each time you have that problem. This technique is especially useful for problems you have to solve regularly.

  Find a definition everyone can agree on

  If you work in a group or as a team, make sure everyone agrees on the general definition of a process or of a problem. It can be useful to ask everyone how they would define the problem, until you can find points that everyone can agree on. Open discussion can help pinpoint an exact definition, and increase understanding of the problem you are working on.

  Secret Principle #22 : Consider the Big Picture and the Overall Patterns

  “Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you have ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every “superstar,” every “supreme leader,” every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

  – Carl Sagan, looking at the Earth from the perspective of the vast cosmos, American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, science popularizer, and science communicator.

  Geniuses Who Applied the Principle

  Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Carl Sagan, Leonardo da Vinci

  Description of the Principle

  It’s good to know some of the details in your field, and to know them in depth (Principle #12). Obviously, this can help you to make progress in your area. But you must also understand the big picture, the big patterns and trends. For example, if you are a biologist, you may specialize in DNA and genetics, but it is still important to know how the whole biological organism works. You must understand that DNA is in the chromosomes, the chromosomes are in the human cell, cells make up tissues, and tissues make up organs, which make up the human body. This is the big picture overview.

  Knowing the big picture allows you to have a general understanding of a large amount of information. This is something that comes with time in studying a field. At first, when starting out, it may be easier for you to focus on details. In fact, you’re likely to get lost in those details and not truly understand everything. But geniuses and brilliant minds understand that they need to rise above those details and connect ideas on a larger overview level.

  Benefits of the Principle

  The benefit of understanding the big picture is that you will have a good general understanding of your subject area. It will be easier, then, for you to build a higher level of understanding off of this general understanding. When you need to learn something at depth, or in detail, you will quickly realize where it fits in with the big picture. Someone without an understanding of the bigger patterns is much more likely to get lost if they continue to simply learn detail after detail. They will lose focus of how everything interconnects.

  Also, when you have a broad overall understanding, it is easier to make connections between different fields. For example, someone who has a general understanding of physics, math, and chemistry is likely to see many connections between them and be in a good position to make progress within those fields.

  To see a more detailed example of a benefit of looking at the big picture, consider the TV series, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson (although the original version of Cosmos was narrated by Carl Sagan). In the first episode, a cosmic calendar is presented. The point of it is to reveal on a compressed one year calendar, the history of the universe. This allows us to see the big picture in a simple fashion. Keep in mind that the universe is actually about 13.8 billion years old. But when compressed into one year for the sake of our cosmic calendar, we gain a “big picture” perspective.

  The calendar shows that the big bang happened January 1st, forming the beginning of the universe. The Milky Way Galaxy formed in May. The Solar System and life formed in September. Photosynthesis started in October, and eukaryotic cells (with a nucleus) arose in November.

  We are now almost at the end of the year and humanity hasn’t come into existence yet. December 14th we have sponges, on the 17th we have fish, and on the 20th we have land plants. On the 21st there are insects and on the 23rd there are reptiles. On the 25th we have dinosaurs, the 26th we have mammals, and on the 28th we have birds and flowers. On the 30th dinosaurs go extinct and on the 31st (the final day of the year) we have human evolution. At just around noon, finally modern humans arrive. In the last 60 seconds, we have had the most recent ice age, agriculture, civilization, and pretty much every invention that has ever been created (e.g., tools, books, art, technology, etc.).

  The benefit of the big picture is that we can make sense of a lot of information in a small space. It is easy to get overwhelmed with too much information to consider, especially in today’s world where most of us have access to seemingly unending amounts of information, simply through the internet. This is a principle that allows the greatest amount of understanding in the most efficient way. It will be a powerful way to think, learn, and understand.

  How to Apply the Principle

  Test your big picture understanding

  Take stock of your overall understanding, occasionally. It’s easy to assume you know something well if you never test yourself. Even if you are in school or college, doing well on exams isn’t always enough to show that you have a full grasp of the big picture. It is a good idea to take notes or draw diagrams of how you perceive everything to interconnect. Even if you feel lost, drawing diagrams or concept maps can help you to head in the right direction. Perhaps you can look up information in books, encyclopedias, or online to figure out the relationship between the many concepts.

