Become a Creative Genius with This One Little Trick

Use it To Design Your Ideal Self

5 min readDec 29, 2023

“Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” ~ Michelangelo

People believe that genius is like the little angel in this picture, giving inspiration and ideas to the sculptor. — ***Can you hear the little voice guiding you to your next masterpiece?****— Inspiration*, Louis-Philippe Hébert

Creating a masterpiece is often perceived as a sudden burst of genius, a moment where time stands still, and an individual’s creativity leaps bounds to produce something unprecedented. But what if we were to tell you that masterpieces, from Leonardo da Vinci’s La Joconde to Bartholdi’s Statue of Liberty, are not just flashes of brilliance but rather intricate tapestries woven from a myriad of experiences, influences, and knowledge? And what if you could apply this same process to the most crucial project of all — designing your very own self?

The question has long been studied, and Sheena Iyengar, one of my favorite professors at Columbia Business School, found and revealed an answer in her book Think Bigger. Masterpieces do not come from stroke of genius. They are a smooth combination of several elements. That’s it! No big deal! It’s just about combining elements of past masterpieces together! The tricky part to master resides in combining all these elements in a seamless, harmonious and inovative way so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

💭 The Genius Behind Masterpieces

🗽 The Statue of Liberty

Bartholdi didn’t just dream up the Statue of Liberty. He drew from his life experiences — the powerful tomb sculptures of ancient Egypt, the evocative painting of La Vérité by Jules Lefebvre, the familiar image of a woman on the back of a five franc silver coin, and the comforting portrait of his mother. Each of these elements brought a unique flavor to the final design, culminating in a symbol of freedom known worldwide.

Egyptian statues, Jules Lefebvre’s *La Vérité, a coin, his mother, The Statue of Liberty*

We can see how he borrowed the sense of grandeur and awe of the Egyptian statues, the dignified and upright posture of the woman in Jules Lefebvre’s painting, the woman’s crown and clothes on the coin, and his mother’s face.

🎨 Picasso

Similarly, Picasso’s revolutionary Les Demoiselles d’Avignon didn’t emerge in a vacuum. As the saying goes, nothing is created ex nihilo (from nothing, in latin). It was a bold combination of Matisse’s The Joy of Life and some African sculptures. These influences mingled with his unique vision to create a painting that shattered conventions and paved the way for modern art.

Matisse’s *The Joy of Life, an african statue, and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon*

🖌️ The Art of Self Design

So, what do these artistic processes have to do with you? Everything. Just as artists blend various influences to create masterpieces, you can craft your ideal self by integrating diverse experiences, traits, and aspirations. This process, which we might call ‘self-design,’ involves a deliberate and thoughtful approach to personal development. Note that this isn’t about mimicking someone else but rather integrating various influences to forge something uniquely yours.

Begin by identifying the ‘elements’ that have shaped you so far. Who are the three people, real or fictional, that inspire you most? Why? What are their personality traits that you admire and aspire to embody? Are there also experiences that have profoundly influenced your thinking and behavior? These are the building blocks of your masterpiece — yourself.

It’s the formula to design your masterpiece: ? + ? + ? = Masterpiece. — Self-Design Process — Combining Elements

Let me run you through a concrete example: how I did it for myself. If I had to choose precisely three people who have had the most influence on me, they would be Victor Hugo, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Steve Jobs. Let’s do a deeper dive into each individual to try to understand what I admire from them.

✒️ Victor Hugo

“Until the possible is done, the duty is not fulfilled”

I admire Victor Hugo for his values, his conviction, and his fight against misery in the French general assembly. I am inspired by how he empowered and inspired millions through his books and speeches. He held strong beliefs and passionately defended them, embodying the spirit of determination and moral courage.

🎖️ Napoleon Bonaparte

“Impossible is not French”

Napoleon represents the epitome of ambition and strategic acumen. He was, in some sense, a self-made man who climbed the military ranks one step at a time. I admire his leadership skills, his unyielding vision for France, and his profound understanding of how to craft his own legend. His ability to turn visions into reality and his unshakable determination are qualities that I really look up to.

📱 Steve Jobs

“Keep looking. And don’t settle”

Steve Jobs is a paragon of innovation and vision. He was not just an entrepreneur; he was a visionary who combined his passions for design and business to create, as he would say, insanely great products. I admire his relentless pursuit of excellence, ability to foresee future trends, and uncompromising commitment to quality.