Society has passed down the idea that organisation is the key to success. But what if that’s wrong?
For decades, the idea of neatness has surmounted to mean being correct. We’ve been taught to believe that tools to staying organised are stepping stones to success.
Conversely, being messy has been condemned and made out to be a pathway to failure.
Yet despite this, many of the world’s geniuses have been unapologetically messy. Einstein, for example, was never seen without piles of books, scattered papers and etchings of his work. Mark Twain, Steve Jobs and Sylvia Plath certainly had no hesitation over their “disorganised” homes and workspaces.
So, in questioning the age-old stereotypes of traditional success, we must ask: Can being messy be a sign of genius?
The Cost of Neatness
From the time we are kids, parents, teachers and coaches alike have all impressed upon us the importance of being neat and tidy.
But tidying up seems only to serve the fact that it has to be done. Things need to be clean, especially in communal areas, otherwise, it’s a slippery slope to chaos. This cleaning is for the benefit of others, and respect for people, places and things.
Being neat is not in any way, shape or form wrong. In fact, it’s aesthetically ideal. However, what is in contention is its relationship to being necessary for success or increased intelligence.
And organisation is key for a lot of people to be able to focus, lead and work which in turn can aid their success. But this is probably more a cause of structure and discipline rather than being tidy.
On the other hand, people often overlook the costs of no-mess attitudes. And more importantly, they fail to acknowledge the benefits of having mess and the inner workings of your mind laid all around you. It can also be signs of over-compensating for lack of other skills.
But learning this as kids is a good practice for life, regardless of your children’s personalities. It allows them to learn other qualities, like sharing, meeting expectations and respect. And in turn, when they are older, they will be able to break these social chains and still keep those qualities.
Being tidy is a mere good habit that serves the purposes of others, and keeps us in check. It’s simply putting a bow on the things we touch to be presentable and clean. But while this can be a positive attribute and helpful for some, it does not necessarily make you smarter or lead to more success.
Clutter Breeds Creativity
It makes sense that having a lot going on around you means you have a lot going on in your mind.
Messy people often have what psychologists would call “chronic disorganisation.” This means it’s not just a case-by-case problem of forgetting to clean. It’s ingrained into who we are. And most scientists believe this to be a trait of people with high intelligence.
“There’s a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.”
Experts even suggest that this clutter, seen often among artists, writers and innovators, breeds creativity.
People think that not being tidy can amount to a lack of clarity and discipline. But mess can be methodical.
And the simple fact is that creative people prioritise other things over being clean. It takes time to tidy, and creative people can be too busy to be worried about the look of their bedrooms, or the clutter on their desks. They are too busy creating and just being.
“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”
– Thomas Edison
Creative people tend to be messier because they are also focused on their actual work and doing what they want, rather than mindless administrative tasks, fitting in or having to meet other peoples expectations. Disorganised people do not think in straight lines, there is no one solution for every problem. They break the bounds of conformity in order to produce new ways of thinking.
Yet being messy does not necessarily mean you are bound to be a genius either. It comes down to who you are.
Organised Chaos
Messiness, to most messy people, reveals a sense of organised chaos.
People associate mess with discomfort. And it’s true, not all mess is good. Severe hoarding and disorder can be linked to a lack of control in other areas of life. However, here we make the distinction of unordinary or out-of-character mess. These messes are when we are really in the pits. It happens to everyone. But they’re still distinguishable from people who are just messy by nature.
It can be argued that for certain people being tidy and organised helps them to organise their minds and create an atmosphere of minimalist nature to enhance clear thinking. But for others, their minds are full and cluttered with ideas and dreams that know few bounds.
“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”
– Albert Einstein
It’s therefore likely that this kind of person would probably take more risks and upset the status quo.
But there’s no right way. The main problem is being clean and tidy is a mainstream and preferable method of success, one that does not work for everyone. And our history of mad geniuses and brilliant minds seems to suggest the opposite.
Human Nature Guides our Success
One can’t teach the tools of a genius. It just happens that a symptom of being a genius can be messiness. It’s time to break the traditional expectations and methods of success in rapidly changing times of creativity, innovation and advancement.
It comes down to human nature, our personal tendencies and the things we care about. There are no true secrets of success. Only things that work for people that they tell other people, or preferable traits for whatever industry one is aiming to go into. This can amount to things that are likely to help you to succeed. But there’s no one way to exist, just easier practices to follow.
Your work nest doesn’t have to be neat to do well. Your bedroom doesn’t have to be messy to be genius. It just has to be yours and become a product of your ideas, intentions and mind. A true genius is one that thinks in their own way.
“I can’t change the world, I can only change how I choose to live in it.”
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