People think of Pablo Picasso as a highly original genius.
And he was.
But was he any more ‘special’ than most of us?
I’d argue he wasn’t (in the way many think he was), but we can learn so much from him.
I’ve been listening to the Originals audiobook by Adam Grant about how non-conformists make an impact.
It’s terrific.
In it, Grant discusses what makes for highly original, influential people.
When we look at the work of Picasso, Mozart and Shakespeare, we are selective. We overlook the flops and prize their best work.
We see a handful of brilliant works among their massive bodies of work. But we ignore the less good stuff.
There’s no doubt these guys were skilled and produced magnificent work.
They also had plenty of natural talent.
But they were not superhuman. They produced a lot of trash.
Most of all, they were prolific.
Grant argues that in producing a lot of work, they gathered the skill, awareness and feedback needed to increase the likelihood they would make quality, original work.
