Pulling levers, cackling madly, brewing concoctions and wearing a white lab coat – ladies and gentleman, I crave to share the concept of the mad scientist. Every once in awhile you will become so involved and inspired by a new idea that it can become a passion, perhaps even an obsession.

Behind every successful organization there is one or many mad scientists at work, bringing a new creation to life. Their work isn’t frightening, and usually it isn’t even mad. The fervor that their passion grants is a fuel that grants clearer vision and a greater desire to keep going.

What’s not to want? Mad scientists have found their burning question, and they are (perhaps a bit madly so) passionately devoted to working toward an answer.

Listen To Yourself

If you can’t hear yourself think, or if you are not open to hearing yourself, then you will never be able to tap into the power of the mad scientist. Your burning question may go unanswered, and your Frankenstien will remain unbirthed (unbuilt?).

Listening to yourself requires radical honesty. If you can’t honestly confront yourself with the truth of where you find fulfillment and where you do not, you’re going to end up staying in Mad Scientists College (or high school! Oh the horror…)

Learn To Laugh

One thing that you can count on a mad scientist is for an insane cackle. Yes, the type of cackle that you might cringe to hear, most likely resides in you.

Passion isn’t a humorless dedication to an ideal. The most passionate people are those that laugh the most. Don’t be afraid to break out the laughter now and the in the pursuit of a goal. The more that you are able to laugh, the more you will enjoy the journey instead of being burnt out by it.

Find a Proper Lab Coat

Alright, if you don’t think that the lab coat is the most flattering peice of clothing to wear…I don’t blame you. But you need to dress the part, and standards are standards. I’ll wait while you go get one…

Just kidding. The point of being a mad scientist is to create something awesome, potentially even world changing. In order to do so, you’re going to need to find the proper stage for your exploits.

Would a blog be the best place to start? Maybe not, maybe you just need a facebook page. Maybe you need to get down to business in your garage and then find a place to share your creations in public. Maybe your stage is your job, and you need to make a difference there.

Point being, if you don’t dress up your mad scientist self in the right lab coat, it will be like attending a black tie event in blue jeans. You might get attention, but not the type you want.

Share Your Creations

Consider the average “scientist creates life” story. What does he do? He shares it with the world. Well, to be honest, the “life” is usually so excited that it goes out and shares itself, but that’s not the point.

Creating isn’t enough any more. As a mad scientist, you have the responsibility for sharing your creation as well. The channels for communication are nearly infinite today. Many are infinitely inexpensive to do. If you do not, you’re only robbing yourself of the joy of unleashing your creation upon the world.

If it sends men, women and children running screaming, you can decide if that is success for you or not.

Check Out These Mad Scientists

Sometimes you need a little inspiration from mad scientists that are already making a killing (I mean financially or socially, not literally of course).  Check out these mad scientists and spend some time learning from them.  You won’t be disappointed.

John T. Unger

This social media savvy sculptor is probably best known for his fire bowls, but also has a collection of other works.  If you’re interested in someone that uses their “lab” to make a difference (by using only recycled materials), visit John’s site.

Seth Godin

Is there an internet marketer alive that hasn’t heard of Seth Godin?  I doubt it.  It’s not his noteriety that makes him noteworth as a mad scientist though.  This mad scientist takes the time to look at the world differently.  Oh, he also peers into the future, and seems to be more often than not.  Perhaps the best part is how much Seth shares with the world through his books.

Tyler Tervooren

The least known mad scientist on the list, but perhaps also the most risky.  Tyler Tervooren is the writer at Advanced Riskology where he is helping people take better risks to make their lives better.  He’s got some crazy ideas (like giving away a free e-book, actually packed with $100 in it).

Do you know any other mad scientists that you’d like to share?

Photo by glen edelson