ordinary genius: models for quiet but sustained excellence
lessons from Paul, Ed and Charlie
I. Nature of Genius
When we think of genius, we picture dramatic figures. Brilliant minds but troubled souls. The tortured artist, the abrasive scientist, the recalcitrant visionary. They are revolutionary and often controversial figures. They reinforce the notion that greatness comes at great cost, that great men and women come with no less great flaws.
But these dramatic, larger than life figures obscure another kind of genius. The kind of genius that is equally profound but far less celebrated. Those whose brilliance manifests not in spectacle, but in a sustained, quiet excellence. Genius without the drama. They are, for the most part, uncontroversial, and thus tend to slip beneath notice. They shape the world through decades of refined craft, and consistent innovations, but seldom make the headlines. They are universally respected, yet somehow remain underappreciated.
II. Three stories
Three figures exemplify this quiet excellence.
From Liverpool's working class to global influence, Paul McCartney transformed popular music not once with The Beatles, but continuously over decades. Yet, Paul almost seems ordinary (a deliberate choice), perhaps because he makes it look too easy, all too natural.
Ed Thorp was the pioneering quant. While Moneyball may be credited with bringing quantitative methods to baseball, Thorp revolutionized gambling and trading in the 60s. Applying math to games and then to finance with astounding results. He beat the dealers and beat the market, all while maintaining a modest professor's life.
Charlie Munger, who recently left us, embodied this quiet genius in business and philosophy. In spite of the success he has with Berkshire Hathaway, and his extraordinary wealth, he was happy to remain outside the spotlight.
III. Patterns of Excellence
The three exhibit common traits that play out across their lives.
They are relentlessly curious, and always eager to learn. They are autodidactic, teaching themselves to master new fields or tools. McCartney taught himself every instrument he could find. Thorp taught himself chemistry and physics to win a state competition, and when his interests shifted, he taught himself mathematics. Charlie Munger read widely across different fields and studied biographies of the eminent dead, distilling wisdom for his own practice.
They honed their craft, improving themselves over the decades, and producing output consistently. This accumulates into a corpus of work so vast, it spans multiple lifetimes of any average individual.
But they don’t just learn either; they synthesize knowledge across boundaries. McCartney has composed music and played across a variety of genres. Thorp developed new mathematical methods as he needed, maintaining an edge against the house and the market. Munger built a latticework of models drawing from every discipline he studied and his own experience to better navigate reality.
As individuals, the three are remarkable and can solve any problems they set out on their own. But to their nature, they fostered a collaborative spirit. They harnessed their genius by playing to the strengths of their partners. Paul McCartney began with the Beatles, and then the Wings, later on in his solo career, he has worked with other famous artists like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson among others. Ed Thorp has had separate discussions with Richard Feynman and Warren Buffett; he invented the first wearable computer with Claude Shannon to calculate odds at the roulette table. Charlie Munger’s whole life is about partnerships: he started a law practice with fellow colleagues, and later formed a lifelong partnership with Buffett that led to the sustained success of Berkshire Hathaway.
IV. Choice of Quietude
Their relative obscurity, if you can call it that, often comes by choice.
They prioritize their personal freedom and independence over fame. Charlie Munger wanted to be independent, his way of achieving that is by becoming rich and financially independent. Money as a means not the end, and always keeping that in clear view. Ed Thorp, despite growing up poor, focused on his curiosity and interests, always made choices where he kept his freedom. The money was just a way to keep score.
They put family ahead of the publicity. McCartney married Linda Eastman, and preferred his family life. Thorp made sure he had time for his family and avoided unnecessary risks to his health and life. Munger’s family got to enjoy extended bus trips instead of flying on private jets for holidays.
They chose to live out an ordinary life. This is not modesty so much as it is a clarity of purpose. They know exactly the game they want to play: a deeper and more meaningful way to live life.
I think part of the reason why they’re rather underrated is because they’ve been around for so long, they just recede into the background. It’s like they have been there all along. Unlike their contemporaries, who often burn bright but flame out fast. These figures demonstrate how to maintain creative vitality and relevance across decades. Paul McCartney is in his 80s and is still going on tour. Ed Thorp is in his 90s but looks spry for his age, and is still active. Charlie Munger, was still involved with Berkshire Hathaway up until his death, a month shy of his 100th birthday.
They played the long game, and they played it extraordinarily well. Their reward is that they get to play the game for a long time too.
V. a Life well-chosen
These uncontroversial geniuses offer a different model of greatness. One that challenges our conventional narrative of genius and success. Their stories suggest that true genius might lie not in dramatic breakthroughs or revolutionary moments, but in the patient cultivation of excellence over time.
They show us that genius need not come at the cost of personal happiness or stability. Instead, it can flourish alongside rich family lives, meaningful relationships, and personal contentment.
In an age that increasingly mistakes controversy and drama for importance, these figures offer a vital counterpoint. They remind us that the most profound impacts often come quietly, through consistent work and thoughtful choices rather than grand gestures.
That's the real genius: not just in what you create, but in creating a life worth living, guided by clarity of purpose and a deep understanding of the game worth playing. These uncontroversial geniuses show us that greatness need not come with great flaws. Instead, it comes through great choices.
Quotes
The fact is, being ordinary is very important to me…It’s really quite rational, my ordinariness. It is actually my answer to the question, ‘What is the best way to be?’ I think ordinary. — Paul McCartney
What was important to us was how we spent our time and the people, family, friends and colleagues, with whom we shared it. — Edward O. Thorp
Spend each day trying to be a little wiser than you were when you woke up. Step by step you get ahead, but not necessarily in fast spurts. But you build discipline by preparing for fast spurts. — Charlie Munger
Inspirations
Paul McCartney as management study by Tyler Cowen
64 reasons to celebrate Paul McCartney by Ian Leslie
A Man for All Markets by Edward O. Thorp
Poor Charlie’s Almanack — The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger (stripe press)