24 Qualities That Geniuses Have in Common
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I am reposting here an excellent article that I first read about 5 years ago. It was first printed by the National Enquirer in 1980 and later reprinted and re-distributed by L. Ron Hubbard (source). I have read it many times since then and I feel I just need to share it, it has worked well for me. Let’s all become a genius! 
The worlds greatest geniuses have all had 24 personality characteristics in common and you can develop the same traits yourself, says an expert.
“Most people have the mistaken idea that geniuses are born, not made”, declared clinical psychologist Dr. Alfred Barrious, founder and director of the Self-Programmed Control Center of Los Angeles and author of the book, Towards Greater Freedom and Happiness.
“But if you look at the lives of the worlds greatest geniuses like Edison, Socrates, DaVinci, Shakespeare, Einstein, you will discover they all had 24 personality characteristics in common.
“These are traits that anyone can develop. It makes no difference how old you are, how much education you have, or what you have accomplished to date. Adopting these personality characteristics enables you to operate on a genius level.”
Here are the Characteristics Dr. Barrios lists, which enable geniuses to come up with and develop new and fruitful ideas:
- DRIVE. Geniuses have a strong desire to work hard and long. They’re willing to give all they’ve got to a project. Develop your drive by focusing on your future success, and keep going.
- COURAGE. It takes courage to do things others consider impossible. Stop worrying about what people will think if you’re different.
- DEVOTION TO GOALS. Geniuses know what they want and go after it. Get control of your life and schedule. Have something specific to accomplish each day.
- KNOWLEDGE. Geniuses continually accumulate information. Never go to sleep at night without having learned at least one new thing each day. Read. And question people who know.
- HONESTY. Geniuses are frank, forthright and honest. Take the responsibility for things that go wrong. Be willing to admit, ‘I goofed’, and learn from your mistakes.
- OPTIMISM. Geniuses never doubt they will succeed. Deliberately focus your mind on something good coming up.
- ABILITY TO JUDGE. Try to understand the facts of a situation before you judge. Evaluate things on an opened minded, unprejudiced basis and be willing to change your mind.
- ENTHUSIASM. Geniuses are so excited about what they are doing, it encourages others to cooperate with them. Really believe that things will turn out well. Don’t hold back.
- WILLINGNESS TO TAKE CHANCES. Overcome your fear of failure. You won’t be afraid to take chances once you realize you can learn from your mistakes.
- DYNAMIC ENERGY. Don’t sit on your butt waiting for something good to happen. Be determined to make it happen.
- ENTERPRISE. Geniuses are opportunity seekers. Be willing to take on jobs others won’t touch. Never be afraid to try the unknown.
- PERSUASION. Geniuses know how to motivate people to help them get ahead. You’ll find it easy to be persuasive if you believe in what you’re doing.
- OUTGOINGNESS. I’ve found geniuses able to make friends easily and be easy on their friends. Be a ‘booster’ not somebody who puts others down. That attitude will win you many valuable friends.
- ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE. Geniuses are able to effectively get their ideas across to others. Take every opportunity to explain your ideas to others.
- PATIENCE. Be patient with others most of the time, but always be impatient with your self. Expect far more of yourself than others.
- PERCEPTION. Geniuses have their mental radar working full time. Think more of others’ needs and wants than you do of your own.
- PERFECTIONISM. Geniuses cannot tolerate mediocrity, particularly in themselves. Never be easily satisfied with your self. Always strive to do better.
- SENSE OF HUMOR. Be willing to laugh at your own expense. Don’t take offense when the joke is on you.
- VERSATILITY. The more things you learn to accomplish, the more confidence you will develop. Don’t shy away from new endeavors.
- ADAPTABILITY. Being flexible enables you to adapt to changing circumstances readily. Resist doing things the same old way. Be willing to consider new options.
- CURIOSITY. An inquisitive, curious mind will help you seek out new information. Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know it all. Always ask questions about things you don’t understand.
- INDIVIDUALISM. Do things the way you think they should be done, without fearing somebody’s disapproval.
- IDEALISM. Keep your feet on the ground – but have your head in the clouds. Strive to achieve great things, not just for yourself, but for the better of mankind.
- IMAGINATION. Geniuses know how to think in new combinations, see things from a different perspective, than anyone else. Unclutter your mental environment to develop this type of imagination. Give yourself time each day to daydream, to fantasize, to drift into a dreamy inner life the way you did as a child.
