According to Walter Isaacson…

the few things he did finish were enough to prove his genius

we can appreciate the genius even in the things he did not finish

refusal to finish things imperfectly showed him as genius instead of craftsman

finishing a work, froze its evolution. he did not like that

creativity, the ability to apply imagination to intellect. combining observation with fantasy. relate the seen to the unseen.

Talent hits a target no one else can hit, genius hits a target no one else sees.

tried to know all there was to know, about all there was to be known

1. Be relentlessly, randomly curious

1. Seek knowledge for its own sake

1. Retain a childlike sense of wonder

1. Observe everything around you

1. Start with the details

1. See things unseen by others

1. Go down rabbit holes (like starting a notebook with 169 attempts to square a circle)

1. Get distracted

1. Respect facts

1. Procrastinate, because “creativity requires time to marinate”

1. Let the perfect be the enemy of the good

1. Think visually

1. Avoid silos, see where disciplines meet

1. Let your reach exceed your grasp

1. Create for yourself, not patrons

1. Collaborate with others

1. Make lists (and put odd things on them)

1. Take notes on paper

1. Be open to mystery, not everything needs sharp lines