‘The True Sign of Intelligence’

Albert Einstein quote

Albert Einstein once said: “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”

This is one of those quotes that deserve to be pulled apart and explored. Imagination is often confined to a narrow definition. We associate it with children and select professions—those who compose songs and stories and scripts. We detach ourselves from it, assuming imagination belongs to a different breed—the Dr. Seusses of the world, not us.

But imagination is essential to all growth. When we exercise it, we operate like a sculptor: we look at what is and imagine what could be. When we survey a half-empty fridge. Or a room that is no longer functional. Or a stalling career. Maybe, we venture, just maybe… it doesn’t have to be this way. It could be more. It could be different. It could be better.

Those imaginative thoughts activate new ways of thinking. They pave the way to change.

Einstein needed imagination to discover the theory of general relativity. He thought outside the box, applying math, emotion and real-world observations to his computations. Walking to work each morning—a mile-and-half to his Princeton office—gave him time to be alone with his thoughts.  

We too need time to walk and wonder. When we imagine a better future—when we see it so clearly, feel it and nearly taste it—we can determine our next steps. We believe in what we are walking toward.

This radical belief fuels every Dardis training session. We imagine a more dynamic career for each client: more meaningful work, more high-impact initiatives, more promotions and partnerships. All these developments, we imagine, will flow from sharper communication skills.

And they do.

We see it again and again. Once our clients learn the Dardis roadmap for success, the magic begins. Suddenly, they speak as well as they think. They make a convincing case for themselves. They nail the next presentation. They master every email that inches them toward those big results. They think on their feet. All because they imagined they could be better.