1980 National Enquirer/Transworld Features
Jim Westergren is a web entrepreneur from Sweden who lives together with his wife and son. Some of his interests are programming, web development, SEO, writing and
i want to be a genius
Great, me too
Most of my friends told me that I have the qualities of a genius. But why do I feel small and insecure. I feel like I have the lowest self esteem in the world. What can I do to get rid of this?
Great article Jim. I’m going to take those thoughts and put them in a white board I have here at my office. I will join you on your desire… I want to be a genius too.
Thanks for sharing this …this was helpful
Jim, that’s a great article. Full of inspiration. Thanks for bringing it to us. I find it difficult to belive that all geniuses have all 24 traits described here though.
Thanx! It’s been a while since I saw that article
@custom pet portraits: Don’t you get spam mail? There’s loads of info about penile enlargement there!
Just kidding. Sorry. Never mind me. Ok, maybe that was a bad joke. I’m outta here lol
/T
So as of now curiosity and versatality are important…
coz only then i can learn all the above
its really great im surprised and im exited when im reading this article bcos i found all this in my husband when im reading each line im just admiring him. i love him a lot. thanxs for keeping such good articles.:)
I agree your thinks. I copied it to reading one more time
Best Regards,
Hi,
good post. I have reposted on my blog
http://moralsandethics.wordpress.com
Another great article Jim, keep em’ coming.
A already recently posted some of my beliefs in the article of “how to become a genius”, Read them if you like please.
Regards, Jesper D
L. Ron Hubbard? The scientologist? Faaan Jim jag som precis trodde jag hade hittat min nya idol i dig…jävligt imponerad av SEO artikeln för proffs….och nu det här…argghh.
o.k. jag tar tillbaka de hårda orden…
läste det här:
http://www.seobuzzbox.com/jim-westergren-interview/
om du inte har gjort det än borde du skriva något om de 5 “förlorade” åren…
lycka till,
sjukt imponerad
Hej Joe,
Som du kanske läste så är ovan artikel som jag tycker är utmärkt inte skriven av Hubbard.
Jag har skickat dig ett mail.
I actually believe everyone has the ability to have most of these traits just many do not since they choose not to use these traits for their own good.
thank you, you also genius
funny, I was looking for the source of the Article (recently quoted it but didn’t know who the original author was) and here I am on your website – thanks for the info.
Very nice article and totally full of inspiration however complete BS. It’s nice to say that all these wonderful traits were shared by all the worlds geniuses however it’s just not true. Einstein had serious personality issues including fits of rage and poor social skills. Don’t even get me started on Newton since he was borderline insane. Now that we are a little more enlightened in terms of psychology we can compare there “traits” with narcissistic personality disorder or obsessive–compulsive disorder and we get a pretty good match one way or the other. There’s no question that these people were smart but many of them were severely flawed and we don’t want to remember our hero’s as really screwed up.
Great stuff you had here, I think I will come more often on your blog
By the way, this article reminds me of the one genius, the only one who wanted to give everybody free electricity.
Yes, I’m talking about NIKOLA TESLA.
@yomi bosede the truth is no one who wants to be a genius is going to be one. Genius are born with that talent, that’s not something you can develop.
Sure you can develop the qualities above. You can develop anything within yourself with training and determination, those 24 points above included.
It’s just that most people are down in the trenches most of their life and don’t see the possibility for their own improvement. Or they know they can improve, but are lying to themselves saying that everything is just fine and nothing _needs_ to be improved.
-J
@Fawn
Finally, some truth. Geniuses tend to be extreme in more than one way. Intellectually beyond, emotionally or socially usually below. Not always so. There are exceptions to every rule. Some are well rounded, though I think this to be incredibly rare. Genius rarity squared.
It is inherent in someone with the ability to see the world drastically differently than most, that they will enjoy their own company that much more than anyone else’s. The disparity in average social interactions between a genius and the norm helps to bring about such perceived eccentricities…the notion of crazy.
I take the term crazy literally: continuous emotional instability. This, too, may be an issue. If one can find the center throughout such immense flux, incredibly powers may bestow the individual.
Obviously I speak from experience. I was the kid who went to school once or twice a week, aced most everything, and was given special permission each year end by the faculty to pass even though I’d missed 40+ days.
It’s all a lie. It’s just an act. We each play our roles.