  Ask a master or expert to explain the big picture

  Another way to gain a broad overview is to simply ask a master or expert for help. You might tell them that you are studying a topic, and you understand some details, but you are getting lost in understanding things on an overview level. Experts are in a particularly good position to help explain this for you, with their great experience. Keep in m
ind that there are different levels of overviews and big pictures. For example, if you are studying plants, you may find an expert and ask about the broadest overview possible. You could ask for a basic overview on how all lifeforms work. They may tell you that DNA, the cell, and reproduction are some of the common themes to all lifeforms. Then you could go a bit deeper, and ask for an overview on how all plant life works. What do all plants have in common? You could also go even deeper still, and ask for an overview for a specific species of plant. Even if you don’t know an expert firsthand, you may be able to find one online who is willing to help.

  Secret Principle #23 : Pay Attention to Anomalies, to Unexpected Events that Seem Accidental

  “The exception proves that the rule is wrong. That is the principle of science. If there is an exception to any rule, and if it can be proved by observation, that rule is wrong.”

  – Richard Feynman, American theoretical physicist.

  Geniuses Who Applied the Principle

  Marie Curie, Thomas Edison, Richard Feynman, Alexander Fleming, Johannes Gutenberg, Louis Pasteur, Wilhelm Rontgen

  Description of the Principle

  An anomaly is something that does not fit the normal or expected pattern. As human beings, we are great at finding and understanding patterns. In fact, as quick as computers can process, and as “smart” as they have become, one of the ways the human brain is far superior, is in that of pattern recognition. For example, Yohan John, who has a PhD in Cognitive and Neural Systems from Boston University, considered this question in the Forbes article, “How powerful is the brain compared to a computer?” Part of his response included:

  Humans are spectacular at several things, including pattern recognition, language abilities, and creative thinking. Computers are rapidly improving at pattern recognition, but most programs still don't do as well as children. A classic example of pattern recognition is face recognition. We are capable of recognizing faces in a variety of contexts. We can even recognize faces that have aged, or are disguised, or are obscured by facial hair. Computers are not nearly as good as humans at such tasks.

  As you can see, we tend to recognize patterns fairly quickly, especially in familiar environments and situations we are used to. However, sometimes there is an anomaly, or an exception, which is something that stands out as being different. The anomaly is a challenge because how can we make sense of something that is unfamiliar? Unfortunately, since we don’t make sense of such things quickly, we tend to ignore them, therefore failing to take them into account. We also may assume that the anomaly is a mistake. We may think there is nothing useful in it, and that it could be a chance circumstance, a coincidence. However, anomalies can be much more than this.

  As an example of the importance of anomalies, consider Alexander Fleming. He is the man who discovered the benefits of penicillin. He was not looking for a cure to anything at the time. Fleming was actually studying the properties of staphylococci, which is a type of bacteria. During his research, he noticed some mold (later identified as Penicillium notatum) had contaminated his bacteria cultures. On close examination, he was surprised to see that the mold appeared to have killed some of the bacteria.

  This was an anomaly. Remember, Alexander Fleming’s research wasn’t concerned with what may cause bacteria to die. Another scientist might have simply said “This is kind of interesting, but it’s not what I am researching,” and moved on. However, Alexander Fleming realized that if something was killing the bacteria, this may be an important finding. Luckily, he and other researchers investigated it further, and ultimately realized the powers of penicillin to cure various illnesses.

  To show you the grim situation before Fleming’s discovery, here is what Dr. Oz has said on Biography.com about the pre-antibiotic or pre-penicillin world:

  Imagine a world before antibiotics. This is a world where a papercut to your finger could result in amputation, where mothers feared for the wellness of their children. It was a world where bacteria were beating mankind.

  And to show you the power of anomalies, here is what Dr. Ali Khan (also on Biography.com) has said about the discovery:

  Antibiotics are one of the greatest breakthroughs of man. They have saved hundreds of millions (of billions) of lives since they were first identified in the early 1900s.

  Clearly, this was one of the greatest breakthroughs in medical science, and the discovery has saved a countless number of lives.

