How To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci Book Review

How To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci Book Review

Before getting on to the book review of How To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci By Michael J. Gelb first let’s discuss some interesting facts about the book and author. This book originally published in 1998 and the genre of this book is Self-Help. This book appeared in The Washington Post, New York Times, and  Amazon’s best-seller list. Michael J. Gelb, who is the author of this book, and 16 others is a Psychologist, organizational and personal development coach, and a speaker. His main area of interest includes creative thinking, innovative leadership, and executive coaching. In this article, we are going to share with you How To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci Book Review.

 

How To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci Book Review

 

Outline Of The Book:

This book is written on the life of an Italian polymath Leonardo Da Vinci who was an Architect, Inventor, Engineer, Scientist, and a world-class Artist at the same time. Da Vinci used to say that knowledge of everything is possible.

Michael Gelb studied the life of Leonardo Da Vinci and derived the 7 principles which made Da Vinci the greatest Genius of mankind. He says that Genius is made, not born. Gelb says that if one follows these 7 steps he can also become a genius.

 

What Are The Seven Steps to Genius Every Day?

 

1. Curiosita: The quest for continuous learning

In this principle, Michael says that curiosity is one of the major factors which makes us genius. Curiosity means asking more questions. Or you can say it’s a thirst for knowledge. To be better in curiosity keep a journal with yourself and write down questions on it about your personal as well as your professional. Researchers say that Leonardo wrote 7000 pages in his life. Where some researchers also say that it’s just half of the exact number of pages he wrote in his life.

In short, the writer says in this step to keep asking questions. Because every invention in this world is an answer to one of the questions. Questioning will lead you toward a practical solution. According to Da Vinci Experience can teach you what a teacher cannot.

First-hand experience is the best source of wisdom. -Leonardo Da Vinci Click To Tweet

 

2. Dimostrazione: Test knowledge through practical tests

In this step Michael says that we don’t learn from our experiences. Like the previous one in this principle, he also insists us to make a diary and write all of our learnings on it. Moreover, learn from the mistakes of others. He also believes that experience can not be wrong but our perception or judgment can be.

 

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do. -Leonardo Da Vinci 

 

3. Sensazione: Constantly sharpen the senses

We all know that our 5 senses work as input stations. Every positive and negative thought was once entered through these 5 senses. Leonardo believes that we can become geniuses if we start exercising these senses.

Vision plays an 83% role in our learning. To enhance it, try to sketch your favorite scene. To enhance your smell sensations you have to smell different aromas and write about your experience in your notebook. Try not to talk with people while eating so that you can focus on the taste. Moreover, try to taste a variety of foods. You can increase your listening sense by paying attention to the sounds around you. Listen to music and observe how each instrument is playing its role to make the tune melodious.

The five senses are the minister of the soul. -Leonardo Da Vinci 

 

Did you read the Book Review of Atomic Habits

 

4. Sfumato: Be comfortable with your ambiguity

This is the age of information. Every person in life experiences ambiguity. Where questions born out of these ambiguities at the same time can also lead us towards uncertainty and hopelessness. It’s true that questions make us restless until we find answers to these questions.

According to Leonardo, one should write his/her ideas in his notebook. After writing them analyze them. Learn to accept these ambiguities. Recent studies have shown that a person who accepts ambiguity and takes action according to his gut feeling or sixth sense becomes more successful than the one who doesn’t do so.

Embrace your ambiguity and trust your gut. -Michael Gelb Click To Tweet

 

5. Arte/ Scienza: Balance science and art/logic and imagination

Our mind has two sides. One is called the right brain which is more creative and related to art and innovation, and the second one is the left brain which is related to analytics, logic, and mathematics. Usually, we use our one side of the brain more often but Leonardo Da Vinci doesn’t agree with that approach. He says that one should be a creative artist and logician or analytical at the same time. To do so he purposed some tactics in this book that can help one to create a balance between art and science.


Get The Book Here!


6. Corporalita: Develop poise/The balance of body and mind

You can become a genius if you start maintaining the balance between your mind and body. Leonardo believes that our state of body affects our state of mind.

Observe your body. Like your weight, your posture, your fitness. And according to it change your routine and exercises.

design your exercise according to your body and try to do them on regular basis. Do it for at least 20 min daily.

cover your head at night. Keep healthy thoughts in mind. Do exercise regularly. Protect yourself from negative thoughts. Eat less and eat vegetables. Masticate meal properly. Keep your body straight after eating food for some time.

Try to use your non-dominating hand. Start with writing simple words and keep practicing until you are able to write properly through this hand. That way you will be able to use your both right and left part of your brain.

Always remember that the state of mind follows the state of the body.

 

7. Connessione: Maintain a big picture perspective

This is the last and one of my favourite principles in this book. It states that everything and every person existing matter. Leonardo believes that even a single bird has an impact on this earth. You can easily understand it with the “butterfly effect”. For example, if you start thinking positive then your actions will also become positive. These actions will then affect your family and friends. These friends and family members then affect their family members and friends and then it will go on. That’s how your single thought can create a huge effect on this planet.

Leonardo believes that everything is interconnected. To understand your self you first have to understand the universe. Everything is connected. nature has created Everyone equal. But due to man-made labels, we categorize people as rich, poor, good, bad, high, low, intelligent, and dull-minded.

We are as intelligent as Leonardo Da Vinci but because we have accepted the lie which everyone has told us. No one is perfect. Everyone is playing his role in this life which is connected to your role in life. A person determines his limits and then remains anxious about them.

In this step, the author introduces the concept of wholeness. It means that from a wider perspective everything is interconnected with every other thing. Our every action is connected to every result. To understand it better do these things:

  • Try to find the origins of things. Try to find the interconnectivity between things.
  • When you will change your perspective of seeing things, you will find that the things that seem opposite to one another are also sharing some common roots with each other.
  • Sketch your top priority in life on your diary. Around that sketch write your life goals, your values, write a purpose that is aligned to the purpose of this universe. Write where you are right now and where you want to go. Then Write methods to achieve your purpose. Now write the connection between all of them.

Everything comes from everything, and everything is made out of everything, and everything returns into everything.  -Leonardo Da Vinci 

 

This book is a must-read for everyone because creativity and exploring the full potential of the mind are essential for everyone.

I hope after reading this book review of How To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci you have got an idea about the key learnings of this book. Tell me in the comment section below that which book review you want me to do next.


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