![\"Collage](\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2025\/03\/davinci-6.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
When I turned forty a couple of years ago, one of the things I did for that milestone was to go through all the journals I’ve kept from childhood through adulthood. It was a way to do a retrospective inventory at the midpoint of life.<\/p>\n
In one of my journals from high school, I had pages of notes from a book I had completely forgotten about but which had a big impact on me during those formative years: How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day<\/a><\/em> by Michael J. Gelb.<\/p>\n The book uses the life of Leonardo da Vinci as inspiration for habits that can enhance your thinking, unlock creativity, and create a flourishing life.<\/p>\n I picked up a copy to re-read it as a middle-aged man, curious whether the book would still inspire and motivate me the way it had when I was a teenager. And to my pleasant surprise, it did!<\/p>\n How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci<\/em> is a really fun read that mixes history and self-improvement and combines philosophical ideas with concrete practices that can be incorporated into your life.<\/p>\n Below, I highlight the \u201cSeven Da Vincian Principles\u201d Gelb lays out in the book, along with some corresponding exercises that both 17- and 42-year-old Brett found useful.<\/p>\n Leonardo never stopped asking questions throughout his life.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, as we get older, we tend to get less curious. We often accept what we know as sufficient and stop exploring the unknown.<\/p>\n To cultivate the principle of Curiosit\u00e0<\/em>, Gelb recommends that you:<\/p>\n Keep a notebook.<\/a><\/strong> As I discussed with Roland Allen on the AoM podcast episode about the power of thinking on paper<\/a>, Leonardo always kept a notebook with him. He filled thousands of pages with observations, sketches, and questions. Do likewise. Write about anything that catches your attention in your notebook. Doodle in it. Capture ideas. Write down questions. How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci<\/em> inspired me to keep a pocket notebook on me at all times throughout high school and into my adult life.<\/p>\n Make a list of 100 questions.<\/strong> Write out 100 questions. They can be about anything and everything \u2014 whatever you wonder about. Make the list in one sitting. Write quickly, and don’t overthink. This exercise reveals themes or topics that are important to you.<\/p>\n I did this exercise in my teenage journal; here are a few of the questions I wrote down:<\/p>\n 17-year-old Brett was deep, man.<\/p>\n Leonardo sometimes referred to himself as a discepolo della esperienza<\/em> \u2014 a “disciple of experience.\u201d He didn’t just take other people’s word for things; he experimented, tested, and observed for himself.<\/p>\n To develop Dimostrazione<\/em>, Gelb recommends that you:<\/p>\n Inventory the origin of your beliefs.<\/strong> Make a list of three beliefs and mental models that guide your navigation of life. After you’ve made your list, examine each belief and consider the degree to which the following sources have influenced them: media, other people, and your own experience.<\/p>\n If you realize that the first two sources, rather than direct experience, have primarily shaped your beliefs, Gelb recommends looking for ways you can validate those beliefs through direct experience.<\/p>\n What made Leonardo such an amazing artist was his keen observation skills and ability to fully immerse himself in the sensory details of the world around him.<\/p>\n Here are a few Leonardo-inspired sense-sharpening practices:<\/p>\n Describe a sunset.<\/strong> Find a quiet place outside at dusk to observe the sunset. Write down a detailed description of the experience.<\/p>\n Learn to draw.<\/strong> For Leonardo, drawing was a foundational skill for understanding the world. His notebooks are filled with sketches. You don’t have to be an expert artist like Leonardo, but learning how to draw can be a powerful tool for acquiring knowledge. It can help make abstract ideas concrete. After my conversation with Roland Allen about Leonardo’s notebooks, I was inspired to learn how to sketch. Progress is slow, but I’m improving!<\/p>\n One of Leonardo\u2019s greatest strengths was his ability to be comfortable with ambiguity. The Mona Lisa<\/em> is a perfect example of this. The word sfumato<\/em> (which means “smoky” in Italian) describes Leonardo’s painting technique of blending edges, but for Gelb it also reflects his ability to navigate uncertainty and the tension inherent therein.<\/p>\n To develop the principle of Sfumato<\/em>, Gelb recommends that you:<\/p>\n Cultivate \u201cconfusion endurance.\u201d<\/strong> Contemplate paradoxes in life such as:<\/p>\n Leonardo seamlessly blended science and art. His anatomical drawings are both scientifically accurate and aesthetically stunning. He saw no divide between logic and creativity.<\/p>\n To cultivate arte\/scienza<\/em>, Gelb recommends you:<\/p>\n Practice mind mapping<\/a><\/strong>. Inspired by Leonardo’s habit of nonlinear note-taking, mind maps use images and words to connect ideas organically. In your notebook, mind map questions like:<\/p>\n Leonardo didn’t just exercise his mind \u2014 he took care of his body, too. He was known for his strength, endurance, and grace. According to sources, Leonardo was able to bend a horseshoe with his bare hands. He combined brains and brawn<\/a>!<\/p>\n To cultivate Corporalit\u00e0 <\/em>yourself, you can practice the many habits that promote physical health and poise, like taking a morning walk<\/a>, strength training, eating a balanced diet, and improving your posture<\/a>.<\/p>\n Gelb also recommends two quirkier practices:<\/p>\nThe 7 Da Vincian Principles and Practices to Cultivate Them<\/span><\/h2>\n
1. Curiosit\u00e0<\/em> \u2013 Cultivating Curiosity<\/h2>\n
\n
2. Dimostrazione \u2013 Testing Knowledge Through Experience<\/h2>\n
3. Sensazione<\/em> \u2013 Sharpening Your Senses<\/h2>\n
4. Sfumato<\/em> \u2013 Embracing Uncertainty<\/h2>\n
\n
5. Arte\/Scienza<\/em> \u2013 Balancing Art and Science<\/h2>\n
\n
6. Corporalit\u00e0<\/em> \u2013 Physical Fitness and Poise<\/h2>\n