Welcome to “How You Living?” a transformative podcast featuring best-selling author, inspirational speaker and minister, Dr. Rick Rigsby—and, now, Dr. Rick.
(00:24): Hello friends. Thank you so much for joining us today. I wanna talk to you about the term genius and what genius really looks like. It's a term we use with tremendous frequency today. We throw the word around without much thought. We'll say things like he's a genius or wow. Look at her. She's such a genius. We even have genius bars at apple stores. The dictionary defines genius this way. One who possesses extraordinary capacity, exceptional natural ability, distinctive character or spirit genius is summarized in this manner. One with strong intellectual power manifested in creative activity. When we think of genius, we think of an intellectual, a scientist, a math whiz, somebody that walks around in a white lab coat, but we'd live in a very boring world. If it were made up of just one kind of genius, according to the website, the best schools quote, if every genius was just a great artist, nobody would know how to do any of the accounting.
(01:32): If every genius was just super good at math, all art would be rendered in connect the dot form. The world needs engineers and entertain and academics and athletes and mathematicians. Genius is a catalyst to evolution and innovation like humanity itself. Genius comes in every shape and size occupying all disciplines and creating. Many of its own in here are a few for Oaks commonly referred to as genius, Wal Disney, Steve jobs, bill gates, Lon Musk, mark Zuckerberg, Albert Einstein, leus Pauling, Stephen Hawking, Moza Beethoven and Michael Angelo. I want you to think about those last two because genius cannot be limited. It can't even be limited by physical limitations. Beethoven was legally deaf. Michael Angelo was legally blind, but genius goes beyond limitations. Regardless of the limitations. Think about this legendary entertainer. Ray Charles was visually impaired. However, he learned how to see by listening to sounds about the great Willie Mays, arguably one of the greatest baseball players ever.
(02:58): He was my childhood hero. I watched him for years and he was pure genius in the way he played baseball. Here's an example. He'd flip off his hat as he rounded the basis. This would simulate the fact that he was going faster than he actually was. It forced out builders to hurry. Their throws, make mistakes. Often genius defies description. Think about these folks, Michael Jordan, Fred Aster, Maya Angelou, Michael Jackson, or one of my favorites, astronaut Christina Kotch, who teamed up with Jessica Meyer, who the first female astronaut team to perform a, a space walk. Kotch also figured out a way to live in space longer than any other female in history. Some 328 days aboard the international space station. Genius note, a few of these geniuses. How about Zora Neil hear? Oh boy. During the 20th century, she was the preeminent writer of African American literature. How about Chessmaster Magnus Carlson.
(04:09): He's considered the world's best and he's still in his twenties. How about Spanish tenner plus itdo Domingo among the greatest opera singer has ever. How about Roman Catholic, Nu and missionary mother Teresa or tennis? Great. Billy Jean King 39 grand slams. This woman was a true pioneer for equality and social justice. She campaigned tirelessly for the passage of title nine. This was landmark legislation that prohibits gender discrimination in all federally funded school programs, including sports. How about Cellis yoyo ma 70 albums, 15 Grammys about media mogul, Oprah Winfrey once told back in the 1970s that she may not have the appearance required for television, or how about trumpet player? Miles Davis often misunderstood, but miles Davis whose lyrical playing and ever changing style is reflected all throughout 20th century music. He was voted by the BBC a few years ago. The greatest jazz artist of all times.
(05:27): I don't have a problem with that. But as a jazz enthusiast, I would also like to see a few more names on that list. Like Billy holiday. How about Thelonious monk, who would play between the cracks to find his melody? How about Charlie Parker or Ella Fitzgerald? I can hear Ella scattering in my mind right now. How about the great saxophone? Is John cold train or Louis Armstrong or who will ever forget Oscar Peterson or how about the day Breck quartet led by Mr. Cool himself? Dave Breck. He was a Kennedy center on AEE and a recipient of the Grammy's lifetime achievement award. The Los Angeles times called Breck. One of Jazz's first pop stars among the greatest swing era, jazz musicians ever. But Brecks genius is not limited to just performing music. He was married for 70 years to another jazz artist, the woman by the name of Iola, Dave and Iola, 70 years of marriage.
(06:31): As a matter of fact, Breck performed until he was 90 years of age. Breck was on the forefront of social activism. Most of his adult life while serving in the United States army Breck organized the Wolf pack, a radically integrated music group in America's then segregated, armed forces, but it didn't stop there. Here's my favorite day Breck story on numerous Asians, Breck who had an African American bass player in his quartet, he would decline opportunities to play for segregated audiences and would often pull out of performances where his black band member was either not allowed to stay at the hotel or perform on stage for. And so often genius, true genius is believing so profoundly in what you're called to do that you fulfill your calling regardless of the setbacks, regardless of the circumstances, which brings me to the genius that is golfer tiger woods considered one of the greatest athlete eats on the planet, his ups and downs, his misuses in life have been well chronicled also, well, chronicled has been the story of his relentless resilience to come back over and over and over again.
