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Albert Einstein is an iconic figure in the world that inspires us to believe in the power of our minds. Though he's been gone for over fifty years, he remains ingrained in our consciousness as a beacon of intellectual might. I have recently finished reading Einstein by Walter Isaacson and will examine a few of the takeaways I got and what lessons we can learn from his legacy.
Lesson #1: "Imagination is more important than knowledge." I first saw this quote around 1995 and didn't understand it. I wrestled with the idea for a number of years. Back then, I couldn't just google it. What could this possibly mean coming from one of the world's most brilliant minds? I've come to understand that the power of our creativity is the basis for all the brilliance we see in the world. Knowledge follows creativity, not the other way around. Einstein attributed his discoveries, not on his superior knowledge of physics, but due to his power to imagine how the physics actually worked in physical reality. His creativity also manifested in the form of being an accomplished violinist!
Lesson #2: Be Curious. "I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious." Beyond his ability to imagine physical reality was his deep curiosity. He was obsessed with understanding how the universe operated. He relentlessly pursued the idea that the universe left us clues that could help decipher the "mind of God." He spent his life trying to discover it, even scribbling equations on his deathbed to uncover the mystery.
Lesson #3: Be a Rebel. "Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." In other words, think for yourself. Einstein did not get very good grades in school. He was a free thinker and didn't always buy into what was being taught or give great weight to rote learning, traditional ideas or respected dogma. He could not obtain an academic job or get sponsorship for a PhD after college and ended up working in a Swiss patent office as a low-level clerk. There his review of many patent applications sparked his mind. Perhaps because he was not indoctrinated into status quo academic thinking, he wrote four ground-breaking papers at age 26. His work on relativity helped to destabilize the firmly held, traditional Newtonian model of physics that suggested that the universe was akin to a machine, where everything could be explained by physical laws. Ironically, Einstein was uncomfortable with the far-reaching implications of what he had hit upon. He was ultimately willing to question long-held beliefs that were the underpinnings of this accepted paradigm of the universe. Don't be afraid to question your reality.
Lesson #4: Even great men have great life challenges. "A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new." For a number of years, early in his career as I have mentioned, he had trouble finding a job. No one would hire him as an associate professor, so he eventually took the job at the Swiss patent office. Even after he published the four ground-breaking papers in physics, he was still not offered a professorship. So just because you are not where you want to be presently, never give up, you don't know what life has in store for you. Even Einstein had to prove himself to the world before his success really took off. Sometimes your challenges help to make you a better man.
Lesson #5: Stay Humble. "The only way to escape the corruptible effect of praise is to go on working." This is coming from a Nobel Prize winner and highly esteemed generational thinker. Despite his enormous world-wide fame, he managed to stay grounded and maintain the proper perspective on himself. Though he did enjoy publicity and public acknowledgment, he remained humble and never fully bought into all his press clippings and hype. If he can stay humble, so can you. No matter how much you achieve or enjoy the fruits of life, never think of yourself as better than others. That is a deadly trap. Enjoy your life and always continue working to contribute to the welfare of others.
Einstein was a great man, but he was not perfect. He was not the most wonderful husband and father. He had his faults just as we all do. But he did not let that stop him from having a great impact on the world. Strive to be the best you can be, but remember there is no such thing as perfect. Even men and women we admire have faults and weaknesses. They are human. Focus on your strengths and forgive your weaknesses.
Use your imagination, be curious, don't be a slave to old ideas, don't be daunted by challenges, and stay humble. These are some of the great lessons we can take away from the life of Albert Einstein. These lessons can be seen as subtext to the amazing life and legacy he left behind.
Dan Galperin
http://www.manpowerproject.com/blog/lessons-we-can-learn-from-einstein