It’s an argument as old as time. Is genius born or can genius be made?

I’m squarely on the genius is born camp. True genius we don’t even understand. Einstein, Mozart, Prince, Bobby Fischer, Da Vinci, etc.

I was watching 60 Minutes this weekend because I’m old, white and love Anderson Cooper. Anderson introduced us to another great example of genius:

Click here for the full 60-minute interview of Joey Alexander. 

I don’t care what Malcolm Gladwell would say, no amount of hours of practice will get you to this!

Joey was born a musical genius. He can hear something. His brain interprets the sounds. He can play it back, perfectly. Then, this is where the real genius lies, he can make it something completely new, unique, better.

I’m fascinated by this.  By the concept of geniuses altogether.

I think we probably have more geniuses around us than we know, but we work to make them fit. Fit into a role. Fit into our culture. Just fit into a pattern of normalcy that we find comforting.

Joey doesn’t fit. Thankfully.