Opinion

Some Advice from Leonardo

At fifty-something, I'm still searching for the what-ever-it-is that I want to be. I've tried a lot of jobs and a couple of professions. Writing seems to be the thing that's stuck the longest for me. But because I'm always searching, I'm instantly drawn to book titles like the subject of this review—How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day by Michael J. Gelb. I mean, who wouldn't want to have even the remotest similarity to the great master?

Michael J. Gelb is described inside the back cover as a world-renowned innovator in the fields of creative thinking, accelerated learning, and leadership development. Though I've never heard him speak, or read any other of his work on any of these subjects, I thought many of his suggestions were good ones.

The author says that if you practice the seven steps outlined in the book, "you will discover an exhilarating, original way of seeing and enjoying your world as you develop powerful strategies for creative thinking and new approaches to self-statement."

The seven steps are:

Curiosita—An insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning.

Dimostrazione—A commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes.

Sensazione—The continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience.

Sfumato—A willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty.

Arte/Scienza—The development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination. "Whole-brain" thinking.

Corporalita—The cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise.

Connessione—A recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena. Systems thinking.

I enjoyed the combination of creativity-boosting exercises and suggestions and insights into Leonardo's life and practices.

One section was especially helpful for me, given my current work situation. That is the principle of Sfumato (literally, going up in smoke). The author talks about appreciating and embracing uncertainty and ambiguity, and working on cultivating our tolerance for confusion. And here I always thought those were evil forces to be conquered and destroyed! But no, Leonardo believed that an ability to live with these things made discovery possible. He spent his life studying and learning about opposites: good and evil, beauty and ugliness. And he was fascinated with paradox and mystery. Some believe that his Mona Lisa represents the perfection of that fascination.

In addition to describing the seven steps, and how to practice them, Gelb includes some advice on fitness, a recipe for minestrone, and a section on drawing exercises. It is quite an all-inclusive book—not unlike the great Leonardo himself, who apparently was capable of bending horse shoes with his bare hands, and who was also a vegetarian.

This book, like the Artist's Way books, requires time and practice to realize full personal growth and benefit. I'm certainly not nearly there yet. But perhaps what this book has done for me is to bring me back to the realization that my life cannot be limited to one dimension. If I'm to experience the personal satisfaction I have craved most of my life, I need to embrace some of these practices and bring a little more diversity of experiences and activities into my life.

Geri Frick has worked as a technical communicator for over 15 years.
Send Geri your ideas or questions at gerifrick@yahoo.com