LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE BEST TEACHERS ON EARTH
“One repays a teacher badly if one always remains nothing but a pupil.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra
RUMI
1. Challenge Fear
"Run from what’s comfortable. Forget safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious."
2. Be Bold
"Do not be satisfied with the stories that come before you. Unfold your own myth."
3. Have Gratitude
"Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life."
4. Take Action
"Why should I stay at the bottom of a well, when a strong rope is in my hand?"
5. Have Faith
"As you start to walk out on the way, the way appears."
6. Embrace Setbacks
"If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?"
7. Look Inside
"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."
8. Learn From Suffering
"The wound is the place where the Light enters you."
9. Don't Be Concerned With What Others Think Of You
"I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think."
10. Do What You Love
"Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love."
"Run from what’s comfortable. Forget safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious."
2. Be Bold
"Do not be satisfied with the stories that come before you. Unfold your own myth."
3. Have Gratitude
"Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life."
4. Take Action
"Why should I stay at the bottom of a well, when a strong rope is in my hand?"
5. Have Faith
"As you start to walk out on the way, the way appears."
6. Embrace Setbacks
"If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?"
7. Look Inside
"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."
8. Learn From Suffering
"The wound is the place where the Light enters you."
9. Don't Be Concerned With What Others Think Of You
"I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think."
10. Do What You Love
"Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love."
LEONARDO DA VINCI
For more than five centuries Western civilization has viewed with admiration and awe the life and works of a great genius of the Renaissance, Leonardo Da Vinci. The phrase "Renaissance man", which is used to describe anyone with a multitude of talents and skills, might have been coined to describe Leonardo Da Vinci. He was a painter whose masterpieces still influence artists today and delight all who see them. He was an astronomer, a musician, a scientist, an inventor, and a profound philosopher, who kept meticulous notes and sketches of all he thought and observed.
How did he achieve all this? Da Vinci himself has recorded his methods and has described how to think, how to develop and use our inherent capabilities, how to integrate everything we learn into one harmonious whole.
Learning from Leonardo: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day Genius (by Michael Gelb)
♦ CURIOSITA: Approaching life with insatiable curiosity and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning
♦ DIMOSTRAZIONE: Committing to test knowledge through experience, persistence and a willingness to learn from mistakes
♦ SENSAZIONE: Continually refining the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience
♦ SFUMATO Embracing ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty
♦ ARTE/SCIENZA Balancing science and art, logic and imagination - ‘whole-brain thinking’
♦ CORPORALITA Cultivating grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise
♦ CONNESSIONE Recognizing and appreciating the interconnectedness of all things – ‘systems thinking’
How did he achieve all this? Da Vinci himself has recorded his methods and has described how to think, how to develop and use our inherent capabilities, how to integrate everything we learn into one harmonious whole.
Learning from Leonardo: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day Genius (by Michael Gelb)
♦ CURIOSITA: Approaching life with insatiable curiosity and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning
♦ DIMOSTRAZIONE: Committing to test knowledge through experience, persistence and a willingness to learn from mistakes
♦ SENSAZIONE: Continually refining the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience
♦ SFUMATO Embracing ambiguity, paradox and uncertainty
♦ ARTE/SCIENZA Balancing science and art, logic and imagination - ‘whole-brain thinking’
♦ CORPORALITA Cultivating grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise
♦ CONNESSIONE Recognizing and appreciating the interconnectedness of all things – ‘systems thinking’
EINSTEIN
1. Follow Your Curiosity “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”
2. Perseverance is Priceless “It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”
3. Focus on the Present “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”
4. The Imagination is Powerful“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
5. Make Mistakes “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”
6. Live in the Moment “I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.”
7. Create Value “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”
8. Don’t be repetitive “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
9. Knowledge Comes From Experience “Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.”
10. Learn the Rules and Then Play Better “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”
2. Perseverance is Priceless “It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”
3. Focus on the Present “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”
4. The Imagination is Powerful“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
5. Make Mistakes “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”
6. Live in the Moment “I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.”
7. Create Value “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”
8. Don’t be repetitive “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
9. Knowledge Comes From Experience “Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.”
10. Learn the Rules and Then Play Better “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”
BUDDHA
#1 "Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."