Wow^^ thanks for the great article-It helped me a lot.
while in hs testing revealed i have genius qualities. no more was said. time passed but i was clueless at what was said. i later discovered i was somehow different. i knew i just didn’t fit in when i realized i had something very special i couldn’t pinpoint until later
Hi Jim,
Thanks for the nice share…
Looking forward to become genius..
hi po kya
hello im jimmy perez from paliparan i understand you essay sir thank you for that soon i will become a genuis like you thank you sir
Hi Jim,
Very good article. It greatly deals with the qualities of geniuses. But if you explain some of them with suitable examples like for a typical situation, how geniuses will think, react and end up that. So that the readers can easily understand the differences in the thoughts of a genius and an ordinary man.
Thanks & Regards,
Maruthi Prasanna.
Excellente initiative et article passionnant !
i am so excited for this article,it is great and has really inspired me.
Very true.its best if it comes naturally.like me
OHHHH ABOUT 12 POINTS OF THEM ARE IN MY SELF SO AM GENIUS . AND IN FUTURE I WILL COMPELTE THE 12 REMAINING.
Thanks for sharing this, this was helpful
So I have a method to my madness!! was going to a shrink because of that word crazy, just realized that I didnt know what was wrong with me. I scare myself at times! I cannot distiguise fake from reality because it seems to be the same. which is the scariest part to me,also were it could be most creative. Growing up abused I built many walls! ” I am so proud to admit I knew something strange was going on, I realized I tore my walls down and I finally found myself! I’m not on cloud 9! I’m on cloud 10! Is also hard when its seems like your stuck in 2 different levels.! Help! They call me whacked! They told me I had big dreams but crushed them. I will accomplish this NOW! I have high hopes, no bodys going to trip me this time because I’ll bark maybe even bite! I know of ways and plans to accomplish many things! with determination that only grows stronger with each thought!!! It feels to good to b true! My children each struggle with all this not Knowing whats happening! well later on hint hint u got this or that from your mommy and your daddy! I know how to put my children on the path to success! advice:Let your children become who they would like to be they are such unique individuals do not crush their dream that might be crazy to u because you have no beliefs. Spread your wings and fly!!!
But if you expseniuses will think, react and end up that. So that the readers can easily understand the differences in the thoughts of a genius and an ordinary man.
they would like to be they are such unique individuals do not crush their dream, thanks so much
really great post.
But a person having all these and lacking mind can be in this category.?
Same, I want to be a genius.
Thank you
that is the biggest load of shit i have ever read!!!!
really thank you jim,great job..i knew from you that how genius are.really geniuses are appreciable.i will try to make myself like genius..thanks once again.
Hello, while I do think that your article is indeed inspirational, I think it is mostly untrue. Right now I’m about to turn fifteen and trust me I know what it’s like to be the kid genius who doesn’t fit in with their so-called “friends and peers”, it’s especially frustrating for me because I happen to live in Kenya (Africa) and the resources for the gifted here aren’t exactly abundant. It can actually be intensely frustrating to be a “genius” because everybody looks at you differently. Truth be told I’m a perfectionist almost to the point of being obsessive-compulsive, I have very serious mood swings, an extreme temper and sometimes my self-confidence plummets drastically-as well as my work ethic, because every thing just seems to simple. Therefore I don’t think that all your points are correct and completely true, I think that what you’re describing is a person who is determined, hardworking and overall a person we should all strive to emulate but I believe you haven’t accurately rendered what it is like to be a genius. However I don’t mean to be a downer, so forgive me if I come off as one. Good article nonetheless but to offer some constructive criticism , Newton was far from a good socialist, he was not basically insane as one of my fellow posters said but he was extremely eccentric. Michelangelo was a notorious self-hater, he absolutely detested his own appearance. And the list of flaws frequently found in geniuses is basically endless, had I not posted so much already I would have continued.
@ Anonymous poster above:
Perhaps you are indeed correct, as I am also somewhat inclined to posit: qualities of a ‘genius’ may just as likely include a set of flaws and/or drawbacks which aren’t mentioned on the list. I can certainly agree with you that this post does not adequately render the more holistic features that may define a ‘genius’.
I empathize with your difficulty in leveling with your peers. Too, you may find greater intellectual challenges among those with whom are older to you. Although at this time, this task may be especially difficult given the fact that you are still indeed quite young. I will say nonetheless that as you get older, you should and can find more and more opportunities to stimulate your growing fervor for intellectual and/or academic challenges- though you may find yourself requiring a number more of these outlets than most those around you if not all.
best of luck in your bright future.
