Flawed, but eternally charming

"To do easily what is difficult for others is the mark of talent. To do what is impossible for talent is the mark of genius.":- Henri Frederic Amiel

Genius can be at once highly endearing, and yet incomprehensible. I have often wondered what constitutes genius and what goes on to elevate geniuses beyond the reach of talented mortals. Geniuses can soar to insurmountable heights, and plummet to the lowest depths the next day. They are enigmatic and extraordinary, yet most ordinary at other times. They are capable of enthralling the masses and just as capable of leaving them distraught. Undoubtedly, the most alluring aspect of geniuses is not their gifted ability and skill but the fact that they are inherently flawed.

The clear difference between talent and genius is manifested best in sport. While there have been many exceptionally talented, level headed sportsmen who retained focus and kept their minds on the job, there have been very few sportsmen who can be classified as geniuses. Success inevitably follows dedication as in the case of the hard working and talented individual. But an air of predictability always shrouds their performances, rendering them less attractive than the utterly random show of geniuses. Life itself is chaotic and mysterious, with very little known about what might transpire next. Part of the romantic appeal of geniuses lies in the fact that their every action mimics life's vagaries. Their divine gifts are woven seamlessly around mortal weaknesses and together, they create an entertaining personality who cannot fail to charm. The myriad connections among various aspects of their lives are never clear and the line that aims to separate their professional and personal lives is inevitably blurred.





Geniuses evoke extreme views and polarise opinion like none other. While women, drugs and alcohol are man's major weaknesses, they are much more formidable obstacles in the lives of geniuses. George Best and Diego Maradona were gifted with the most sublime skills and unparalleled ability and could conjure up magic on a football field with seemingly no effort. Best's brilliant spell at Manchester United and Maradona's glittering career were interspersed with episodes of drug abuse, allegations of affairs and sporadic incidents of indiscipline and misbehaviour. While it can be argued that these greats should have been more responsible and focused and not let success get to their heads, their erratic moments can often be attributed to an intrinsic urge to regain their lost privacy and personal space. The infiltration of their personal lives causes them to break free and seek some solace. Shane Warne and Brian Lara are two other classic examples of geniuses who never really came to grips with the stardom and adulation they encountered at an early age. While Warne battled the media and his traumatic personal life, Lara's fights were often with himself. He was almost always a slave to his mind, but on the rare occasions when he did pull himself up to wrest control, there was no better batsmen in cricket. Peter Roebuck beautifully captures the essence of genius "Lara has soared near the sun, while Tendulkar has been content to bask in its glory". Genius can reach well beyond the talented, but cannot quite remain there for long.





Carl Jung said "Sometimes, indeed, there is such a discrepancy between the genius and his human qualities that one has to ask oneself whether a little less talent might not have been better." Geniuses can be admired and idolised, but should never be imitated. They may neither be the most likable nor the most approachable, but they never were meant to be. Their gifts and traits are unique; less talent and better qualities definitely makes them more mortal and less genius.

The battle with their personal lives and weaknesses often leaves geniuses jaded and off colour. They almost surely pull themselves back with renewed vigour and determination, but discover that traits such as focus, concentration and dedication which are so easy to summon for most men are often in short supply for geniuses. More than all the amazing achievements of these legends, it is the continuous struggle to regain control of their life, often a losing battle, that causes millions to admire these men. It is not the spectacular aspects of genius, but the mortal struggles symbolic of daily life that constitute their eternal charm.