#2 "It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell."
#3 "Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."
#4 "No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path."
#5 "Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."
#6 "The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed."
#7 "To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent."
#8 "Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it."
#9 "Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes."
#10 "However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?"
#2 "It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell."
#3 "Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."
#4 "No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path."
#5 "Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."
#6 "The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed."
#7 "To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent."
#8 "Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it."
#9 "Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes."
#10 "However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?"
Lao Tzu
#1 "Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you."
#2 "If you would take, you must first give, this is the beginning of intelligence."
#3 "To see things in the seed, that is genius."
#4 "Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment; Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self needs strength"
#5 "I have three treasures. Guard and keep them:
- The first is deep love,
- The second is frugality,
- And the third is not to dare to be ahead of the world.
#6 "Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."
#7 "Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream."
#8 "There is no calamity greater than lavish desires.
There is no greater guilt than discontentment.
And there is no greater disaster than greed."
#9 "Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like."
#10 "Creating without claiming, Doing without taking credit, Guiding without interfering, This is Primal Virtue."
MIYAMOTO MUSASHI
#1 "Perceive that which cannot be seen with the eye."
#2 "In fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm. Meet the situation without tenseness yet not recklessly, your spirit settled yet unbiased. An elevated spirit is weak and a low spirit is weak. Do not let the enemy see your spirit."
#3 "Aspire to be like Mt. Fuji, with such a broad and solid foundation that the strongest earthquake cannot move you, and so tall that the greatest enterprises of common men seem insignificant from your lofty perspective. With your mind as high as Mt Fuji you can see all things clearly. And you can see all the forces that shape events; not just the things happening near to you."
#4 "Under the sword lifted high, There is hell making you tremble. But go ahead, And you have the land of bliss."
#5 "Know your enemy, know his sword."
#6 "Do nothing which is of no use."
#7 "Perception is strong and sight weak. In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things."
#8 "Whatever the Way, the master of strategy does not appear fast. Of course, slowness is bad. Really skillful people never get out of time, and are always deliberate, and never appear busy."
#2 "In fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm. Meet the situation without tenseness yet not recklessly, your spirit settled yet unbiased. An elevated spirit is weak and a low spirit is weak. Do not let the enemy see your spirit."
#3 "Aspire to be like Mt. Fuji, with such a broad and solid foundation that the strongest earthquake cannot move you, and so tall that the greatest enterprises of common men seem insignificant from your lofty perspective. With your mind as high as Mt Fuji you can see all things clearly. And you can see all the forces that shape events; not just the things happening near to you."
#4 "Under the sword lifted high, There is hell making you tremble. But go ahead, And you have the land of bliss."
#5 "Know your enemy, know his sword."
#6 "Do nothing which is of no use."
#7 "Perception is strong and sight weak. In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things."
#8 "Whatever the Way, the master of strategy does not appear fast. Of course, slowness is bad. Really skillful people never get out of time, and are always deliberate, and never appear busy."
DALAI LAMA
#1 "Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions."
#2 "It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come."
#3 "We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves."
#4 "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."
#5 "Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive."
#6 "Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace."
#7 "I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe."
#8 "Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day."
#9 "With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world."
#2 "It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come."
#3 "We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves."
#4 "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."
#5 "Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive."
#6 "Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace."
#7 "I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe."
#8 "Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day."
#9 "With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world."
MOTHER TERESA
#1 "If you judge people, you have no time to love them."
#2 "We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop."
#3 "Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it."
#4 "Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired."
#5 "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
#6 "Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."
#7 "God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try."
#8 "Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal."
#9 "In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love."
#10 "We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty."
#2 "We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop."
#3 "Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it."
#4 "Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired."
#5 "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
#6 "Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."
#7 "God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try."
#8 "Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal."
#9 "In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love."
#10 "We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty."
KHALIL GIBRAN
#1 "The reality of the other person lies not in what he reveals to you, but what he cannot reveal to you. Therefore, if you would understand him, listen not to what he says, but rather to what he does not say."
#2 "The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious of the rose."
#3 "If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees."
#4 "Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy."
#5 "Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls"
#6 "If your heart is a volcano, how shall you expect flowers to bloom?"