I wish i could be one now.Nice post
I do all of these things, except I have low self esteem & patience dwindles when I’m trying to pay my bills on time or control my physical impulses.
It sucks having a super high IQ. Nobody cares that I can be mentally focused 100% for days on end, on international problems. I need a job & I need to knock off 75 IQ points so I can remember to feed myself, bathe, and say I love you to my gf & parents.
custom pet…: u shuld chng ur hndwrtyn accrdn to graphology. Mk ur t-bars high. Apply it and see the effects happening.
listen, it’s not at all what’s cracked up to be. it sometimes attracts the wrong people. they are somewhat vulnerbable because of these traits , learn to protect oneself
on the bright side, we do have have drive and ambition, more than most, can be good or bad, learn everything in moderation. they are also other traits not listed.
learn to communicate with God!!! you learn that the others are not aware of their limitations and go about life, God’s the only person that can make things , some things attainable , no matter how smart you are !!!
YEAH, ESPECIALLY CREATIVE GENIUS! and scientific genius like Einstien, was a such a friendly optimist that he spent the later part of his life as a recluse. This list seems silly, but hopeful it inspires you!
To “Custom Pet Portraits” & anybody else reading this who feels like her… I was once in your shoes as well. & even though I’m only 22 years old, and still learning IMMENSELY each day. I can honestly say I know how to overcome that “mental roadblock” per se, all it takes is LOVE, OPTIMISM, & POSITIVITY! You see Love is the most powerful human emotion, it has the power to overcome all others. When you fill your heart with LOVE, you begin to shine outwardly toward whether it be God’s, Jesus’ or even just you’re own love.. Now I’m not here to present any form of a religious debate, and too each his own, but LOVE is not a religion, it is a very REAL emotion. Getting to the point, the human EGO is our consciousness’ very own version of a “little pest”. It is like “the little devil on your shoulder” that you see in old cartoons, it creeps in your mind to put you DOWN, it causes people to emit NEGATIVE thought patterns. It’s the little voice in your head that makes you second guess yourself, the one that screams “YOU AREN’T GOOD ENOUGH!”. THE GOOD NEWS!? The Human EGO is FAKE! That’s right I said it, our Egos are nothing more than the product of our OWN mind. If you choose to follow your HEART & ignore that little voice, than it no longer holds any power of you. “Kill your Ego.” This is where LOVE comes into the equation, Love is so powerful, that to this day in mankind’s history it has not been able to be put into words accurately. & with LOVE you are in control… This is something that took me only 22 years to realize. To some that may seem like a short period of time, but to me it felt like an Eternity. It all starts with “Self-Love”, and I’m sure we have all heard that time and time again.. But how many of us actually took the statement “You MUST Love Yourself 1st” to heart? Well I know I never truly did at first. That was until I found my own personal form of “Enlightenment”, now I won’t go into complete detail on that subject right now (If you are keen on learning more about the intricacies of my mind then you can visit my blog http://basedvision.blogspot.com/ ). I realized that LOVE & Positive thinking hold the Ultimate Power, they are essential to life. By TRULY & FULLY loving yourself with all of your heart, you allow yourself to emit POSITIVE vibrations, you also gain a good sense of self-confidence. Through confidence and positivity, LOVE allows you to “Hit the Mute Button” on your EGO.. It allows us the perspective to think “you are simply just an imaginary voice… I was the one who created you & I can Silence you as well!” With this newly rediscovered “Power”, we can again look at Life “through the eyes of a child”… Think back to when you were younger, before “Reality” set in. I think I can say with full confidence, that we all truly believed ANYTHING was possible. & to be completely honest, it IS! So what happened to make us all just simply forget that essential fact of life? I’ll tell you exactly what without going into too much depth, the one’s who are in Power WANTED us to forget! But by tapping into our childlike sense of imagination & creativity, we can erase that “Lock” on our mind. Through the Power of LOVE, OPTIMISM & POSITIVITY. We are ALL individually, given the power to accomplish that great achievement in our lives. So it all boils down to is this; we ALL posses the power to unlock our “Inner Genius”! We simply have to learn to block out the fear, hate and negative thoughts from our mind. We must always remember, “No amount of darkness can put out even the smallest light..” & that light? What might that little tiny light be? That LIGHT is our LOVE, so let it SHINE BRIGHT on the darkness and you will be fine! You’re Welcome. – Elijah