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20 learnings from Leonardo da Vinci 
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A little bit about Leonardo da Vinci:
Creator of the few most famous paintings in history
- The Last Supper
- Mona Lisa
- Salvador Mundi
- Vitruvian Man
and many more
Creator of the few most famous paintings in history
- The Last Supper
- Mona Lisa
- Salvador Mundi
- Vitruvian Man
and many more
He was more than just a painter 
In his mind, He was just a man of science and engineering.
At the age of 30, He applied for a job and only in the 11th paragraph he shared that he can paint too
In his mind, He was just a man of science and engineering.
At the age of 30, He applied for a job and only in the 11th paragraph he shared that he can paint too
His creativity came from combinations of Science, Art, Technology and Imagination
He was a misfit, left-handed, illegitimate, gay, vegetarian, easily distracted & always curious
History's misfits taught us 1 thing: Think differently
He was a misfit, left-handed, illegitimate, gay, vegetarian, easily distracted & always curious
History's misfits taught us 1 thing: Think differently
I'll be sharing 20 learnings in no particular order.
QT if you find something interesting LEZGOOO 
QT if you find something interesting
LEZGOOO
1. Be Curious, relentlessly curious
He wanted to know:
- What causes people to yawn?
- How they walk on ice?
- Methods for squaring a circle?
- How light is processed in the eye?
- Describe the tongue of the woodpecker?
(Read till the end & I'll answer this question)
He wanted to know:
- What causes people to yawn?
- How they walk on ice?
- Methods for squaring a circle?
- How light is processed in the eye?
- Describe the tongue of the woodpecker?
(Read till the end & I'll answer this question)
He taught himself to learn about:
- The placenta of a calf
- The jaw of a crocodile
- The muscles of a face
- The light of the moon, and the edges of shadows.
- The placenta of a calf
- The jaw of a crocodile
- The muscles of a face
- The light of the moon, and the edges of shadows.
2. Seek knowledge for its own sake 
Not all knowledge needs to be useful. Sometimes it should be pursued for pure pleasure
Knowing a woodpecker's tongue cannot possibly help him in painting Mona Lisa
Not all knowledge needs to be useful. Sometimes it should be pursued for pure pleasure
Knowing a woodpecker's tongue cannot possibly help him in painting Mona Lisa
3. Retain a childlike sense of wonder 
After an age, we quit asking questions about everyday things
We love blue sky and sunsets but we don't ask why it is that colour
"Never let your inner child die"
After an age, we quit asking questions about everyday things
We love blue sky and sunsets but we don't ask why it is that colour
"Never let your inner child die"
4. OBSERVE:
- His greatest skill.
Observe how
- The dragonfly's wing pairs alternate in motion
- facial expressions of people relate to their emotions
- light bounces off differing surfaces
- Observe goose's foot
Then wonder why
Observe
Curiosity
- His greatest skill.
Observe how
- The dragonfly's wing pairs alternate in motion
- facial expressions of people relate to their emotions
- light bounces off differing surfaces
- Observe goose's foot
Then wonder why
Observe
Curiosity
5. Start with the details
- Do it in steps, starting with each detail
"A page of a book, cannot be absorbed in one stare; you need to go word by word." - Written in his notebook
- Do it in steps, starting with each detail
"A page of a book, cannot be absorbed in one stare; you need to go word by word." - Written in his notebook
6. See things unseen.
Working at theatre performances and plays, gave him combinatory creativity
he could see birds in flight and also angels, lions roaring and also dragons
He created mechanical props for theatres (Flying machines)
Working at theatre performances and plays, gave him combinatory creativity
he could see birds in flight and also angels, lions roaring and also dragons
He created mechanical props for theatres (Flying machines)
7. Go down rabbit holes
Found in his notebooks:
- 169 attempts to square a circle
- 730 findings of the flow of water & 67 different words to describe the moving water
- Measure a human body and do the same for a horse
"He drilled down for the pure joy of geeking out.”
Found in his notebooks:
- 169 attempts to square a circle
- 730 findings of the flow of water & 67 different words to describe the moving water
- Measure a human body and do the same for a horse
"He drilled down for the pure joy of geeking out.”
8. Get distracted.
"His willingness to pursue whatever subject caught his eye made his mind richer and filled with more connections"
If you are distracted because you have a wide range of interests...then that's something common between you and Leonardo da Vinci :)
"His willingness to pursue whatever subject caught his eye made his mind richer and filled with more connections"
If you are distracted because you have a wide range of interests...then that's something common between you and Leonardo da Vinci :)
9. Respect facts
He got an idea, he experimented it.
If the results didn't match with the theory,
He abandoned his theory and sought a new one
Be ready to change our minds based on new info.