#7 "Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need."
#8 "If the other person injures you, you may forget the injury; but if you injure him you will always remember"
#9 "You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might also pray in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance."
#10 "Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."
#2 "The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious of the rose."
#3 "If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees."
#4 "Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy."
#5 "Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls"
#6 "If your heart is a volcano, how shall you expect flowers to bloom?"
#7 "Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need."
#8 "If the other person injures you, you may forget the injury; but if you injure him you will always remember"
#9 "You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might also pray in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance."
#10 "Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."
SOREN KIERKEGAARD
#1 "Don't forget to love yourself."
#2 "Be that self which one truly is."
#3 "The truth is a snare: you cannot have it, without being caught. You cannot have the truth in such a way that you catch it, but only in such a way that it catches you."
#4 "During the first period of a man's life the greatest danger is not to take the risk."
#5 "One can advise comfortably from a safe port."
#6 "Face the facts of being what you are, for that is what changes what you are."
#7 "Patience is necessary, and one cannot reap immediately where one has sown."
#8 "There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming."
#9 "Boredom is the root of all evil - the despairing refusal to be oneself."
#10 "How absurd men are! They never use the liberties they have, they demand those they do not have. They have freedom of thought, they demand freedom of speech."
#2 "Be that self which one truly is."
#3 "The truth is a snare: you cannot have it, without being caught. You cannot have the truth in such a way that you catch it, but only in such a way that it catches you."
#4 "During the first period of a man's life the greatest danger is not to take the risk."
#5 "One can advise comfortably from a safe port."
#6 "Face the facts of being what you are, for that is what changes what you are."
#7 "Patience is necessary, and one cannot reap immediately where one has sown."
#8 "There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming."
#9 "Boredom is the root of all evil - the despairing refusal to be oneself."
#10 "How absurd men are! They never use the liberties they have, they demand those they do not have. They have freedom of thought, they demand freedom of speech."
NIETZSCHE
- The goal of life should be to find yourself. True maturity means discovering oneself - not helping others!
- The highest virtue is to be true to oneself.
- People should not hate or be embarrassed about their bodies but need to learn how to accept and integrate their physical selves with their minds - the mind and body make up our entire selves.
- When you fall ill, your body is trying to tell you something; just stop and listen to the wisdom of your own body.
- Knowledge and strength are greater virtues than humility and submission. Humility and submission should be rejected. If people are weak and submit easily they deserve to be strongly dominated!
- Sexuality is not the opposite of virtue, but a natural gift that needs to be developed and integrated into a healthy, rounded life. Sexuality is a virtue in its own right.
- Many people suffer from impaired self-esteem; they need to work on being proud of themselves.
- Overcoming feelings of guilt is an important step to mental health. Guilt feelings must be eradicated!
- You can't love someone else if you don't love yourself. First love yourself, then you may love others.
- Life is short; experience it as intensely as you can otherwise it is wasted. Reject the voice of caution!
- People's values are shaped by the cultures they live in; as society changes we need changed values. It is simply idiotic to attempt to live by the values of another age or society!
LIST OF TOP INFLUENTIAL MINDS
1) Albert Einstein - Albert Einstein is a name that comes to mind first when thinking of geniuses. Einstein’s brain was found to be deficient in certain parts, but extraordinarily powerful in others. Another trait of Albert’s brain was the fact that he had a much larger corpus callosum than the average man. The corpus callosum connects the right and left hemispheres and allows them to successfully transfer information back and forth (communicate with one another). Einstein has received the Nobel Prize in physics, was named “Person Of The Century” by Time Magazine, and has contributed phenomenal theories to the world of science (i.e. theory of relativity, unique field theory, etc).
2) Leonardo Da Vinci - Leonardo Da Vinci is considered one of the best painters of all time and possibly the most multi-talented man to have ever lived! Two of his works include: The Last Super & The Mona Lisa. Da Vinci was truly ahead of his time with ideas such as: a helicopter, a tank, solar power, a calculator, and a theory of plate tectonics. Leonardo was a unique individual who exercised the curiosity of his powerful brain.
