From WikiHow:
Learn about Bloom’s Taxonomy. Bloom’s Taxonomy is a breakdown of the six levels of thinking, from the lowest level to the highest. Can you challenge yourself to think about everything in your life at the deepest level?
- Knowledge: Knowing a fact. Knowing 2 + 2 = 4, doesn’t mean you know what 2 + 2 = 4 means.
- Application: Knowing how to use the fact. You can determine that 2 cats plus 2 cats equals 4 cats. You don’t know what 2 + 2 = 4 means, but you can apply it.
- Comprehension: Understanding a fact: You understand the concept of addition and how 2 + 2 = 4.
- Analysis: Breaking down information into its parts. 4 – 2 =2 ; (1 + 1) + (1 + 1) = 2 + 2 = 4
- Synthesis: Creating something new, writing a book, etc.
- Evaluation: Discussion of the merits of 2 + 2 = 4.
Embrace change, uncertainty, and doubt. It is on these edges of knowledge that innovation and discovery happen. Question conventional wisdom. Most people will violently oppose challenges to “conventional” wisdom. They will ignore facts to support their beliefs. Geniuses think critically. They do not ignore facts, even when it conflicts with conventional wisdom. Below are some examples.
- People once believed the world was flat. Eratosthenes (400 B.C.E.) showed it was round.
- Ptolemy’s view of the solar system held sway for 2000 years. Copernicus was forced to recant his view that the Sun was at the center.
Be prolific. Try for quantity before quality. To produce exceptionally good work, do a lot of whatever you’re doing. It increases your chances for success and it means you will get more practice along the way. It also takes the pressure off, knowing that while an effort may be your first, it will likely not be your last. Most geniuses in history, whatever they were doing, they did a LOT of it, and not all of it was genius!