How to describe a renaissance man
Being a Renaissance Person in the 21st Century | Randy LaFoy | TEDxMahtomedi
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all right what do you think of when you
think of a Renaissance man
probably someone who's very good a lot
of things and interested in many other
things and probably someone who's been
dead for a long time some like Ben
Franklin Leonardo da Vinci well let me
disabuse you of a notion to be a
Renaissance person you have to be dead
for 400 years or to be a man in fact you
could be a renaissance person and I
would highly recommend that you do so
not only a renaissance people cool you
would find that contrary that you I
think becoming a renaissance person is
actually quite energizing the problem is
right now society doesn't really seem to
value being Renaissance think about it
this earliest middle school parents are
having their children focus on one sport
or working into one academic discipline
universities start directing young
people in one area of expertise and tris
specialty the media focuses on celebrity
self one talent really if any so why
become a Renaissance person the answer
is because it's beneficial to you and
society as well Renaissance people are
the ones who can tie the many disparate
threads together Renaissance people are
not afraid to connect the unconnected
and tie them all together Renaissance
people begin to see ideas dance with
each other which leads to more
creativity and innovation being a
modern-day Renaissance person is about
the journey as you obtain knowledge
skills and talents in addition to the
exploration of new ideas cultures and
perspectives
it adds perspective to anything you do
which leaves an impression on whomever
you may meet whether it be a boss a
future girlfriend your children or
prospective client the quest and/or
attainment helps us to think creatively
both personally as a society you we can
be more than you thought
and we can get give more than you
thought possible but what exactly is a
Renaissance person first erased your
thoughts of being a jack-of-all-trades
because more often than not a
jack-of-all-trades is actually the
master of none a Renaissance person
actually has to master many things nor
does it mean to be exceptional in each
and every area of expertise or have an
impeccable life balance but it does mean
pushing the boundaries of what we
imagine it in the process breaking down
assumptions we had not just about
ourselves but about society as a whole
to me a Renaissance person isn't just an
interesting person but they have to have
two critical criteria first they need to
be recognized as mass being three or
more feels acknowledgments could be
LinkedIn endorsements blue ribbons at
the county fair a national award or
being elected to public office and
secondly it's someone who's able to draw
from a multitude of skills to solve
specific problems as the graph shows at
the pker da Vinci and Franklin but
looking at some of the other stars on
the graph you can see Lindsay Whalen
she's won Olympic gold medals national
basketball championships and is admired
around the world but she really has one
skill that's in basketball
conversely Edie would he was the
director of plan 9 from outer space
widely acknowledges the worst movie of
all time
he had a lot of talents but nobody
really admires so where are you on this
graph so what distinguishes a
Renaissance person from a regular person
or someone famous I'd say there's not
seven primary characters that
distinguish these people and people have
them in different amounts first is
financial savviness they know how money
connects locally globally and personally
which enables them to tap into ideas
that can help the economy or health
invest wisely life balance their
personal life is in balance because
they're intentional in their social life
relationships integrity and
spiritual and cultural development they
see connections as well as differences
and can be the voice of reason and
interpretation inclusiveness and logic
would also compassion in respect in any
debate knowledge these people have a lot
of knowledge in a wide variety of fields
they can use this storehouse of
information as they live out their lives
physically fit they aren't necessarily
an athlete but they have a fit body and
whatever exercise or sport they've
chosen arts they've figured out art is a
tool that helps conceptualize
imagination and express emotions and
this includes writing some of the
world's greatest minds have wrote to
express visions that could not be
conveyed in scientific findings or
political theory and many of them
regularly kept the journal to expand
their mind and they're cool these types
of individuals can pull off life with
ease they pull this off without coming
out as an arrogant jerk they're
comfortable with who they are and they
don't feel a need to boast about their
superiority
they are courteous and kind and polite
in short they are like a real-life
version of James Bond now the hard part
about digging in and becoming a
renaissance person isn't chemistry
biology economics you can study that at
school it's the stuff outside of the
classroom that's hard
so entertain yourself with a purpose
which do means don't mindlessly watch TV
or surf the net when you socialize talk
to others about meaningful ideas and
lieu of gossip or small talking get more
education and learn getting past high
school is a great start but what do you
think college is for one is unlikely to
ever again have such easy access to
experts and fellow students who are
willing to teach trainer talk to you
after college take advantage of free
online classes or watch TED Talks
right
work with others who have skills you
want to learn and be mentored then turn
around and mentor other people because
the best way to learn is to teach other
people read but usually read read
actively read cut out articles write in
them and then pass that information on
to other people but also as you read ask
why because you want to dig below the
surface and you want to follow up on why
but an emphasis on reading is too
academic if all you do is read nothing
is going to get done you need to take
what you have read and put into practice
last year I read the boys in the boat
the journey of the men in 1936 who won
the Olympic gold and eight men rowing in
this winter I'm going to be story
wouldn't ruin shell those built before
1960 but the last recommendation is to
explore Leonardo da Vinci long ago
realized one should get out of one's
comfort zone if we maintain stay in
status don't change will never grow to
the next level as you explore ideas and
places don't be a tourist be a visitor
when you explore open yourself up to
experiences to culture make connections
friends and associates here are some
tips for really digging in when you're
establishing goals for yourself make
them smart specific measurable
attainable realistic and timely create a
short list of goals or things you want
to master but you don't have to
accomplish them all at once as these
things will come with time think of our
models da Vinci and Franklin
they didn't become masters all in one
year be flexible enough when there's an
opportunity especially for your friends
or family member family members
understand the difference between
eclectic which is on focus meandering
and pointless and well around it which
is something else altogether
you want to strive to be the latter you
do not want to be a dabbler you want to
be widely broadly experienced with true
skills and several things Oscar Wilde
said you can never be overdressed over
over educated dressing well is going to
give you a strong foundation because
tells everyone
a renaissance person without saying a
word but now we're getting to the real
heart of being a renaissance person you
need to take action any gauge as you
engage don't flinch from your social
moral ethical duties this including your
inevitable mistakes making reparations
being both true to yourself and being
humble the Vinci or Franklin didn't
watch much educational TV they didn't
surf the net they didn't listen to NPR a
podcast but they engaged they wrote
letters they talk to people they travel
they learn by doing they didn't stop
they were relentless and understood and
believed in themselves push boundaries
and break stuff this is part of engaging
Thomas Edison has probably most famous
quote on this when he said I didn't fail
I learned 10,000 ways it didn't work so
as you pull it together on your journey
becoming a renaissance person I hope you
will after this talk there are three
major and interlinked things that I want
to keep in mind the first is to open
your mind to new ideas and not stick to
absolutes er dogmas second one to
benefit comes in making the attempt and
being recognized it's not an achieving
perfection or expert level knowledge
knowledge knowledge by simply aspiring
and seeking knowledge and wisdom and
feels impact all lives you'll become a
better person so when people call you
that Renaissance person they're basing
it on your personality and
accomplishments not a preconceived
notion third establish your SMART goals
an aspiration to be a Renaissance person
is a great start but you need to break
that down in specific tangibles so
wrapping up it's great to want to be
another da Vinci or Franklin but they
have different talents and you do
but be like them and be brave have
causes to take risk and do it accepting
consequences with good human perspective
no matter how it turns out as you engage
in begin be thoughtful and generous help
help by volunteering or raising money
for something
life is short why don't you try the
possible choose your own adventure and
journey it all starts with you
who knows after you've dug in and tried
the ideas you danced with when making a
difference four hundred years from now
you
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