What Is the Leonardo Trait? Creativity in Action

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 26th, 2010

I recently began thinking about why I'm like this. Trust me, if you know me, you'd understand what I mean, and you'd probably agree that just knowing my family isn't enough.

I have two speeds. One is stop, one is go.

I can't work on one project, I have to have five.

Of the twelve projects I have open, I'll only finish seven.

I don't know which seven it will be, so I have to work on all twelve until I figure it out.

I can't settle on one thing I want to do. Right now I'm learning to podcast, walking in charity walks, and setting up teleseminars, while writing a book.

My favorite person in history, after Amelia Earheart, is Leonardo da Vinci. Amelia Earheart is my favorite only because I was a little girl in the 1970s and female role models were rare; I'm not giving up my first idol.

I like to think that if Leonardo were alive today, people would be calling him "weird," encouraging him to "finish what you start," and--my favorite--referring to him as "jack of all trades and master of none." Then I like to think of those people suddenly realizing who they've been criticizing.

You know? Wouldn't that be fun?

Well, of course it's not going to happen, but what can happen is that you and I can recognize the Leonardo Trait in ourselves and each other and let up on ourselves. No one else is going to do it for us.

Give yourself a break, Leonardo.