"A genius! For 37 years I've practiced fourteen hours a day, and now they call me a genius!" - Violinist Pablo de Sarasate Are "geniuses" made or born?  For me, I believe in most cases its a environment of nature being nurtured.  It is extremely easy to look at someone who is good at something and think that they are somehow a genius, but, as the quote above implies, nobody ever sees the hard work or tenacity it takes to master something.  How does one become a master or genius?  I am not really sure exactly but what I do know is that they must have a method.  Everything in life has a method and once you can learn the method, all it takes is a little bit of elbow grease.  Here is a list of problem solving techniques that one might use to master any endeavor...

Nine approaches to creative problem solving:

  1. Rethink! Look at problems in many different ways.
  2. Visualize! Utilize diagrams and imagery to analyze your dilemma.
  3. Produce! Genius is productive.
  4. Combine! Make novel combinations...
  5. Form! Form relationships.
  6. Opposite! Think in opposites.
  7. Metaphor/simile! Think metaphorically.
  8. Failure! Learning from your mistakes is one example of using failure.
  9. Patience! Don't confuse inspiration with ideas.

    If you are interested in reading more about these nine approaches this list was taken from http://www.studygs.net/genius.htm