Jordan, Adele, O’Keeffe: Same Move
Hi friends,
Let’s talk about three wildly different geniuses:
🏀 Michael Jordan
🎨 Georgia O’Keeffe
🎤 Adele
What do a basketball legend, a flower-painting icon, and a Grammy-dominating singer have in common?
They all unlocked their genius by changing their internal goals.
Let me explain.
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🏀 Michael Jordan: From Points to Championships
Early in his career, Jordan’s goal was clear: score points and win games.
But then his coach nudged him: What if the goal wasn’t scoring… but making everyone else better?
That shift - from “how can I win?” to “how can we win?” - transformed his game.
He stopped chasing the stat sheet and started optimizing for championships.
Result?
💍 Six NBA rings.
🐐 GOAT status achieved.
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🎨 Georgia O’Keeffe: From Accuracy to Emotion
In her early years, O’Keeffe was trained to draw with photographic precision.
But eventually, she asked herself: Why am I painting like a camera when I feel like a poet?
She changed her goal - from accuracy to expression.
She stopped painting what she saw and started painting what she felt.
The result?
🔥 Iconic floral images worth millions.
🎨 A legacy that shaped modern American art.
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🎤 Adele: From Sound to Soul
Adele always had a beautiful voice. But after hearing another artist sing with raw, gut-wrenching emotion, she realized something:
It’s not just about singing well. It’s about making people feel something.
So she shifted her goal. Not “sing the notes.”
But “hit people in the heart.”
And suddenly, every note she sang carried weight.
Result?
💿 Diamond-selling albums.
😭 Millions of us ugly crying into wine glasses.
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What Changed?
In each case, they didn’t just practice more or try harder.
They upgraded what they were optimizing for.
And that one invisible shift changed everything.
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Want to Try This Yourself?
Here’s a quick tip from my Genius Lab:
1. Pick something you care about: writing, leading, selling, creating.
2. Ask yourself: What am I currently trying to achieve when I do this?
3. Then ask: What would a master be optimizing for instead?
You don’t need to work harder.
You need an upgraded GPS.
🎥 I walk through this idea (with more examples and a breakdown exercise) in this week’s episode of The Everyday Genius Show:
👉 Watch: What High Performers Do Differently to Improve Fast
Whatever you’re working on - your art, your craft, your calling - just know this:
Upgrading your goals upgrades your results.
Same effort.
Better aim.
More genius unlocked.
Keep shining, you genius you.
xx,
Taryn 💖
P.S. Want to binge all episodes of The Everyday Genius Show? Here’s the full series on YouTube:
👉 Everyday Genius Show on YouTube
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