The Paradox Of Genius

“Let your Light so shine” — I have realized, can be loosely communicated inferring varying thoughts with nuances embedded that nobody really speaks about.

“Nuances” because there are various moving parts that can impact your light or genius and the degree it can be shone; as well as how that shining can impact you and your work. The focus of this essay though, is to communicate these moving parts that make genius, a paradox, as well as how, as an educated mind ––you can ride above the paradox of genius.

It is essential to be unapologetic, authentically so —and, show up as the genius that you are. However, this idea is deeply nuanced. Without understanding, you can either be trapped in the cloak of genius or be loosed in an arena of foolishness. Foolishness isn’t ignorance or absence of knowledge. Foolishness can be the presence of knowledge to a fault that it becomes an undoing.

The reality that is often not communicated is that there are levels within embodying and expressing genius. My goal is to make these levels bare such that you can connect the dots yourself and plot a self-medicated graph to be the best you can be.

From observation, inquiry, and analysis, I have curated 3 levels of the genius paradox. And they are;

1. Apologetic Awareness
2. Unapologetic Awareness
3. Arrogant Awareness

Here is a quote by Marianne Williamson;

The first level of genius is awareness with apology. That is, you are not ignorant of the light you carry and the genius you are, even though you choose not to believe it. You exist in an awareness of genius but you are apologetic because you doubt yourself and place high hopes on your output. You look at other people who are seemingly unapologetic and it makes you feel inadequate. As though being apologetic would compensate for your lack of confidence in yourself and the insecurity of your genius. In this level, you are so aware of your flaws because the reality of who you want to become is so blurred in relation to who you are right now. Hence, your posture becomes one of apology; apologizing for your existence, apologizing for the space you take, apologizing for your ideas, apologizing for your work, apologizing for your wisdom.

At this level, you are second-guessing yourself and you feel like a fraud for being in certain rooms. Hence, you either stay quiet or deflect as you speak. You lead conversations with “I don’t know if I’m making sense” or “I’m sorry if this has already been said..” and all of those innuendos.

You are aware but highly apologetic. It’s crazy then because the level of brilliance you embody becomes a cloak where you intelligently boycott yourself and give brilliant excuses for why you are the way you are. You appear and come off as a philosophical mind poised with psychological understanding that creates a nest for your apologetic self. You know deeply why you apologize but you have chosen to explain your way out of it with intelligence.

This is the most powerless level of genius. The smartest of people seldom show up in their smartness to lead change in their industries. The best man for the job is usually at this level of genius where they are so aware yet they lack self-belief and the freedom to be whereas the space is filled up by a bold fool. So bold yet so authentic in his foolishness. How pathetic? That’s the paradox.

Geniuses most often start from this level and it could be as a result of broken identity, trauma, or learned behaviors. The smartest of people often know too much their default is silence because they have created a philosophy for everything. Oftentimes, even explain away their own fear, insecurity, unbelief, and inability.

The contrast of this level is it often creates what I have called “The Clever Critic”. The clever critic is formed in the aware but apologetic level of genius. Where you become so oppressive of yourself that you know all the right things but have failed to boldly show up in it. Then, everyone who does what you know, you criticize. You think you can do it better but never do. You think you know it better but never show it. You become blocked from receiving from those engaging in the critical aspect of your work and ideas. You become so cynical that you become clumsy.

The reality is - your fears at this level are created and induced through arrogant foolishness disguised as intelligence. You are failing to go from WHAT to HOW yet skilled in the diagnosis of what and how. This is the level coaches and transformation stewards cry at you to own your genius, shine your light, and show up strong.

To what use is being a light yet be placed under a bushel? To what end is being bright yet turning off your light when it is night? To what end is genius without generosity? And of what use is intelligence without implementation?

The whole infrastructure and intelligence of light is BEING. The freedom to be; to shine; to illuminate ––It is not thinking about how to shine but just shining because that’s what light does; shine. Light needs no introduction nor intelligence to find expression. Light is what light is––light! And, so are you.


Unapologetic Awareness:
To preface, not everyone starts from “apologetic awareness”; some start from here. They are those who are aware of their genius and are unapologetic about it such that even though they are wrong, they are evidently unapologetic in communicating their wrongs. Could be dicey..because it’s paradoxical.

