An exploration of brilliance, timing and the future

“Be so brilliant no one can ignore you.”

I heard this comment and thought how easy life would be if it were as simple as that. How hard have I beaten myself up for ‘obviously’ being far less than brilliant?

But what of brilliance whose time is too soon? Those pioneers who see a future that few others see, and their brilliance comes from that place? The artists whose work only becomes relevant late in their career, or indeed after their death?

What if I were brilliant and the world was not at the intersection of time/place/significance to see that?

Do I stop doing my art, or do I keep at it, despite it not being seen? How does our society enable the people who are in advance of the incumbent worldview? Or those who carry the heritable wisdom of the ancients that we have so cavalierly discarded as irrelevant? How do we sustain the work of the pioneers, the seers? This is a question I am deeply inspired to explore.

For brilliance to shine in the present, to be rewarded with fame and fortune, or even a sustainable income, it needs to exactly meet the archetypal meme of humanity. As it is, right now. Brilliance meets timing meets the prevailing average human world view.

I adore watching Amy Schumer’s great art. Lena Dunham and Tina Fey. These women’s brilliance speaks exactly to the emerging voice of the slightly forward world view. Not too far…not too lite…just right. I love enjoying their success and their beautiful timing.

Simultaneously, I know many people around the world who hold a space for the future. People not seen, not heard, yet incredibly relevant and important. If I had a Philanthropic Fund, this is where my money would go…to those who are working in future worlds for the betterment of all of us.