3) Nikola Tesla- Tesla was a renowned physicist, inventor, and engineer. He has made phenomenal contributions to science and has been classified as the “world’s greatest electrical engineer.” Nikola engaged in studying many works, memorizing complete books, and supposedly had a photographic memory. Tesla had above average brain power and was an advanced thinker when compared to others of his time.
4) Sir Isaac Newton - Sir Isaac Newton was an astronomer astronomer, physicist, inventor, mathematician, and philosopher. In a 2005 poll, Newton was named more influential than Einstein in science. He has developed laws of motion, principles of momentum, and invented the reflecting telescope. Newton has had tons of great scientific achievements. His diverse list of scientific and mathematic accomplishments demonstrate the incredible ability of his brain.
5) Stephen Hawking - Hawking is known best for his theories of black holes, cosmology, and quantum gravity. He has also written several bestselling books such as: “A Brief History Of Time” and “The Universe In A Nutshell.” Though Stephen is currently bound to a wheelchair due to paralysis from Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). Hawking has been recognized as a revolutionary thinker and one who displays above average intelligence.
6) Michelangelo - Michelangelo was a phenomenal painter, sculptor, architect, and poet. His diverse interest in art and the world really showed. He sculpted the Pieta and the David before he was 30 years old! He painted the Sistine Chapel and worked on the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. Michelangelo was a genius that was able to bring an entirely new artistic perspective from his mind to reality.
7) Archimedes - Archimedes was a Greek philosopher, engineer, inventor and astronomer. He is also considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. Though there isn’t a ton of documented information regarding his personal life, we do know that he has had a large impact on science and physics. Archimedes’ thoughts were clearly ahead of his time: not many would disagree that he was a genius.
8) Warren Buffet – Though Warren Buffet isn’t a big contributor to science like many other names listed, he does have a ton of knowledge about making money through investing. He is a known philanthropist (someone who donates their time & money for charitable causes) and Time Magazine has regarded Buffet as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the world. He was also ranked by Forbes in 2008 as the richest person in the world. His company [Berkshire Hathaway] has an estimated net worth of $62 billion dollars. Warren is a very intelligent man and a financial genius.
9) Swami Vivekananda - In the Eastern world, Swami Vivekananda is regarded as a genius by many. He was one of the most influential and spiritual leaders ever and was a highly-renowned thinker. Because of his insight and unique philosophy that he had contributed to eastern religions, his knowledge and intellect will continue to be admired.
10) Samuel Johnson - Samuel Johnson is regarded as one of the biggest literary influences of all time. He was a biographer, critic, and essayist. Johnson is the highest quoted author since William Shakespeare and was one of the most influential people in the 18th century. The man invented and compiled terms for what many consider the first official dictionary.
11) Immanuel Kant - Immanuel Kant was an 18th-century philosopher from Russia. He has been considered one of the most influential thinkers of all time in Europe. Kant brought forth a unique theory of perception and thought deeply about life. Many regard Kant as a genius of his time.
12) Aristotle - Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, student of Plato and one who taught Alexander the Great. Aristotle became a great writer and is regarded as one of the most important and influential figures towards shaping Western philosophy. His works were the first to ever study “logic” and he had a profound influence on others during his time.
13) Pablo Picasso - Though Picasso may not have been an amazing scientist, his revolutionary mind forever changed the way people looked at art. He was a master drawer, painter, and sculptor. He founded “cubism” – an art style which became a huge movement in the 20th century. Pablo Picasso’s unique perception, which he expressed through his art, caused many people to view reality from a different perspective.
14) Niles Bohr - Niels Bohr was a phenomenal physicist and a highly advanced thinker. He invented the Bohr Model which is regarded as a huge contribution to atomic physics. Bohr was heavily involved with post World War II scientific issues and carried a great head on his shoulders.
15) Thomas Jefferson - Thomas Jefferson was a very brilliant individual. He was the 3rd president of the United States, wrote The Declaration Of Independence, and was the most influential Founding Father for the U.S. He influenced the republican party and was a horticulturist, statesman, architect, author and inventor. Jefferson was the founder of the University of Virginia and understood that slavery was unethical in a time when most everyone else thought it was proper. Thomas Jefferson was definitely had an exceptional brain.