In this level of awareness, you are unapologetic; not apologizing for the space you take up and audaciously seeking to take in even more spaces. You are bold and assertive; aware and conscious; brilliant and courageous. You know you are a big deal and you show up as one. You make the necessary noise, even when it’s unnecessary, and communicate your clout, effortlessly. You are indeed, unapologetic. Doesn’t mean you are void of fear rather you are full of audacity.

This is the level we must aspire and consistently operate from while being aware of the paradox that exists —yet not leaving this paradox to the definition of small-minded people. That is, those who could see your audacity as laxity or your courage as error. Those who make you feel or think that you are “too much” “too smart” “too edgy” or too calm. Those who consistently attempt to cradle you with the idea of “too” meaning, over-board.

When it is night and the light comes on, it’s easy for the dark to say to the light you are too much but the reality is the “too-muchness” of the light is necessary to illuminate the room else error is bound to happen.

There are times when geniuses who are unapologetically aware are so high on their own supply that they talk themselves out of rooms they need to be in. They become the world’s best-kept secret and can be likened to gold hidden from the eyes of the masses. They are audacious in their awareness yet cowardly in their expression. It’s a disease. Unapologetic awareness should match unapologetic expression. However, it is critical that unapologetic expression is not a guise for empathy-poverty. That is, being too full of yourself that it over-extends into your character and demeanor towards people.

The Unapologetic Aware is to exist in a frame where mastery is the focus yet movement is a watchword. You are not excusing yourself with the idea that you need to know more or be more before you can do more or live more. It is healthy to seek for more but unhealthy to stay complacent in the guise of that pursuit.

This level of genius creates “The Brilliant Bold”. Brilliant in thought and Bold in execution. They have mastered the synthesis between being and doing, dreaming and doing, and, ideas and implementation.


Arrogant Awareness:
Many would deny the existence of this level and that is quite understandable. However, from careful observation and research, this level is a reality for many geniuses. In fact, there is a very blurry line between wisdom and sharp foolishness in the pursuit of insight and mastery.

That is, where you become so full of vast bodies of knowledge that you become so arrogant lacking the ability to criticize your own judgment and embrace new ideas. This creates overconfidence and closed-mindedness. This over-confidence can be attractive, seemingly disruptive yet misleading because of the inability to consider alternative viewpoints.

You move from being unapologetic to arrogance; carefully creating your own box and paradigm. Failing to realize the truth that knowledge is so vast that your worldview no matter how learned is a figment of your own education.

There’s a word for this in psychology––confirmation bias. That is, selectively seeking or interpreting information that supports your existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence. This can make you resistant to correction because you unconsciously filter out information that challenges your established knowledge.

How this shows up in your work is the inability to move in the guise of seeking innovation or new ideas. You become so full you get trapped, losing your sense of childlike wonder due to the arrogance garnered from an exaggerated awareness of your genius. Indeed, a paradox.

This level of genius creates “The Caged Courageous Clever”. So courageous, so clever yet caged. Courageous in their pursuit and expression of genius, clever in their understanding yet caged in their own convictions.

This paradox is the thin line between wisdom and arrogance formed from an unwavering belief in one’s own genius. The Greek philosopher, Socrates, revered for his philosophical inquiries summarizes this in the most profound way;

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing”

It is understanding the truth that knowledge, no matter how vast, is a lifelong quest, not a destination. It is interfacing with the reality that, no matter the height of our accomplishments, we are all a work in progress.

Being Arrogant and Aware is no less of a disease than being apologetic and aware. Genius is paradoxical and the cue is in embracing true education, intellectual humility, and conscious curiosity. You shouldn’t apologize for who you are or how good you have become. At the same time, you must be aware that the expression of your genius does not place you on a high horse, incapable of coming down.

There are those who are unapologetic yet unaware. They are so bold yet unaware that they are truly unskilled. It’s called the Dunning-Kruger effect; where individuals who are indeed incompetent, possessing limited knowledge or expertise overstate their abilities. They may be so bold yet so wrong. The reality is; there are more of these people in the world today. You are light, shine!

Leverage the insights from this essay to plot a self-medicated graph and create a system for being and doing simultaneously.

Go be Genius.

-Faith Aziegbemi