Liz Gilbert Told Me I am not a Genius
My first words ever to Liz Gilbert were, “I love you.”
I’ll never forget what happened next.
She instantly softened and reached out her hand to mine. Before any photos were taken, we spent a few seconds together hand in hand. At the end of our shoot together I leaned in and told her, “You have radically shifted my life in so many ways, and I am eternally grateful for you.”
Then before I knew it, the two of us were embraced in a hug.
I can’t think of any human that has impacted my creativity more than Liz. And there I was, hugging Liz-freaking-Gilbert.
This was sincerely one of the most special moments in my entire life.
So on this #TipTuesday, I want to share a piece of wisdom Liz taught me 11 years ago via a TED talk that rocked my world. This idea led me to massive levels of creation and productivity in my career:
A “genius” is not a person. Genius is just the energy that flows through a person.
Of course, I am paraphrasing. But this idea shook me to the core, and more importantly it freed me…
What if I was no longer responsible for upholding the daunting and unsustainable duties of a so-called genius? What if instead, genius is an energy that I have access to in any moment? What a gift!
To this day I remind myself that the photos I take are not mine. These words are not mine. These ideas are NOT MINE. I am just a conduit that allows them to pass through me and into this world.
And if my vessel is cluttered, clogged up, or otherwise inhospitable for new creative ideas to flow through me, then genius energy will find someone else to flow through.
Here are 4 reminders you can use to help you access the “Genius Energy” every day:
Remember that you aren’t the owner of your creativity. That is not your book. That’s not your event. That’s not your podcast, your photos, or even your song. You are just a vessel allowing the creative energy into this world. Even if attachment to your work feels good short-term, remember that over time it will not lead to long term output.
You have access to the infinite source energy. You also have access to the same creative ideas as Liz Gilbert, and any other person you deeply admire. Think about that.
Your primary roll in this process is to clear your vessel and make room, so that the genius energy will want to flow through you.
Let it all go before it’s too late. Genius energy will not flow through you if you are backlogged. Yes, this means releasing creative ideas into the world so that you can make room for more genius flow. But it also means clean your inbox, do your taxes, say sorry for that thing you feel bad about, exercise, and move energy. Release, release, release!
PS: Liz Gilbert, if you’re reading this, I want you to know how deeply you have changed my life. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you or the lesson(s) you have gifted me with. I love you Liz, and can’t wait until we meet again.
