How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci (and Apply It)

Leonardo da Vinci was one of history's greatest individuals - thinker, inventor, musician, artist. What made him tick?

Michael Gelb wrote a book "How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci." Here are some highlights. The finding that extending our intelligence and learning capability is possible deserves our attention. Let's apply them to MVB. 

From a book summary of "How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci"

1. Curiosity. Ask better questions. How does this work? What made her a successful player? Volleyball is a thinking person's game. Consider a "high" toss. While it generates momentum, it returns with a higher velocity, reducing your margin for error while serving. 

2. Demonstration. "Show me." Coach Wooden's formula was EDIRx5 - explanation, demonstration, imitation, and repetition times five. You've seen the video of Alyssa DiRaffaele's serve and video of Elena, Gia, and Sadie hammering the ball from outside. For Leonardo, demonstration meant practice. 

Alyssa delivered 'sliders' that moved down and away from receivers. She also hit seams and sidelines. 

3. Sensation. How do you perceive the world around you? Use crowd noise to motivate you when needed and be able to block it out. Visualize performing a skill as part of your training and resilience. 

4. Sfumato blends ambiguity and change. I think of it as 'reading the game' and making decisions in real-time. They won't be perfect but don't let that deter you from striving to improve decisions. 

5. Art and science. Study the game and your ability to impact teammates and winning. That helps you get the most from yourself and others and to 'limit' the top players from opponents. 

6. Body and mind. Leonardo enjoyed both a remarkable mind and physical beauty. He sought to cultivate both during his life. Every elite MVB player was an exceptional athlete. 

7. Connection (analogy). Leonardo was a gifted inventor who designed bridges, musical instruments, and military weapons. He tried to copy birds' flight in search of developing a flying machine...using analogy. What analogies do you see in understanding volleyball? Imagine having a bow and a quiver of arrows. Is each arrow the same or does each have different properties - an explosive shot, a tip, a cut shot, and more. 

The more that we understand the world, people, our sport, and ourselves, the greater chance of success that we have. Invest some time every day thinking. Keep a journal of thoughts and ideas. 

Lagniappe. A brief summary of the brilliant Leonardo bio by Walter Isaacson... from ChatGPT

Walter Isaacson's biography of Leonardo da Vinci presents an intimate and richly detailed portrait of one of history's most brilliant minds. Drawing from thousands of pages of Leonardo’s notebooks, Isaacson explores the artist's insatiable curiosity and multidisciplinary genius, showcasing how his work in art, science, engineering, anatomy, and botany intersected to create groundbreaking discoveries and timeless masterpieces.

The biography highlights Leonardo's relentless observational skills, such as his studies of light, human anatomy, and the flow of water, which informed his artistic achievements like The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. Isaacson delves into Leonardo’s unconventional life as an illegitimate child, a self-taught polymath, and a man of boundless imagination who was often distracted by the breadth of his interests, leading many of his projects to remain unfinished.

Isaacson portrays Leonardo not as an otherworldly genius but as a human being—deeply curious, flawed, and driven by a desire to connect art and science. The book emphasizes that Leonardo's ability to blend empirical observation with creative thinking was the key to his greatness, making him a model for innovation in any field.

Through vivid storytelling and accessible explanations of complex concepts, Isaacson reveals how Leonardo’s legacy as a thinker and creator endures, inspiring readers to embrace curiosity and think across disciplines.