What Leonardo da Vinci Would Teach You About Achievement

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”

Leonardo da Vinci is widely considered to be one of the most diversely talented individuals that has ever lived. He held over 10 professions to his name at any given time, and is credited with creations and discoveries that still influence the world to this day, nearly 500 years later.

While I would love to nerd out on how ridiculously ahead of his time da Vinci was in his fields, this training is not about science or art.

It’s about examining why da Vinci was able to accomplish so much, and applying it to your own life.

Da Vinci Had A Proactive Mindset

The quote at the beginning of this training is a testament to how da Vinci approached his life. He noticed that the successful people that came before him had a tendency to go out and make things happen.

They didn’t sit around and react to the world. If they wanted something, they went out and found a way to go get it.

And da Vinci operated the same way. Even through the streaks of procrastination that he battled, he managed to make world-renowned breakthroughs in the crafts of painting, engineering, anatomy, biology, architecture, and more.

It was his observation of his habits (such as procrastination) and the changing of those habits over time that allowed him to forge himself into the high achiever that he was.

Da Vinci operated with the mindset of going out and doing the things you want to do, creating the things you want to create, and seeing the things you want to see.

Da Vinci Had a Relentless Curiosity

Da Vinci was also known for his incredible curiosity about the world. He is also quoted as saying

Learning never exhausts the mind.

To him, this meant that the world was a constant puzzle to be solved. The important thing to note about how da Vinci used this to his advantage is he focused on learning the things that he really cared about.

If you’ve ever attempted to learn or study something you don’t really care for, you know how difficult it is to keep going.

He loved the arts and sciences, so he focused his attention on these fields. Because of this he was able to take his passion and learning incredibly deep, which is why he was a master in so many different verticals.

This kind of focused curiosity is another trait of high achievers. Be curious about the things you love. Learn and apply them as deeply as you can.

And leave the rest to everyone else.

Da Vinci Was Always Positive

Another famous da Vinci quote is this one:

I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death.

Essentially, he is saying that even if things get grim, to stay strong and positive.

Never become a victim to the world. Always know you’re in control.

Life wasn’t always easy for da Vinci. He was born out of wedlock to a very poor peasant family. His mother passed away early in his life and his father was married four times.

He received an informal education and had little opportunity until his teenage years, when he started his apprenticeships in the arts. He was also sometimes a troubled youth.

Yet he remained positive throughout all of this. His curiosity and positive attitude drove him to learn about the arts, and he eventually discovered his path to what made him into the famous historical figure we all know today.

What da Vinci Would Tell You Now

There’s no reason you can’t achieve any of the goals and dreams you have for yourself.

• Obstacles can be overcome
• Skills can be obtained
• Negatives can be turned into positives
• Your life can be transformed

Don’t limit yourself to the skills and abilities you possess right now.

Like da Vinci did, use the curiosity you have for the world to dig in and learn the things you need to learn, then apply them to create a purpose that you love, and allows you to live your life the way you want to live it.

If you want something, no one is going to do it for you. The world is not going to hand it over. You have to make it happen.

So set some goals. Make some plans. Establish your goal crushing routines and go get what you want.

The alternative is to be ordinary, and if you’ve read this far, I know that’s not what you want to be.