Jeffrey’s Premise:
“The people who lead lives of meaning and mastery let a force of character - a young genius - guide them as they pursue their most meaningful work and ideas.”
‘You are seven years old.’
What if we approached each day with a childlike mindset? Would it cultivate original thinking? Recapture a spirit of play and exploration? Bring us back to our young genius—the unique force of character we were born with?
We have reached the halfway point of Season 1, and Jeffrey is stopping to reflect on the idea of ‘retrieving childhood at will’ and aligning our current work with the young genius of our seven-year-old selves: Is there a correlation between paying attention to this unique force of character and our own capacity to lead a life of meaning, if not mastery?
Today, Jeffrey introduces us to the concept of a ‘genius force,’ explaining why the most influential and fulfilled people allow their young genius to lead them. He looks back at Charlie Gilkey and Pam Slim’s stories of their own young genius and how their childhood memories of channeling MacGyver and burying marbles inform their current work. We consider the idea of ‘primal uniqueness’ as a seed seeking nourishment and explore how our genius force might still thrive—even in a hostile environment. Jeffrey reminds us of Caroline Adams Miller and Ishita Gupta’s challenging childhood experiences as well as Srini Pillay’s curiosity for the forbidden and Alex Soojung-Kim Pang’s detour from cultural expectations. Listen in for insight around remembering your own young genius and finding work that allows that genius to flourish.
Key Takeaways[1:26] The concept of a genius force
[4:33] The invitation to remember being a seven-year-old
[8:57] Charlie Gilkey’s ‘MacGyver’ young genius
[10:17] Pam Slim’s genius as a brilliant connector
[12:08] Robert Greene’s idea of primal uniqueness
[13:05] Caroline Adams Miller’s challenging childhood
[15:12] Ishita Gupta’s precocious childhood
[18:07] Srini Pillay’s experience growing up in apartheid
[20:33] Alex Soojung-Kim Pang’s rebellion from expectation
[25:31] The challenge of remembering your young genius
[31:13] The young genius’ role in questioning the status quo
[36:00] Charles Baudelaire’s definition of genius
Tinker Dabble Doodle Try: Unlock the Power of the Unfocused Mind by Srini Pillay MD
Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
The Distraction Addiction by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
Baudelaire: The Painter of Modern Life and Other Essays edited by Jonathan Mayne