A Beautiful Mind

Alister from Dream Big New Zealand

Oh my goodness I am so glad I decided to watch the movie starring Russell Crowe "A Beautiful Mind" again. I saw it with new eyes. I have to say what a fantastic Personal Development story.

The movie portrays the life of mathematical genius John Nash Jnr - a highly intelligent man who develops schizophrenia. When navigating unchartered waters feeling terrified & disempowered we turn to the "experts" for help. John Nash dutifully submitted himself to the treatment protocols of the day - ECT 5 days per week x 10 weeks or something to that effect.

When deemed safe to return home to his wife & baby son he was on a daily dose of whatever medication. The problem for him was although it diminished his visual hallucinations (in the form of 3 different & benign characters & the belief that he was to carry out important decoding of hidden messages in published magazine text for American Intelligence Service) the medication also dulled down his useful abilities that added value to the world.

What a stressful time for this young married couple. His poor wife must have wondered what she'd signed up for. Anyway, John Nash Jnr approached this dilemma as he did any other problem - using logic. He decided to take control of his situation to come to a happy medium that didn't completely dull his brain so he could still do his work yet didn't allow the hallucinations to "take over" so that his sense of reality was all but completely lost rendering him unable to function in the world productively.

He took a much lower dose of his meds & learned that the hallucinatory effects of his overly excited brain could be kept at bay by observing them as a side effect of a brain with "schizophrenia" & not interacting with them. They never left him however they grew quieter & kept in the background more.

Gosh I so admire this guy. That is a tough journey he got delivered & he found a way to live his best life with his loved ones adding great value to the world. He was a beloved campus fixture of the University library where he mentored students he affectionately referred to as "eager young minds".

His marriage survived which is epic - a wonderful love story of endurance, unconditional love, acceptance, space-giving, learning & growing.