Men of lofty genius when they are doing the least work are most active

Men of lofty genius when they are doing the least work are most active

Leonardo da Vinci, often considered one of the greatest geniuses in history, perfectly embodies the idea that men of lofty genius are most active when they are doing the least work. Da Vinci was a polymath, excelling in a wide range of fields including painting, sculpture, engineering, anatomy, and architecture. Despite his diverse interests and talents, he was known for his procrastination and tendency to leave projects unfinished. However, it was during these periods of apparent inactivity that his mind was most active and creative.

Da Vinci's notebooks are filled with sketches, diagrams, and ideas for inventions that were never realized. He would often start a project only to abandon it halfway through, moving on to something else that caught his interest. This may seem like a lack of focus or discipline, but in reality, it was a reflection of his restless and curious mind. Da Vinci was constantly seeking new challenges and pushing the boundaries of what was possible, and this required him to constantly be exploring new ideas and concepts.

One of the reasons why Da Vinci was able to achieve such great heights of creativity and innovation was his ability to let his mind wander and make connections between seemingly unrelated fields. By allowing himself the freedom to explore different avenues of thought, he was able to come up with groundbreaking ideas that revolutionized the fields of art, science, and engineering. This is why he was able to create masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, as well as design inventions like flying machines and war machines that were far ahead of their time.