That Wretched Playbook for Recognizing Genius
Have you been in a rush to prove yourself like me?
Oh, what a rush we are in to prove that we are worthy! So many times, we don’t even sit back and say: I don’t know! And most times, we don’t realize: We are not done yet. A story of genius is always in the making and, most times, not realized up until the end. And most people who were tagged genius did not know what got them there. I sometimes wonder how critical acclaim, testimonials, and compliments have become for us. I very much included. And how crippled we feel without them. The swords, the money, and the milestones feeding us and us on that hamster wheel! Oh, what a sight it must be for the universe. Looking at us, seeing how we have left the abundance it has for us already And chasing things that are not real… If there was heaven or hell, I think it truly is in our minds….
A quick timeline of 4 geniuses:
Madam Curie
November 7, 1867 - Born in Warsaw, Poland
1891 (age 23) - Moved to Paris and enrolled at Sorbonne University
1894 (age 26) - Earned a degree in physics. Met her future husband, Pierre Curie.
1895 (age 27) - Earned a degree in mathematics. Married Pierre Curie.
1897 (age 29) - Gave birth to her first daughter, Irène. Discovered polonium with Pierre.
1898 (age 30) - Discovered radium with Pierre. Gave birth to her second daughter, Ève.
1903 (age 35) - Became the first woman to earn a Doctor of Science degree in France. Shared the Nobel Prize in Physics.
1904 (age 36) - Promoted to lecture at Sorbonne, the first woman in this position.
1906 (age 38) - Became the first female professor at the Sorbonne after Pierre's death.
1911 (age 43) - Awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for radium and polonium.
1921 (age 53) - Visited the U.S. for the first time to raise research funds.
1934 (age 66) - Died on July 4th from radiation exposure.
1995 (128 years after her birth) - Entombed in the Panthéon in Paris.
Elon Musk
June 28, 1971 - Born in Pretoria, South Africa.
1989 (age 17) - Moves to Canada to attend Queen's University
1992 (age 20) - Transfers to University of Pennsylvania, earns degrees in physics and economics
1995 (age 23) - At age 24, enrolls in Stanford to pursue PhD in applied physics, drops out after 2 days
1995 (age 24) - Founds first company, Zip2, an online city guide
1999 (age 27) - Sells Zip2 to Compaq for $307 million
1999 (age 28) - Co-founds X.com, an online financial services company
2000 (age 28) - X.com merges with Confinity to become PayPal
2002 (age 30) - eBay acquires PayPal for $1.5 billion, Musk earns $165 million
2002 (age 31) - Founds SpaceX, a private space exploration company
2003 (age 32) - Becomes lead investor in Tesla Motors, an electric car company
2008 (age 37) - Tesla Motors unveils first car model, the Roadster
2010 (age 38) - SpaceX successfully launches first Dragon spacecraft
2012 (age 40) - SpaceX's Dragon becomes first commercial spacecraft to visit ISS
2016 (age 44) - Unveils plans for Hyperloop and Boring Company tunnel projects
2018 (age 46) - Launches Falcon Heavy rocket, sends Tesla Roadster into space
2020 (age 48) - SpaceX sends first manned mission to ISS
Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi
October 2, 1869 - Born in Porbandar, Gujarat, India, age 0
1888 (age 18) - Leaves for London to study law
1891 (age 21) - Becomes a lawyer after studying in London
1893 (age 23) - Accepts one-year contract to do legal work in South Africa
1894 (age 24) - Founds Natal Indian Congress in South Africa to fight discrimination
1915 (age 45) - Returns to India from South Africa
1917 (age 47) - Begins first satyagraha movement in Champaran, India
1919 (age 49) - Leads protest against Rowlatt Act imposing repressive laws
1920 (age 50) - Launches non-cooperation movement against British rule
1928 (age 58) - Begins Salt March in protest of salt tax imposed by British
1930 (age 60) - Leads civil disobedience campaign demanding India's independence
1942 (age 72) - Launches Quit India Movement demanding end to British Rule
1947 (age 77) - Witnesses independence of India from British Rule
1948 (age 78) - Assassinated in Delhi on January 30 at age 78
Viginia Woolf
January 25, 1882 - Born in London, England.
