7 Timeless Genius Lessons from Leonardo da Vinci

Photo by Pierre Antona on Unsplash

Leonardo da Vinci is the most well-known polymath to have ever lived.

He lived most of his life during the 15th century and was an active painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. He was a genius ahead of his time and made many contributions to society hundreds of years before many of his theories were concluded to be spot on.

Though he was not perfect, we can learn a lot from Leonardo.

His methods are timeless and could lead you to become a genius yourself.

So here are seven timeless genius lessons I learned from Leonardo da Vinci.

1) Observe

Leonardo da Vinci was a master of observation.

This skill fed his natural curiosity about the world and led him to make many discoveries. It took him a lot of effort initially, but eventually, it became a skill he cultivated in everything he pursued. One of his obsessions is the flow of water and the eddies that form when it flows a certain way.

To cultivate the power of observation, take a step back and watch--people, yourself.

Then, ask why.

This is where mindfulness can come into play. Usually developed through meditation, this is the act of sustaining meta-attentive awareness towards the contents of your mind in the present moment.

Questioning your thoughts and actions in the present moment can heighten your observational skills in the modern age.

If meditation isn't your thing, journaling, which I've found is very meditative, can also help you observe things you might otherwise overlook.

Whether internally or externally, Leonardo's ability to observe was unrivaled at the time and is a powerful tool to have in your tool kit.