Be open-minded
He got an idea, he experimented it.
If the results didn't match with the theory,
He abandoned his theory and sought a new one
Be ready to change our minds based on new info.
Be open-minded
10. Procrastinate.
While painting The Last Supper, He would stare at the work for an hour, finally make one small stroke, and then leave.
It's alright if you procrastinate, no point on pushing yourself into doing something you know you won't be satisfied with :))))
While painting The Last Supper, He would stare at the work for an hour, finally make one small stroke, and then leave.
It's alright if you procrastinate, no point on pushing yourself into doing something you know you won't be satisfied with :))))
11. Let the perfect be the enemy of the good
Steve Jobs held up shipping Macintosh until circuit boards inside looked beautiful (Even though no one would ever see them)
da Vinci carried Mona Lisa till the end (knowing there would always be a new stroke he could add)
Steve Jobs held up shipping Macintosh until circuit boards inside looked beautiful (Even though no one would ever see them)
da Vinci carried Mona Lisa till the end (knowing there would always be a new stroke he could add)
Eventually, Jobs said "Real artists ship" (Deliver even when they can be improved)
That is a good rule for daily life
But there are times when it’s nice to be like Leonardo and not let go of something until it’s perfect
That is a good rule for daily life
But there are times when it’s nice to be like Leonardo and not let go of something until it’s perfect
12. Think visually.
Imagine there is a TV in front of you
You are watching a documentary about your life
What would you like your life to be 5 years from now?
Visualise that.
Imagine there is a TV in front of you
You are watching a documentary about your life
What would you like your life to be 5 years from now?
Visualise that.
13. Mix different knowledge 
His notebooks had drawings depicting the dissection of lips he drew the smile that would reappear in the Mona Lisa.
"Art was a science and that science was an art" - Vinci
His notebooks had drawings depicting the dissection of lips he drew the smile that would reappear in the Mona Lisa.
"Art was a science and that science was an art" - Vinci
14. Let your reach exceed your grasp
There are some problems we will never solve. Learn why.
There are some problems we will never solve. Learn why.
15. Indulge fantasy
His giant crossbow?
The turtle-like tanks?
The man-powered mechanisms to flap a flying machine?
Just as Leonardo blurred the lines between science and art, he did so between reality and fantasy
Let your imagination to fly high
His giant crossbow?
The turtle-like tanks?
The man-powered mechanisms to flap a flying machine?
Just as Leonardo blurred the lines between science and art, he did so between reality and fantasy
Let your imagination to fly high
16. Create for yourself, not just for followers
Rich and Powerful Marchesa Isabella d’Este begged Leonardo to paint her portrait.
But he did paint a silk merchant's wife named 'Lisa'
He did it because he wanted to
Rich and Powerful Marchesa Isabella d’Este begged Leonardo to paint her portrait.
But he did paint a silk merchant's wife named 'Lisa'
He did it because he wanted to
17. Collaborate 
Have a singular vision, but achieving it usually takes working with others.
Vitruvian Man was produced after sharing ideas and sketches with friends
Question is if Leo was alive today, would his IG bio say
"DM for collaboration"
Have a singular vision, but achieving it usually takes working with others.
Vitruvian Man was produced after sharing ideas and sketches with friends
Question is if Leo was alive today, would his IG bio say
"DM for collaboration"
18. Make lists 
Make sure to put odd things on them.
"Leonardo’s to-do lists may have been the greatest testaments to pure curiosity the world has ever seen."
Like really, A Woodpecker's tongue. Come ONNNN
Make sure to put odd things on them.
"Leonardo’s to-do lists may have been the greatest testaments to pure curiosity the world has ever seen."
Like really, A Woodpecker's tongue. Come ONNNN
19. Take notes, on paper 
Even after 500+ years, his notebooks inspire us.
Our own notebooks in 50years will astonish and inspire our grandchildren
unlike our tweets.
Even after 500+ years, his notebooks inspire us.
Our own notebooks in 50years will astonish and inspire our grandchildren
unlike our tweets.
20. Ask Questions.
You already know why.
These are a few of my favourite part in the entire book
You already know why.
These are a few of my favourite part in the entire book
BONUS
"The tongue of the Woodpecker"
"The tongue of the Woodpecker"
Rough Draft :) and sources (few websites too) https://twitter.com/pradologue/status/1338735584785756160?s=20
I also created a StoryCard on Leonardo da Vinci failure.
Visit: http://TheStoryCards.com to get more every week
Visit: http://TheStoryCards.com to get more every week
Thank you for your time :)
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Much love,
Prado
If you chilled with me till now and enjoyed reading this
Then I ask you to RT this thread
Follow for more threads like this
Much love,
Prado
