Leonardo DaVinci’s Key To Long Term Success

Success in Many Fields

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of visiting a traveling exhibit  about the life of Leonardo DaVinci.

The word genius is thrown around too much, but in this case, it doesn’t come close to describing this man’s mind.

He’s best known for his paintings Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. However, painting is only one of his significant contributions?

Did you know that he envisioned some of the fundamentals of human flight 400 years before the Wright Brothers made their first flight in 1903?

Or, that he was a sculptor, architect, inventor, military engineer and draftsman?

His body of work was one of the most significant in human history.

His Greatest Gift

After experiencing the DaVinci exhibit, I had two thoughts:

1. What an extraordinary life!
2. I wasn’t feeling like a success because, comparitively speaking, I ain’t done much with my life.

Then I realized that neither have most other people, and I felt better 😀

What most impressed me about DaVinci is that he was an observer. He carefully studied nature and people. Consequently, the wisdom he left behind may be his most important contribution.

There are pages of quotes you can find attributed to this visionary. One that jumped out at me was:

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”

His Key to Success

The subject of taking action resonates deeply in me. Probably because for many years I didn’t take action. Oh, I talked a great game. I was happy to discuss my plans and ambitions. But, when it came time to act, I excused my dreams away.

This continued until well into my 40’s, when an experience in a race car helped me break through my fear.

I had an opportunity to drive an Indianapolis-style race car at the Kentucky Motor Speedway. During that experience, I realized I was driving with one foot on the accelerator. The other was gently resting on the brake. I was holding myself back.

Soon after, I heard the voice of my instructor, Bob. He said “Remember what we taught you in orientation. The car wants to go fast, and turn left. Trust the car!”

Swallowing hard, I pulled my left foot off the brake.

I pushed down on the accelerator.

It was scary!

What happened next was unforgettable. 

The drive became smoother. I felt more in control. And, I passed two other cars on the track.

It was an exhilarating moment!

That drive made me realize that I’d been holding back in my life, living with one foot on the brake. I was afraid of failure, embarrassment, and criticism. I wasn’t taking action.

The Benefits of Taking Action

Since then, I still have moments where I want to hold back. But, then I think of that Indy car experience. I remember that feeling of pushing on the accelerator and taking my foot off the brake.

That’s the power of taking action.

The next time you need motivation, or a push to get moving, think about words of DaVinci:

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”