16) Plato - Plato was a Greek philosopher that was taught by Socrates, but taught Aristotle. Along with Socrates and Aristotle, Plato helped lay the groundwork for Western philosophy. He was known to be a mathematician, great writer, and founded “the Academy” or “institute of higher education and learning,” in Athens. His works in philosophy, logic, and mathematics, were studied and used by many teachers after his time. Not only was Plato a revolutionary thinker, he was a genius of his time.
17) Winston Churchill – Winston Churchill was a rightfully famous British politician during World War II. He is well-known for his abilities as a great leader, speaker, officer in the British Army, a historical writer, and an artist. Churchill became a hero of his time and is considered one of the most intelligent men of his time.
18) Benjamin Franklin - Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the U.S., an author, and a printer. He was also a great politician, inventor, and scientist. Benjamin Franklin’s scientific contributions have shaped physics and the field of electricity. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, the odometer, and the glass harmonica. Franklin created the first public lending library in the United States and first fire department in the city of Pennsylvania. Ben Franklin was a true genius of his time.
19) Thomas Edison – Thomas Edison was a great inventor and businessman who created many appliances that have had profound influence on life around the world. A couple of his inventions are: the phonograph and a long lasting light bulb. Jefferson was also one of the first inventors to apply the idea of “mass production” to the invention process. Many give Jefferson credit with creating the first ever industrial research lab. He is considered one of the most gifted inventors ever and holds over 1,000 United States patents. Edison truly added his touch of genius to the scientific community.
20) Daniel Tammet - Daniel Tammet is a high-functioning autistic savant. He has been gifted with a knack for mathematics, language learning, and above average memorization skills. He was featured on a discovery channel special that tested his abilities and showed his ability to learn arguably the toughest language, Icelandic, in less than 7 days to appear in an interview. Daniel has an incredible brain and was gifted with an above-average intellect.
21) William Shakespeare - William Shakespeare was a poet, playwright, and has been hailed “the greatest writer” in the English language and the worlds best dramatist. He has been deemed the national poet of England and his works include: nearly 40 plays, around 150 sonnets, and 2 long poems. Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into every language, and are performed more often than any other playwright. Shakespeare shed his genius-like thoughts through his complex storytelling.
22) Kim Peek - Though Kim Peek is a savant, he has some exceptional brain abilities. He is lacking a functional corpus callosum (which makes it impossible for his right and left brain hemispheres to exchange information) and has a damaged cerebellum. Without a corpus callosum, some develop above average memory abilities. In Kim Peek’s case, he can read a new book in about 1 hour and manages to retain over 98% of the information within the book! Impressive.
23) Ludwig van Beethoven - Beethoven was a German pianist and legendary musician. He was very influential in Western classical music and is thought of as the best composer of all time. Though Beethoven’s hearing began to cease in his early twenties, he was still able to create classical masterpieces. He was able to conduct, compose, and perform music even after he was completely deaf! Beethoven blessed the world with his musical genius and brilliant mind.
24) Srinivasa Ramanujan - Srinivasa was an Indian mathematician who was able to make huge contributions in the area of mathematical analysis and number theory. Srinivasa demonstrated an uncanny, natural ability to master mathematics. He had a complete math book mastered by 13, and even discovered theorems of his own. He won many awards by showing others his superior mathematical ability at his school. By age 17, this mathematical prodigy was doing his own research with mathematics and numbers. He compiled nearly 4,000 equations and identities in his short lifetime.
25) Johann Sebastian Bach - Bach was an exceptional composer and organist. He specialized in choir, orchestra, and solo instruments. He was able to enrich the German composing style with a full harmonic scale and was able to adapt rhythms from Italy and France. Though his music began early in the 19th century, he is now noted as one of the greatest composers in the Western tradition. Bach was yet another musical genius.
26) Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart - Mozart was a very influential composer during the classical era. He was able to create over 600 compositions that were widely accepted and acknowledged. His music specialties included symphony, chamber music, piano, opera, and choral music. Mozart is among the most popular of classical composers, and many of his works are still included in concerts today. Mozart clearly demonstrated his musical proficiency and level of genius.
