Magnus Opus

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” – Michelangelo

The famed Italian sculptor, painter, and architect, Michelangelo, said that he worked to liberate the forms imprisoned in the marble. He believed his role as the artist was to remove what was extraneous simply. In this lies a metaphor for the endless struggle of man to free himself from his physical constraints to become the best version of himself. It is a metaphor of the flesh burdening the soul.

Magnum Opus is Latin for “Great Work.” Commonly meaning: the greatest, most popular, pinnacle, or most renowned achievement of an artist, artist, composer, or a “masterpiece.”

I define Magnum Opus as the life’s work of any individual.

I want to share a story of a young South African man. Born into his tribe’s royal family, this individual was brilliant and had a promising career as a law student. However, due to apartheid rule (a system that facilitated white privilege), the young man and his people faced many hindrances. He would give up his royal inheritance and promising career to fight for his people and his country. He believed in his cause with such conviction that he was willing to serve 27 years in prison. Complacency would say, “enjoy the fruits of your royal lineage, practice law, have a family and allow apartheid to exist. Just keep your head down, and no one will notice you.” But history would say, “Difficulties break some men but make others. No ax is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he or she will rise even in the end.” This quote by Nelson Mandela originated from a letter written to his wife during his 27 years of imprisonment. After being released from prison, he became the first black President of South Africa. Eventually, his life’s work would garner him the Noble Peace Prize.

In this story, I profess that Nelson Mandela’s life was his Magnum Opus. He found and lived his life’s purpose with conviction and determination. But the process of creating his Magnum Opus required removing the clutter of complacency.

There tends to be a daily battle between our complacency and our grasp of genius. To achieve our great work in life, we must be willing to remove the things that hold us back. The hindrances can include procrastination, time-wasting activities, distractions, or limiting beliefs.

To accomplish this, one must differentiate between talent and genius. What’s the difference between a genius and someone who is just talented? A talented person CAN do something (and at times, very well), but a genius MUST do something. 

So why would a genius have to do something? Like Nelson Mandela, genius is something you were “born to do.” In your genius lies your great work, your Magnus Opus. Settling for anything less isn’t worth it. Carve away the clutter and set yourself free.