9781422277898

Good Organization & Effective Problem-Solving

Poverty to Wealth: Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, in Germany. Though he didn’t start talking until age four (leading many doctors and family members to believe he was “stupid”), Einstein clearly had a knack for math and science. By the time he was a young schoolboy he was teaching himself things

like algebra and geometry and solving highly complex math problems. Interestingly, Einstein was known for having a messy desk and being a bit unkempt himself, with frizzy hair and wrinkly clothes. He also had a tendency to forget appointments and not wear socks! However, he was highly organized in his studies. Einstein published his first scientific paper by the age of sixteen and was teaching physics and math in Switzerland as a young man. His illustrious and productive scientific career took off in 1915 when he published a series of papers on the general theory of relativity, which were groundbreaking studies that would literally change the course of science and pave the way for technological advances of the future. He eventually won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. Aside from his theory of relativity and other discoveries, Einstein was also known for being extremely hardworking. He’s famous for saying: “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” Of course, we think Einstein was probably being a bit humble here—the man really was so smart, a bona-fide genius by all accounts. But his humility and willingness to not take himself too seriously (while taking his work seriously) was probably one of the reasons why he was considered such an incredible leader in the world of science. As one of the smartest men who ever lived, Einstein made a lasting impact on the world, and leaves a powerful legacy in the value of integrity, discipline, and creativity. To quote the man himself: “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it’ll spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

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