Lessons learned from Leonardo da Vinci, Remarks by Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne at the 2019 Convocation ceremony.

I’m really get inspired by the viewpoints of this President.

This remark was shared by Prof. Dr. Ismail Said.

Many of us knew his masterpieces, the “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper”, but we may know less about his achievements as inventor, scientist, engineer, scholar of literature, anatomy, and architecture.

What is so special about Leonardo? Here are the answers:

(1) Be curious. He was relentlessly curious. Due to the curiosity, he explored and gained knowledge of people, the natural world, and engineering. He combined that knowledge with his artistic inclination and created unprecedented works of art.

Moral of the story is use our time at university to explore, to be curious, with the enthusiasm and determination of Leonardo.

(2) Be true to yourself. He was individuality. He didn’t let others’ opinions constrain his own thinking, and he was often centuries ahead of time.

Being original and unique can be difficult. but ultimately rewarding.

Follow your heart and embrace your personality.

Cultivate and express those qualities that are uniquely your own.

Resist the inclination to model yourself on the success of others or to focus on someone else’s idea of what you should be.

(3) Be a team member. Although Leonardo was an individualist, he also took advantage of the growth and opportunities that come from being a team member. He was not a loner, but instead a genius who worked well with others and learned from others.

Connect with each other, support one another, and make room for new ideas.

(4) Adapt and Improve. Learned the way he experimented and then strove with great persistence to continually improve his work. He completed his portrait of “Ginevra de’ Benci”, and today we might call it a prototype.

Always try new things, adapt and improve. Don’t let obstacles dampen your spirit.

Success can take time.

“With hard work, you can accomplish more than you can imagine”.

If and when you hit rough patches, be assured you’re not alone.

You have Allah S.W.T the Almighty, The Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. (peace be upon him) and your families.