I want to share people of the modern era who inspire and motivate me.
Albert Einstein
As a theoretical physicist, he was able to unearth relationships (space, time, gravity, duality of matter and waves) using the power of his thoughts. Then built a mathematical model for those thoughts to stand on. Later on, the model was validated experimentally by others!
The ability to discover and understand fundamental universal relationships is nothing short of witnessing a miracle in human cognition.
- Why was Albert Einstein more curious than others?
- How did he keep on going, without any empirical support?
- Why did he resist Quantum physics, even though his ideas led to its birth?
Elon Musk
As an engineer, his thoughts and energy led to worldwide change with technological and practical advances in battery, solar, transport, and space.
The ability to compose a potent mix of solutions, to challenge existing status quo, and be successful at it, is nothing short of tenacious, amazing, and brilliant.
- Why is Elon Musk unsatisfied with the status quo?
- How did he continue to believe in his analysis?
- Why is he unable to keep a dignified public profile?
Mahatma Gandhi
As a freedom fighter, he led people of an impoverished, illiterate, and disparate nation to an outstanding campaign against the biggest worldwide empires of all time: The British Empire.
The ability to craft a strategy rooted in personal values to unite disparate people to a single purpose, against an empire with vast resources.
- Why did Gandhi adopt a strict set of values?
- How did those values help him lead a strategy to unify and fight against the British?
- Why did he cave into British pressure and support India’s partition into multiple countries?
Steve Jobs
As a technologist, his product inventions (mac, ipod, iphone, ipad, icloud) and user interfaces have changed how humanity uses information.
The ability to build multiple beautiful, elegant, and useful products is proof of genius builder at the highest level.
- Why was Steve a perfectionist?
- How did he know when a product was ready?
- Why did he not pay attention to his health?
My take
I am in awe of both achievements and failings of these people. As a product builder, I relate most to Steve Jobs, and aspire to be as analytical as Elon. I wish to have even a tenth of Albert Einstein’s remarkable curiosity and tenacity to understand the world around me better. Finally, to get anything worthwhile done, I wish to understand Gandhi’s acumen and strategy.