Noise!
Everywhere there’s noise! Today’s society is filled with it. Some would say that it is overflowing with noise. That noise has the tendency to drown out who you really are. Human characteristics are stifled, muffled, and even silenced by the media noise of the internet, television, radio, movies, smart phones, etc. A person can easily lose themselves in the clutter of all this noise.
Let’s find a way to break away from it and find ourselves again…
Finding Yourself
So how do you find yourself again? Self-evaluation is one of the best methods. It is a matter of what we can learn about ourselves. Of the things we discover, there are many we can learn from, and many others we can change to improve our character. One thing is certain, if things are to improve, they need our attention. If we neglect to give things our attention, then they slip. Fans of self improvement know that this is not an option.
Data Overload!
Do you ever hear yourself thinking, “But there are so many things to pay attention to, I don’t have time for them all!” Yeah, me too. Being overwhelmed with data is also part of that “noise” I mentioned above. So what do we do? Does reading “The 17 Characteristics of True Leadership” sound overwhelming to you? If so, let’s reach for a simpler way to understand ourselves and improve our lives.
Brain Dominance
Let’s look at the simplicity of right brain / left brain dominance. As simple as this analysis is, it is very effective at teaching you more about yourself and how you can unlock the genius within you.
Yes, I said it. Genius. You do have genius potential inside you. You truly are a creative genius going somewhere to happen. I’m not just saying that. I honestly believe it. So, if being a genius has you interested in brain dominance, let’s get started…
To do this right, we must aim to answer a few simple questions:
- What are the differences between right brain and left brain dominance?
- What characteristics does each dominance style have?
- How can learning about all this lead to genius?
Let’s find out together.
Characteristics of Brain Dominance
Below is a table of many characteristics of right brain / left brain dominance. It will plainly show the differences between the two thought styles. It may not be a complete listing, but it covers all that I thought of for this article. So let’s take a look at it. I think you will see some of the characteristics on each side of this table in yourself. One side will be dominant for you. Keep track of which side you fall on most. Be honest with yourself, there are no wrong answers. Every characteristic has strengths and weaknesses. Once you have read through it all, we’ll discuss what we find.
| Right Brain Characteristics | Left Brain Characteristics |
| Spiritual / Abstract | Truth / Facts / Data |
| Creative / Imaginative | Practical / Realistic |
| Rule breaker | Rule maker |
| Lover (Emotional) | Thinker |
| Adventurous | Secure |
| Extrovert | Introvert |
| Variety | Stability |
| Active | Stationary |
| Impulsive | Planner |
| Free Spirit | Scheduler / Organizer |
| Feels | Chooses |
| Fun | Thoughtful |
| Random | Predictable |
| Kinesthetic (Motion) | Analytical |
| Tactile (Touch) | Visual / Auditory |
| Inspirational | Knowledgeable |
| Artistic | Sensible |
| Inventive | Engineering |
| Makes quick decisions | Researches decision options |
Be sure to answer the poll! Thank you for your feedback.
Okay, we have answered our first two questions. So what about our third question? Just how can learning about all this brain dominance stuff lead to genius?
Here we go…
Creative Genius
First, let’s define genius. Genius is not a matter of IQ. Far too many people with Mensa level IQs are not creative inventors. Far too many with less than Mensa level scores have created amazing things that have done much good for mankind. So for the sake of this article, let’s define genius as creative intelligence.
According to Lumosity and similar brain research websites, genius is a matter of balance of using the left and right hemispheres of the brain. I have days when I am on the left side of the table. Then I have days when I’m on the right side of the table (more often than not, since I am left brain dominant). That will be true of anyone. What matters is that on the days when I have balance between the two sides of the table, I have sparks of creative genius throughout the day.
Cutting Through the Clutter
While researching, I found an interesting article written on what creates genius here. Believe it or not, the last time I checked it, a single webpage on this website was 55 pages long! No, that’s not a typo. I read a good portion of it. It’s explanation of creating genius is very complex. It places lots of emphasis on IQ. We know from the logical conclusions I provided above that this simply isn’t the case.
Can you imagine? Fifty-five pages to explain to me how I can be smart enough to create genius in my life. Sounds to me that a person would have to be a Mensa level genius to comprehend it all. I won’t even begin writing on some of the other sites I found – just out of respect for your time.
Keeping It Simple
A popular Einstein quote is:
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t know it well enough.”
Considering that, how well does that 55 page article rate? No one I know wants to try to memorize 55 pages of information on how to be a genius. I choose to keep it simple for two reasons:
- To make it easy to communicate to others.
- Because that’s how I comprehend it. (Yep, I’m simple like that.)
Actions To Take
If you find that you are right brain dominant, find things to do to bring yourself towards the left. Read books on practicality, organization, etc. Feed yourself mind food that balances you out. Of course, the opposite is true if you are left brain dominant. Find spiritual, artistic, creative activities and material to bring you to your center. In doing this, I believe you will find that your mind automatically unlocks a new world of creativity.
See how simple that is? Taking action will put you on your way to creative genius!
Do What Makes Sense
Also do the things that make sense to do. Eat well. Rest well. Don’t overwork yourself. Don’t feed your mind “candy” and expect to get great results. Information is food for your mind. Good information is good food. Your mind can be compared to a computer. Garbage in = garbage out.
Use Critical Thinking
Lastly, I thought I would include just a little information about critical thinking and it’s role in creative genius. In simple terms, critical thinking is a matter of looking at potential solutions to a problem from as many angles as possible.
If you are a fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, you may have heard Commander Riker say:
“There’s always another alternative.”
Considering many alternatives is one of the most important aspects of critical thinking. Another is finding and solving the root cause of the issue. A simple outline of critical thinking would be:
- Think of many potential solutions
- Be sure each potential solution solves the root cause of the problem
- Implement the most effective solution for the time investment
Lastly:
Thank you for your time. I hope you found this enlightening and helpful. If so, please tell me! If you found it too long, too boring, or anything else, please tell me that too…
If you would like to know more about this topic, I can be hired to speak at your venue. I do one on one consulting too.
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