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How the masters leverage their maladies

To be among the best in any pursuit, you need aptitude, hard work, and perseverance.

However, the killer ingredient is lesser known: an illness.

But not a major malady such as depression, syphilis, or bipolar disorder that is commonly associated with geniuses. You need a less dramatic condition that adds a dab of brilliance to your work.

Taking Ludwig’s genius to heart

Ludwig van Beethoven is the poster child of genius. He had it all: depression, eccentricity, wild hair. And, of course, the guy could string together exceptional tunes.

Yet studies show that the secret sauce of Beethoven’s triumphs could be an infirmity called arrhythmia he suffered from that causes an irregular heartbeat. It may be no accident that in some of Beethoven’s greatest pieces, the keys suddenly change, and the skewed note sequences sound like a fluttering ticker.

Some people are born with arrhythmia, but it is possible to cultivate the condition with a heart-unhealthy lifestyle. Wolfing copious quantities of fatty foods combined with no exercise can do the job.

Who would have thought that couch potatoes could be maestros in the making?

An eye for greatness

Some genius-imbuing illnesses develop naturally, offering hope to even the dullest individuals that greatness may be around the corner.

Consider, for example, the French impressionist painter Claude Monet. Later in life, he painted abstract, blurred renditions of his garden that were hailed as masterpieces. Undoubtedly, they are, but Monet’s failing eyesight played a part in creating these pieces. As one study suggests, it is no coincidence that the artist’s paintings grew more abstract and muted as his eye problems increased. Barely being able to tell the difference between a lily and a lamppost probably drove Monet to new artistic heights.

If you have an artistic bent but have failed to scale similar heights, be patient; cataracts may be your ticket to greatness.

The Big Brother solution

If you feel that contracting a bodily ailment is an excessive price to pay for brilliance, maybe a change in environment might edge you towards the prodigy zone.

Such a shift likely helped George Orwell write his classic novel 1984. Orwell, a lifelong bronchitis sufferer, was ailing when he moved to a chilly, rain-soaked Scottish island to work on the novel. The island’s miserable environment provided the ideal backdrop for Orwell’s dystopian work. He reportedly told friends that 1984 is such a dark, disturbing story partially because of his gloominess when it was penned. The author’s moroseness also forced him to focus on mortality and suffering, two powerful themes in his book.

Do not underestimate the power of misery to sharpen your focus. Charles Darwin was plagued by multiple mysterious illnesses that helped him blaze a path to scientific stardom. The sickly celeb maintained that ill-health shielded him from “the distractions of society and amusement.”

A cornucopia of conditions

So, if genius continues to elude you, pick one or more of the limitless ailments available to humans and start your creative climb. Choosing an exotic or rare condition also offers the opportunity to become a famous champion of the malady, amplifying your notoriety.

You might feel lousy, but you could soon be humming the next Ode to Joy.