27) Sir Francis Drake - Drake was a famous traveler, navigator, and politician from England. He managed to circumnavigate the world in 1577 and has been proclaimed a legend in England. Drake was an exceptionally smart individual and had an estimated I.Q. of 130. Sir Francis was a powerful man that happened to have an incredibly powerful brain.
28) George Berkeley - George Berkeley was an Irish philosopher and developed a famous theory of “immaterialism.” Berkeley also published a book called “The Analyst” that would critique calculus and influence common day mathematics. University Of California, Berkeley was named after George due to his intelligence and philosophical insight.
29) Ludwig Wittgenstein - Ludwig was an Austrian philosopher that developed theories involving logic. He contributed to the philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of language, and philosophy of the mind. He has had a huge influence on philosophy and is widely accepted as one of the twentieth century’s best philosophers. Wittengenstein published 2 books and both were highly influential in philosophy.
30) Socrates - Socrates is regarded as one of the best ancient greek philosophers of all time. As teacher of Plato, he has been associated with highly advanced thinking during his time. His work continues to form much of the foundation for the study of philosophy today. Socrates has made important contributions to the study of logic and writings, and has provided a lot of groundwork that much of the Western civilization has followed.
31) Linus Pauling – Linus Pauling was a peace activist, scientist, author, and teacher. Pauling is regarded as one of the most influential chemists in history and was one of the most important scientists of all time. He was one of the pioneers to work in the study of molecular biology and quantum chemistry. He has been awarded more than 1 Nobel Prize and is one of only 2 individuals to receive them for different fields.
32) Christopher Michael Langan - Christopher Langan is an American with an IQ was reported by “20/20″ and other media sources to have been measured at nearly 200. Though he used to work as a bouncer in Long Island, he rose to fame as “the smartest man in America” in 1999. Langan has developed “a theory of the relationship between mind and reality” which he calls the “Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe and is still alive today. This man has one of the highest I.Q.’s ever on Earth.
33) Michael Faraday - Michael Faraday was a phenomenal chemist and physicist who contributed to the fields of electrochemistry and electromagnetics. His inventions of electromagnetic devices formed the foundation of electric motor technology, and it was largely due to his efforts that electricity became available for use in technology. Faraday was also the very first Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution of Great Britain.
34) Blaise Pascal – Blaise Pascal was a French physicist, religious philosopher, and great mathematician. Pascal was a child prodigy and was taught a lot by his father. Pascal’s contributions included: mechanical calculators, concepts of pressure, concepts of vacuum, and the study of fluids. In literature, Pascal is regarded as one of the most important authors of the French classical period. His name (Pascal) has been given to the SI unit of pressure, some programming language, and Pascal’s law.
35) Galileo Galilei - Galileo Galilei was a legendery astronomer, physicist, mathematician, and philosopher. He played a major role in the scientific revolution. His achievements include the first studies of uniformly accelerated motion, improvements to the telescope, and astronomical observations. Galileo has been called the “father of modern observational astronomy”, the “father of modern physics”, the “father of science”, and “the Father of Modern Science.” With his discoveries and studies, Galileo was able to display his brilliance.
36) Martin Luther - Martin Luther was a German professor, a monk, theologian, and church reformer. Luther’s theology challenged the authority of the church by stating that the Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority and that all baptized Christians are a priesthood of believers. According to Luther, salvation was attainable only by true repentance and faith in “Jesus as the Messiah.” His revolutionary ideas inspired the Protestant Reformation and changed the philosophy of Western civilization.
37) Robert Boyle - Was a natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, inventor, and early gentleman scientist. Boyle was largely known for his works in physics and chemistry. He is best known for the creation of “Boyle’s law.” Boyle is recognized today as one of the first modern chemists and one of the founding fathers of chemistry. One of his works, “The Sceptical Chymist” is viewed as a legendary book in the field of chemistry.
38) John Locke - John Locke was a phenomenal English philosopher. Locke’s ideas had a huge influence on the development of political philosophy and he is considered one of the most influential thinkers during the Enlightenment and one of the biggest contibutors to liberal theory. Locke’s influence is reflected in the American Declaration of Independence. Locke was the first philosopher to define the self through a continuity of “consciousness.” John Locke was an independent thinker and among the greatest philosophers.
