Why You DON’T Have to Be A Genius To Share Your Ideas

By Mudit Jha | 24th February, 2022

It’s a common mistake for people to keep their ideas locked up inside themselves due to fear. But what most people fail to understand is- the power of collaboration and sharing ideas.

There is a myth that people like to believe which is that - all the geniuses in history are lone geniuses who came up with revolutionary ideas and breakthroughs all on their own. Isolated from the world, working alone all day in a lab.

Well, the truth is that this is almost NEVER the case, these people have been surrounded by communities and people who influence and share ideas with each other working collaboratively. They all work together by stealing, referencing, or modifying each other's ideas to perfect their own all while contributing to society. This can only happen when people are willing to share their work and ideas with the rest of the world. This is how new innovations and creative ideas are formed- by sharing.

An alternative way to think about genius is to use the term “scenius”, a term used by musician Brain Eno who defines it as -” the intelligence and the intuition of a whole cultural scene. It is the communal form of the concept of the genius.”

“Scenius doesn’t take away from the achievements of those great individuals; it just acknowledges that good work isn’t always created in a vacuum.” - Austin Kleon - author of Show Your Work!

Somewhat strangely, thinking about death can be a major motivation when it comes to showing your work and sharing your ideas. The idea that we all will eventually die and sharing your work with the rest of the world is the only way to make sure that you will not be forgotten. People who have suffered near-death experiences understand this concept well and they dedicate their lives to pursuing all their dreams and ideas without regard to humiliation and failure. They know that they have received a second chance in life. So they make the most of it.

“Reading about people who are dead now and did things with their lives makes me want to get up and do something decent with mine. Thinking about death every morning makes me want to live.” - Kleon

We now live in a time where information is easily and effortlessly shareable with the rest of the world thanks to the internet. If we are not putting our work into it, then our work doesn’t exist.

For further reading check out Austin Kleon’s book Show Your Work! Great book for the creatives and the Dreamers of the world.