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23.01.2025

Why most men pursue power, but phenomenal men pursue elegance

True greatness isn’t found in power but in elegance. Discover how Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton exemplified this pursuit.

Words: Raja Izz

Leonardo Da Vinci Museum

Photo credit: Leisure Italy

 

Imagine standing at the crossroads of history, where every heartbeat pulses with the primal desire for dominance. Power whispers seductively, promising glory, respect, and ultimate control. From boardrooms to battlefields, men have chased this siren song—believing that true greatness is measured by the weight of authority they command.

But what if everything you've been told is a lie?

What if the extraordinary men in history discovered a secret far more profound than power? A truth that transforms mere ambition into timeless legacy?

To understand this distinction, we must turn to two of the greatest minds in history—Leonardo da Vinci and Sir Isaac Newton—men who did not chase brute force but instead pursued an understanding of nature, beauty, and universal laws.

Leonardo da Vinci: Elegance in the Nature of All Things

In 2009, standing amid the intricate displays at the Da Vinci: The Genius Exhibition in Pusat Sains Negara, Malaysia, I experienced an epiphany that would forever alter my understanding of greatness. Surrounded by Leonardo da Vinci's meticulous sketches and revolutionary designs, I realized that true power isn't about conquest—it's about understanding.

A Moment of Revelation

Each delicate blueprint, each anatomical study, whispered a profound truth. Da Vinci wasn't just creating art or designing machines; he was decoding the universe's most intimate language. His sketches of the Vitruvian Man weren't mere drawings—they were a conversation with creation itself, revealing the mathematical poetry hidden within human form.

Leonardo da Vinci Museum Admission in Rome.

Photo credit: Klook

 

That day, I watched visitors move past intricate mechanical drawings and anatomical studies, missing the revolutionary spirit that defined Da Vinci. Here was a man who could have pursued political power, military engineering, or royal patronage—yet he chose something far more radical. He pursued understanding.

In choosing to dedicate his life to studying the natural world, Da Vinci pursued something far greater than power—he sought to illuminate the world with beauty, truth, and harmony. His legacy is not one of dominance but of timeless inspiration.

Sir Isaac Newton: The Elegant Laws of the Universe

There's a moment etched in my memory—watching Robert Langdon visiting the final resting place of Sir Isaac Newton in The Da Vinci Code, his eyes illuminating with wonder as he contemplates Newton's apple. It was more than a scene; it was an emotional revelation about the true essence of greatness.

His genius wasn't about force, but about finding poetry in physics. An apple falling, the moon tracing its eternal path—these weren't just phenomena to him. They were verses in a grand, universal poem.

When he described the laws of motion in Principia Mathematica, he wasn't just writing scientific text. He was revealing the elegant choreography of the cosmos. His relentless pursuit of research and discovery is nothing short of extraordinary.

Principia Mathematica.

Photo credit: Yale University

 

Beyond the Rat Race: A Different Kind of Winning

Let's be real. How many of us have been caught in the endless cycle of chasing titles, promotions, and likes? We've all been there—believing that more followers, a bigger office, or a more impressive job title will finally make us feel... successful.

But here's a truth that hits different: Power is just a temporary high.

Think about the people that are truly elegant. Are they the loudest voices in the room? The ones who bulldoze over others to get ahead? Or are they the ones who refined in speech, attire and conduct—who make you want to be a better version of yourself?

The Myth of Domination

History is littered with powerful people who fell hard. Napoleon Bonaparte. Julius Caesar. Sixty Roman Emperors and Ottoman Sultans? Murdered. Overthrown. Forgotten. Their legacy? Dust.

Each believed their might was eternal, only to become forgotten whispers.

But elegance? Elegance is immortal.

Your Real-World Choice

Today's world screams at you to compete. Social media turns life into a scorecard. Corporate ladders feel like survival games. But what if—just what if—success isn't about conquering, but about discovering and illuminating beauty?

Ask yourself: Will your life story be about how much you controlled, or how deeply you understood and advocate beauty?

The Timeless Path

Leonardo da Vinci didn't become immortal by ruling kingdoms. Isaac Newton didn't change the world by stepping on others.

They changed everything by being curious. By seeking understanding. By choosing elegance over ego.

The Challenge

In the end, the pursuit of power often leads to conflict and downfall, but the pursuit of elegance leaves behind an immortal mark of greatness.

So here's your real choice: Will you keep fighting for a fleeting moment of power? Or will you build something that outlasts you—a legacy of genuine inspiration?

The path of elegance isn't easy. But it's the only one worth walking.

Your legacy awaits.

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