Einstein's Lessons

The other day Rocky found this on Facebook.  I think this is a good time to consider the breadth and depth of Albert Einstein.  We hold him in high esteem. We think of him as a genius. In many ways he was. But listen to what he says about all of this.

10 Lessons from 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.”

Each of these lessons is pure gold. Much could be written on each and probably has. So I will restrain myself to a few comments only.

First, curiosity creates a meaningful question in our mind to answer. That is when we learn the most – finding the answer to our curious questions.

Second, homing in on a topic allows the mind to understand its mysteries better. Clarity of thought comes from sticking to the topic.

Third, life happens in the present. The future is where we are headed but not just yet! The past provides lessons and context. But the present is what needs our attention.

Fourth, imagination is the fancy that fuels curiosity. It drives us purposefully forward and should be indulged if we are to come up with fresh ideas.

Fifth, mistakes teach us a lot. If no mistakes are happening then nothing new is being attempted. We learn from trial and error. Let the mistakes happen; just understand them as fully as possible.

Sixth, living in the moment is like lesson number three. Now is not past or future. But it makes its own past and prepares for its own future. Living in the now focuses our attention and creativity.

Seventh, being of value isn’t about money or success. If a person strives to live a worthwhile life he or she learns what is important. Money is a necessity but does not define value in the broadest sense.

Eighth, repetition when used in testing hypotheses still relies on slight variations to learn what works. That is the scientific method. But doing the same thing over and over again truly is nuts if we expect different results each time. Add new things to expand your universe.

Ninth, amen! Experience expands knowledge (see # 8). Information may contain facts but that alone is not knowledge. Experiencing what works and understanding why is knowledge. It can be used moving forward.

Tenth, another way of knowing working protocols and methods. Know them and become expert at using them. The world will unfold before your very eyes.

Each time I encounter a quote from Einstein it stops me in my tracks. I don’t expect anything simple from Einstein. Yet it is. At its root is simplicity. We are very good at messing this up!

December 6, 2012