Awaken Your Genius

Escape Conformity, Ignite Creativity, and Become Extraordinary

By: Ozan Varol

Narrated by: Ozan Varol

Unlock your originality and unleash your unique talents with this simple guide from the acclaimed author of Think Like a Rocket Scientist.

We say some people march to the beat of a different drummer. But implicit in this cliché is that the rest of us march to the same beat. We sleepwalk through life, find ourselves on well-worn paths that were never ours to walk, and become a silent extra in someone else’s story.

Extraordinary people carve their own paths as leaders and creators. They think and act with genuine independence. They stand out from the crowd because they embody their own shape and color.

We call these people geniuses—as if they’re another breed. But genius isn’t for a special few. It can be cultivated.

This book will show you how. You’ll learn how to discard what no longer serves you and discover your first principles—the qualities that make up your genius. You’ll be equipped to escape your intellectual prisons and generate original insights from your own depths. You’ll discover how to look where others don’t look and see what others don’t see. You’ll give birth to your genius, the universe-denter you were meant to be.

©2023 Ozan Varol (P)2023 PublicAffairs

Transformation and change is never easy, and it shouldn't be.

I met Ozan at WDS I'm Portland, where he delivered an incredible keynote and where for the first time, I heard a story about a butterfly and caterpillar. I had no idea how much I needed to hear this story again. Transformation and change is never easy, and it shouldn't be.
It's a beautiful book. It's one of the very few books that inspire me to accept new challenges that life offers but without that aftertaste of judgemental pressure that sometimes nonfiction books can leave in my body and mind.
Thank you, Ozan.
You are such an extraordinary butterfly.

Being able to articulate and give actionable advice.

Absolutely amazing book ! An absolute deep dive on how to spread your wings and fly.

A must read

The storytelling and depth is amazing. I couldn’t put the book down. I continue to be a Ozan Varol fan!

A true compass for life!

Having consumed well over 150 self help titles this one has to be in my top three favorites of all time. Ozan masterfully shares how one can navigate in our current polarized world and find our way to our true authentic selves. I have listened through it now twice and suspect I will be listening to it again soon. It would be great for this to be high school required reading before graduating (will definitely have my sons listen to it). I always appreciate when the author narrates their own book as well. I will continue to refer this one out!

Useful examples, inspiring content

I listened to this book in the car. What I particularly - and unexpectedly - enjoyed was sharing it with my 13 year old son. He happened to catch the chapter on not letting school define you while we were driving and was hooked for the rest of the book. I am in the midst of a career reinvention after many years of corporate life; Ozan's anecdotes and encouragement demonstrated to my pubescent kid that reinvention and out of the box thinking can and should be incorporated throughout our lives, not just when we're older. We are already firm believers in the limits of social media, and my son appreciated the different, yet similar, perspective from his parents. Ozan is highly engaging and my only feedback for any listeners with hearing aids (as I have) is that occasionally Ozan "fades" out the very ends of his sentences as he loses breath. Not frequently, as some untrained audio narrators will do, but enough that I did rewind a few times while listening in the car to hear what he said. It didn't deter from an otherwise excellent use of 7 or so hours! Highly recommend.

Tired tropes

I was hoping for something more creative and original, as this would be more congruent with the title and the focus of this book. What I found is decent narration, a decent storyteller, and a book full of the same tired tropes that most current self-help books are filled with.

Quotes from the ancients and classics, and studies done with the WIERD (for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic), in other words, generally white young college students.

If you’re around 30 and haven’t spent any time in self-help literature, you might find this book, interesting and even helpful.

If you are a mature adult have a career under your belt, have an experience in creativity, and are looking for something to help you gain more about your original voice– put the book down go to your musical instrument, go to your typewriter or computer, go to whatever medium you use, paint brush, pencils, and paper, cameras, and just get out there and do the work that you’re already doing – creativity, and originality and genius come in the action of doing the work, not listening to an author who has much less to say in a second book then he did in his first.

Great Listen !

This is a great book. He is a great story teller and inspiring writer ! I love both of his books

First book was better

This book is like a collection of pearls of wisdom followed by lots of metaphors. Other than the author's personal experience, many of the stories are familiar. Often when an author writes a good first book, the temptation is to write a second book for the sake of having a second book (rather than having enough original content to justify a second book).

Engaging

Really enjoyed this book. Great examples and the material kept my interest. I would highly recommend.

Amazing Book

Full of insights, first-hand info, out-of-the-box approach. Highly recommended for would-be scientists and project managers.