(07:55): Let me pause and make this very important point just because everyone else counts you out does not mean you have to count along with them. Despite the naysayers tiger has never ever counted himself out at the recording of this podcast, tiger is competing in the 2022 masters golfs. Most prestigious tournament just playing in the masters is nothing short of a miracle. Y'all remember the 20, 21 near fatal automobile accident that crushed his right leg so badly that doctors considered amputation. And a year later he's playing in the masters. Reese recently, tiger was inducted in the golf hall of fame. He gave this very emotional speech, thanking everyone who helped shaped his career from his mother and father all the way through his coaches. And cadies following the speech golf commentator Brando Chamblee shared a quote in reference to tiger. Listen to this quote. Talent is a target that nobody else can hit, but genius is a target that nobody else can see.
(09:10): Chamblee explained tiger. This way. Tiger had an never ending hunger to win. He was never complacent. As the wins piled up, he had this hatred of the status quo consider win. And how often he changed his golf swing. He won the masters by 12. That wasn't good enough. He changed his golf swing. He won the us open by 15, not good enough. He changed his golf. He won four majors in a row that wasn't good enough. He changed his golf swing when he won seven tournaments in a row. That wasn't good enough. He changed his golf swing again. He was always aiming at something that nobody else could see. Tiger had a discontent with the status quo. Shambley went on to conclude tiger took four different golf swings to number one in the world that will never ever be done again by any athlete in any sport in, you know, friends, tiger is amazing.
(10:11): A lot of golfers change their golf swing, but usually that change comes from a place of doubt as they seek exceptionalism. But tiger was already dominating when he changed that golf swing. So often genius, true genius is believing so profoundly in what you're called to do that you're motivated by factors others simply do not. Which brings me to my favorite type of geniuses mothers. That's right. The mothers. I know the mothers who have influenced me are so committed to the calling of motherhood. They will do absolutely anything to protect and care are for their children. I mean, think about it for a moment. A mother must be part chauffer, part babysitter, part counselor, laundry attendant, doctor therapist, litigator, defender, cheerleader, support staff, chef hairstylist, makeup artist. Her work cycle is 365 days year. From the time you're born, she never closes. She's never off duty.
(11:22): And somehow they complete their calling. Proverbs 31 says her children shall rise and call her blessed. And so how fitting it is for me as I'm talking about genius to close with this example of genius from my own mother who had one goal as I was growing up. And that was to prepare me for life, especially to prepare me for a life of speaking. You see throughout the natural course of my life, my mother located opportunities that would force me to speak. She realized that I had the gift of gab that I love talking. And so she simply exploited opportunities that would force me to speak. I couldn't just go to school to, I had to run for class president, why the president them has to speak. I couldn't just be in the boys and girls club. I had to run for office because officers would have to speak at my church.
(12:21): I couldn't just be on the junior usher board greeting visitors. I had to be the president of the junior usher board because the president of the junior usher board would have to stand in front the church every Sunday morning and invite the visitors. I never saw it as a child growing up, but today I see it. Clearly, my mother knew I had a gift and she figured out a way to nurture that gift. That's a mom, that's a genius tennis. Great, Arthur Ash once said, start where you are. Use what you've got, do what you can. Huh? Arthur Ash started at the public tennis courts in Richmond, Virginia, and made it all the way to center court at Wimbledon start where you are, use what you've got, do what you can not bad advice from a man who started where he did. And along the way, won three grand slams and was ranked number one in the world.
(13:29): Friends. Here's the bottom line, whatever you do do your best, who quit give it all. You got never motivate yourself by what others think or say, never get discouraged. Even by misuse and missteps and mistakes from your past. Keep your target in mind, stay point. You know what? Friends, this is what I'm discovering. As I look at all these geniuses really through the lens of my mother and my father rarely will another. See what you see, use that invisible target to push you, to grow you, to encourage you to do the unthinkable. The unimaginable, the seemingly impossible. Remember talent is a target. Nobody else can hit, but genius is a target that nobody else can see just because others don't see your target is not me in your target is not there. And just because others count you out, doesn't mean you have to count along with them. There's a word that describes people like this. They're called genius. Well, that's gonna do it for this episode until we meet again. This is Dr. Rick asking the most important question I can ask. How you living.
Are you ready to make an impact in your world right now? Do you want to stop existing and start living your best life right now? Dr. Rick wants to give you the first chapter of his bestselling book, “Lessons from a Third Grade Dropout”, absolutely free. Just go to www.RickRigsby.com/FreeGift to get the print or audiobook right now.
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