39) Charles Darwin - Charles Darwin was a naturalist and geologist who proposed that all species of life have evolved over time. The fact that evolution occurs became accepted by the scientific community and the general public. Darwin’s scientific discovery remains the foundation of biology. Darwin is yet another great thinker of his time and his theories are still studied and discussed today.
40) Johannes Kepler - Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer. He was a huge influence towards the astronomical revolution of the 17th century. Kepler is best known for his laws of planetary motion. His laws also provided one of the foundations for Isaac Newton’s theory of universal gravitation. Kepler is regarded as a man with revolutionary thoughts towards astronomy.
41) Napoleon Bonaparte - Napoleon Bonaparte was a political and French military leader who had a huge influence on European history. Napoleon was a general during the French Revolution, Emperor of France, King of Italy, and Mediator of the Swiss. Napoleon was a very intelligent military leader who used innovative tactics and strategy to help him win many battles.
42) Garry Kasparov – Garry Kasparov was a former World Chess Champion, writer, and political activist. Kasparov was a candidate for the Russian presidential race of 2008. Kasparov holds the all-time highest chess rating of 2851 and records for consecutive tournament victories.
43) John Stuart Mill – John Stuart Mill largely influenced British thought and politics in the 19th century. His large number of works include: texts in logic, economics, social and political philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, and religion. John Stuart Mill is recognized as one of the most intelligent men of his time and is regarded as one of the smartest men of all time.
44) Rene Descartes - Rene Descartes was an influential philosopher, mathematician, scientist, and writer. Descartes has been given the title “Father of Modern Philosophy,” and has contributed a lot to Western philosophy. His writings are still being studied today and he has had a huge influence in mathematics. Rene was a key figure in the scientific revolution and was able to share his incredible insights with others.
45) George Washington - George Washington was the first President of the United States, and lead the U.S. continental Army to defeat the British in the Revolutionary war. Washington is viewed as a symbol of the United States and republican party. He has been consistently ranked by citizens as one of the greatest presidents of the United States.
46) Miguel de Cervantes – Miguel de Cervantes was a Spanish novelist, poet, painter and playwright. He is one of the most influential and important people in literature and the leader of culture in 16th century Spain. Cervantes’ novel “Don Quixote” is considered a classic of Western literature and has been ranked among the best novels ever written. Miguel de Cervantes’ work is considered among the most important in all of literature!
47) Francois Marie-Arouet – Commonly known by the pen-name Voltaire, Francois Marie-Arouet was a French Enlightenment writer, essayist, and philosopher. He was known for his wit, defense of civil liberties, and philosophy. He was an outspoken supporter of social reform and was one of several Enlightenment figures whose works and ideas influenced important thinkers of both the American and French Revolutions.
48) Baruch de Spinoza - Baruch de Spinoza was a Dutch philosopher that was very proficient in science. Most of Spinoza’s work was not recognized until after his death. Today, Spinoza is regarded as one of the greatest 17th century philosophers. His work in philosophy laid the foundation for the 18th century Enlightenment.
49) Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz - Leibniz was a German polymath who is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers. Liebniz invented calculus, and his version is widely used. He also discovered the binary system, the structure of modern computer architectures. He was, along with Rene Descartes and Baruch Spinoza, one of the 3 greatest 17th century philosophers. He also made major contributions to physics, technology, and made anticipations that surfaced much later in biology, medicine, geology, probability theory, psychology, and linguistics. Liebniz also wrote about politics, law, ethics, theology, and history.
50) Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer whose works span the fields of poetry, drama, literature, theology, humanism, and science. Goethe was a key figure in German literature and the movement of Weimar Classicism in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Goethe is the inventor of the concept of “world literature,” having taken great interest in the literatures of England, France, Italy, classical Greece, Persia, and Arabic literature. His influence on German philosophy is unparalleled and his influence has spread across Europe. Many of his works were a primary source of inspiration in music, drama, and poetry. Goethe is considered one of the most important thinkers in the Western culture and generally recognized as the most important writer in the German language.
MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT:http://4mind4life.com/blog/2008/03/30/list-of-geniuses-top-50-influential-minds/
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