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Defending Your Genius

Posted By: Randy GageDecember 2, 2009

Last post we spoke of the need to embrace your genius.  Today I’d like to look at another issue.  The need to defend your genius...

Sad to say, but genius is often attacked.  Attacks are usually caused by fear.  And fear comes from unknown things or different things.

White people fear black people.  Black people fear Asian people.  But once they get to know them, the fear disappears.

Unfortunately so many people have run away from their genius, that they fear the ones who embrace their own genius.  So they attack them.

These attacks can take many forms.  Ridicule or condemnation.  Abuse, physical or emotional.  Gossip and political in fighting where you work.

I have seen parents condemn their own child’s genius.  Often.  I have seen friends unconsciously ridicule or condemn genius of those close to them.

Most of the time, the guilty party doesn’t even know what they are doing.  But they do it none the less.

So you have to be prepared to stand up and defend your genius.  Or you could lose it forever.

So now that you’ve spent some time thinking about what your genius is, it’s worth it to think about who around you is threatened by it.  Please give that some serious thought and check in below.

-RG

12 comments on “Defending Your Genius”

  1. Great perspective Randy. I think we all tend to attack others genius without even realizing that we are doing it. Like you say, it's really a shame and I applaud you for pointing it out.

    I will surely be mindful in my journey of self-improvement to be sensitive to this issue with all the people in my life. After all, we should encourage all those around us to be their very best!

    Once again, thank you for sharing your wonderful insight.

    ~ Dorene Pierceall

  2. I love this...it's along the idea of looking for someone's greatness while valuing your own.

    As for someone who tries (unsuccessfully) to condemn my genius would be my ex-husband (hence the ex part). Lately I have been working on teaching my son NOT to accept the opinions of others as his own...most notable his fathers. Learning to listen and honor what lives inside you is the greatest gift you can give the world.

  3. God knows what those who strive for greatness have endured to achieve it. I for one had to shake a lot of demons...and people to defend my genius. I know you have as well Randy. I think this falls under the "for every person who seek greatness...there are hundreds more charged with defending their mediocrity". Agree??

    -TS

  4. Yes, good reminder to value your own genius and to be supportive of the genius of other people.

    I have had to defend my genius from attacks by friends and loved ones. I have also had to walk away from relationships were my genius was attacked. It did cause me pain to have someone I cared about attack my genius & strengths but I knew that they were my strengths and not my weakness. Even if they don't realize they are attacking you, it can still hurt you.

    Sometimes you can defend yourself, sometimes you can easily avoid a negative person and sometimes you need to make bigger changes in your life. Know your genius and remember it when it is being attacked. It is yours, don't let negative people take it from you.

    Surround yourself with positive, nourishing people.

  5. I agree that it is the people who have the least self-confidence and who have lost their own genius who attack truly great people and the genius they possess.

    I would just like to caution against generalization here: Not all people who have lost their genius attack the genius in others. I know so many people who -- after having been attacked by other mediocre minds--have not at all attacked the greatness of others. Unfortunately, they have just retreated from the world, trying desperately to recapture their own genius.

  6. I know what U mean.

    I experienced that attack and to defend myself is to know who I am, to know what is a real purpose in my self. I am happy with what I have. I am not happy that a lot of my closed friends and even my family does not appreciate me. After a lot of their input, I am willing to take a risk to march on my own drum...I read books about talent and geniuses, about personal development, about life of great people..and practice a lot of their wisdom in a real world.. and hope and faith installed in me.

  7. I like to call them haters. No matter what, we'll always have people that don't like us and are mean about it and it's exactly because of what you're talking about. People see something you have that's great and they're essentially jealous.

    The more you can ignore them, the better things will be. Lots of times they'll even fuel the fire for you to do better.

  8. As a sibling, friend, and parent, I have to really watch how I treat others--my actions, responses, and verbal. It is never my intent to demean or make someone feel less than they are but I think that like you say, many of us are guilty of it and don't realize. Awareness of what we are doing is a huge step in not doing it again.

    As a parent, often my input is sought and other times it isn't but either way, I often times have to bite my tongue to not say something because my kids choose to not do something the way I think it should be done. Being aware that by doing it their way may bring different results--good or bad, giving them a chance to grow and learn, is hard. But I'm honoring their genius when I do that.

    Thanks, Randy, for another insightful post.

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  • 12 comments on “Defending Your Genius”

    1. Great perspective Randy. I think we all tend to attack others genius without even realizing that we are doing it. Like you say, it's really a shame and I applaud you for pointing it out.

      I will surely be mindful in my journey of self-improvement to be sensitive to this issue with all the people in my life. After all, we should encourage all those around us to be their very best!

      Once again, thank you for sharing your wonderful insight.

      ~ Dorene Pierceall

    2. I love this...it's along the idea of looking for someone's greatness while valuing your own.

      As for someone who tries (unsuccessfully) to condemn my genius would be my ex-husband (hence the ex part). Lately I have been working on teaching my son NOT to accept the opinions of others as his own...most notable his fathers. Learning to listen and honor what lives inside you is the greatest gift you can give the world.

    3. God knows what those who strive for greatness have endured to achieve it. I for one had to shake a lot of demons...and people to defend my genius. I know you have as well Randy. I think this falls under the "for every person who seek greatness...there are hundreds more charged with defending their mediocrity". Agree??

      -TS

    4. Yes, good reminder to value your own genius and to be supportive of the genius of other people.

      I have had to defend my genius from attacks by friends and loved ones. I have also had to walk away from relationships were my genius was attacked. It did cause me pain to have someone I cared about attack my genius & strengths but I knew that they were my strengths and not my weakness. Even if they don't realize they are attacking you, it can still hurt you.

      Sometimes you can defend yourself, sometimes you can easily avoid a negative person and sometimes you need to make bigger changes in your life. Know your genius and remember it when it is being attacked. It is yours, don't let negative people take it from you.

      Surround yourself with positive, nourishing people.

    5. I agree that it is the people who have the least self-confidence and who have lost their own genius who attack truly great people and the genius they possess.

      I would just like to caution against generalization here: Not all people who have lost their genius attack the genius in others. I know so many people who -- after having been attacked by other mediocre minds--have not at all attacked the greatness of others. Unfortunately, they have just retreated from the world, trying desperately to recapture their own genius.

    6. I know what U mean.

      I experienced that attack and to defend myself is to know who I am, to know what is a real purpose in my self. I am happy with what I have. I am not happy that a lot of my closed friends and even my family does not appreciate me. After a lot of their input, I am willing to take a risk to march on my own drum...I read books about talent and geniuses, about personal development, about life of great people..and practice a lot of their wisdom in a real world.. and hope and faith installed in me.

    7. I like to call them haters. No matter what, we'll always have people that don't like us and are mean about it and it's exactly because of what you're talking about. People see something you have that's great and they're essentially jealous.

      The more you can ignore them, the better things will be. Lots of times they'll even fuel the fire for you to do better.

    8. As a sibling, friend, and parent, I have to really watch how I treat others--my actions, responses, and verbal. It is never my intent to demean or make someone feel less than they are but I think that like you say, many of us are guilty of it and don't realize. Awareness of what we are doing is a huge step in not doing it again.

      As a parent, often my input is sought and other times it isn't but either way, I often times have to bite my tongue to not say something because my kids choose to not do something the way I think it should be done. Being aware that by doing it their way may bring different results--good or bad, giving them a chance to grow and learn, is hard. But I'm honoring their genius when I do that.

      Thanks, Randy, for another insightful post.

    Leave a Reply to marvin Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


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