THINK LIKE A GENIUS! LESSON 1

The Internet is changing our way of life with new problems and new opportunities.


Here is a partial list of things made obsolete by the Internet: dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, filing cabinets, typewriters, newspapers, post office mail, arcade games, phone books, watches, music and book stores, movie rental stores, old style Swiss Army knife_ Yes, you must have the new one that can run a PowerPoint presentation with Bluetooth remote control of your laptop and a laser pointer. Yeah, well, who knows what will become obsolete, tomorrow. Anything and everything is on the net. Including an overwhelming amount of information.



There is only one thing that the Internet cannot make obsolete. It is your ability to think! In fact, knowing how to think (not what to think) has become a critical skill needed to navigate the information highway. Unfortunately, our schools and universities have taught us what to think but not how to think. So, my future blogs will be based on research that I am doing concerning the ability to think effectively. We will be looking at the thinking techniques of some of the world’s greatest thinkers, such as: Einstein, Edison, da Vinci, Darwin, Picasso, Michelangelo, Galileo, Freud, Fero, Newton and many others. The thinking strategies of these creative giants can be used to generate the ideas and solutions you need in your personal life.



Leonardo da Vinci used multiple perspectives as a key part of his strategy. He believed that you must have at least three different perspectives of something before you understand it. He felt that it was important to synthesize these perspectives in order to have complete knowledge of his subject. When he designed the first bicycle, he looked at it from the viewpoint of the rider, investors who would manufacture it, and cities where it would be used. Multiple perspectives deepen understanding and stimulate creativity. Einstein suggested that even the distinction between matter and energy might depend on a point of view. What was wave from one point of view was particle in another. What was a field in one experiment was a trajectory in another. Always try to get at least 3 points of view before making a decision! Next week we will look at more tips on how to be a good thinker. Until then, keep an open mind and keep on thinking!