1895 (age 13) - Her mother dies, triggering first mental breakdown
1897 (age 15) - Death of her half-sister Stella further triggers mental health issues
1904 (age 22) - Her father dies suddenly, sending her into second breakdown
1912 (age 30) - Marries Leonard Woolf
1915 (age 33) - Starts Hogarth Press with her husband
1925 (age 43) - Publishes her first major novel, Mrs Dalloway
1927 (age 45) - Publishes To the Lighthouse
1929 (age 47) - Publishes A Room of One's Own, a feminist text
1931 (age 49) - Publishes classic novel The Waves
1937 (age 55) - Publishes anti-war novel The Years
1941 (age 59) - Suffers another mental breakdown as WWII rages
March 28, 1941 (age 59) - Commits suicide by drowning herself
As I look inward, I recognize the need for approval drives my actions more than I'd like to admit. I race ahead seeking external validation, when soft stillness and self-acceptance beckon me inward. My path unfolds step-by-step, not a rushed climb to some peak. I forget often that genius lies not in proven accomplishments but in the consistent courage to create. So I shall quiet my mind, make peace with uncertainty, and walk my own way gently. The gifts of insight and inspiration will arise naturally through this journey of self-discovery. I will appreciate each step, knowing my story continues to write itself in its own time. For now, I am enough.
Arjita
Sources:
Marie Curie: A Biography by Marilyn Bailey Ogilvie
Obsessive Genius: The Inner World of Marie Curie by Barbara Goldsmith
Marie Curie and Her Daughters: The Private Lives of Science's First Family by Shelley Emling
Marie Curie: A Life by Susan Quinn
Marie Curie: Scientist Who Made Glowing Discoveries by Mike Venezia (for younger readers)
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance - This 2015 biography provides lots of details on Musk's early life and career.
"Elon Musk: The Architect of Tomorrow" profile in Rolling Stone magazine (2017) - Gives insights into key events through interviews with Musk.
Elon Musk's Wikipedia page - The infobox summarizes key facts like birth date, education, and founding of companies.
Timelines on the SpaceX and Tesla websites - Give high level overviews of the companies' histories.
SEC filing for the Zip2 acquisition - Provided specifics on the sale amount and Musk's earnings.
Musk's interviews with YouTube channels like TED Talks, 60 Minutes, and Joe Rogan Experience - He discusses biographical details and stories in these.
The autobiography of Gandhi, titled "The Story of My Experiments with Truth" -Provides a first-hand account of his life experiences and activism.
Gandhi Heritage Portal from the Indian government - Contains a chronology and details on key events in his life.
Gandhi biography from the Library of Congress - Overview of his early life, activism, and death.
Gandhi biography from the History Channel website - Highlights major milestones and political campaigns.
Gandhi timeline from the BBC - Marks important dates and happenings from his birth to death.
"Virginia Woolf" biography from the Poetry Foundation - Provided details on her early life, marriage, and mental health issues.
"Virginia Woolf" biography from the British Library - Gave overview of major literary works and timeline.
"Virginia Woolf" entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica - Contributed facts about her family life and death.
"Virginia Woolf" biography from PBS - Included information on her feminist essays and suicide.
"Chronology" section on the Virginia Woolf Society website - Outlined important personal events and publication dates.
Book "Virginia Woolf: The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Her Life and Work" by Dr. Louise DeSalvo - Analyzed influence of trauma on her.
"Virginia Woolf: Brilliant Writer and Feminist Icon" article from Biography.com - Provided context on her mental health and drowning.
Literary Hub article "27 Quotes from Virginia Woolf on Life, Love, and Loss" - Gave quotes related to key events.
Dates mentioned in Woolf's biography written by her husband, "Virginia Woolf" by Leonard Woolf.