  Some of us may be tempted to put all of our focus on the anomalies. They are interesting and fascinating, so who cares about broad patterns…. Why not just jump straight into studying the exceptions to the patterns so we can all make breakthroughs? I can relate to this, as I have always been drawn to the exceptions, the abnormal, and the mysterious. However, we must first understand the broad patterns in a field. In understanding the big picture and the typical patterns, you will be better able to identify an anomaly when you see one. The big picture is key to your general understanding, and the anomalies are key to making progress in a field. But they both work together. You cannot understand one without the other.

  Benefits of the Principle

  As seen in the example above with Alexander Fleming and penicillin, being alert and aware of anomalies can help position us to make great discoveries. Often, however, we are in a rush to get the results we expect. We can become so focused on one thing that we fail to realize that an anomaly is important, and could change everything. We must avoid becoming closed off to outside possibilities, and avoid becoming fixated on just one outcome. Instead, we should pay attention to unexpected discoveries, and increase our chances of making a big breakthrough. Ultimately, this open-minded approach can help us to have a breakthrough in our understanding, scientifically, or in our field.

  Looking for and understanding anomalies can help turn you from an expert into a true master of your domain. Many people are capable of quickly becoming aware of trends and patterns in a field. But it takes much greater depth of curiosity and understanding to learn the many exceptions to the rule. To learn the rules, without knowing the exceptions can even have dangerous or disastrous effects. For example, consider an airline pilot. You wouldn’t want to take a flight with a pilot who was only prepared for routine and normal events. Of course, we expect him to have that competency. But we would also want him to know how to handle a wide range of unexpected or anomalous things that might happen. A simple thing airlines do is they always have two pilots working. For one to get sick or be unable to work would be unusual, but they are still prepared for that possibility. Airlines understand the importance of being prepared for anomalies. The benefit in this case is that it saves lives.

  Paying attention to anomalies can also help your creativity. Remember that people often neglect anomalies, thinking that they are chance events with little meaning. Being aware of and observing such unusual occurrences can help with your creative ability. For instance, one way to be creative is to consider unusual or unexpected forms of information. This is what anomalies are. When you are able to connect unusual bits of information together, you will be able to generate more unique, original, and interesting ideas.

  How to Apply the Principle

  Don’t assume an unexpected result is a mistake

  When you get an unexpected result or byproduct, do not assume it was just a meaningless accident. Try the same process again and see if you still get the same unexpected result. If it happens again, don’t assume it was an error. Of course, you have to consider that maybe you did make a mistake somewhere. But be careful in how you define mistakes. In Alexander Fleming’s experiment, it was a “mistake” that his bacteria was dying. He probably didn’t protect it well enough. But of course, it wasn’t really a mistake, it was an anomaly that revolutionized medicine as we know it. Don’t define everything as a mistake too quickly. Just because the result was not what you intended to happen, does not make it a mistake. Consider if the unintended effects could be in some way useful, even to someone in a different fi
eld. Could it have some greater meaning? Discuss the possibility with colleagues or even people outside your line of work. Sometimes a different point of view can be helpful to realize the potential benefits of an anomaly.

  Document and record anomalous findings

  When something anomalous happens, document it. Even if it seems like a complete accident, or like it is irrelevant, write it down. It is easy to think in the moment that it isn’t important, but later on you may forget exactly how you achieved a certain outcome. Always keep in mind that it is easy to misunderstand or overlook the implications of an anomaly. You will want to have documentation of everything you did to get your unusual results.

  Brainstorm about the implications of an anomaly

  When you witness an anomaly, consider if it resulted in something positive or negative. Was this something you would want to happen more often, or something awful that you never want to happen again? In either case, it will be important to study the anomaly and understand it better, so you can either make it happen again, or prevent it from ever happening again. Ignoring it, or acting as if it is a coincidence will not accomplish anything.

  Secret Principle #24 : Calculate and Analyze

  “The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.”

  – Sun Tzu, Chinese general, military strategist, and philosopher.

  Geniuses Who Applied the Principle

  Bobby Fischer, Stephen Hawking, Miyamoto Musashi, John von Neumann, Sun Tzu

  Description of the Principle

  This principle can apply broadly to competitions, warfare, strategy games, as well as real life scenarios. To paraphrase Sun Tzu above, the one who calculates further, and goes in with a plan and preparation, is much more likely to succeed in the end. The reason Sun Tzu’s message is so powerful is because it is true both on the battlefield and off of it.