The “Visionary” Delusion: Self-Appointed Prophets of the Obvious

In Greek mythology, King Midas wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. In corporate life, many have developed the Midas Complex—a belief that everything they do is revolutionary. This condition often presents itself in bios featuring phrases like:

• “Groundbreaking entrepreneur” – Yet another SaaS founder who built a to-do list app with AI.
• “Visionary leader” – A middle manager with a LinkedIn newsletter.
• “Disrupting the industry” – Actually just offering a slightly cheaper version of an existing service.
• “Redefining innovation” – A consultant repackaging McKinsey reports into a PowerPoint deck.

The Midas Complex is particularly rampant in startups, where founders must convince investors that they aren’t just building a business, they’re changing the world. The logic goes: if you’re just running a profitable company, you might get a Series A. But if you’re a visionary, you might get $100 million in funding—and a TED Talk invite.

The result? A world where selling meal kits online is “revolutionizing food distribution” and where “pioneering fintech” startups are just neobanks with a worse UX.

The “Visionary” Paradox: Real Visionaries Don’t Call Themselves That

One of the clearest indicators that someone is not a visionary is their insistence on using the word. Elon Musk—love him or hate him—does not introduce himself as a “Visionary Tech Leader”. Neither did Steve Jobs. True visionaries don’t waste time branding themselves; their work speaks for itself.

Contrast this with the thousands of self-described “game changers” on LinkedIn who have never actually changed the game, merely played it with mild efficiency. If everyone is a visionary, then nobody is.

Black Swans vs. Mid-Tier Prophets

Nassim Taleb’s concept of Black Swans—rare, unpredictable events with massive impact—exposes a major flaw in most self-proclaimed visionaries: they don’t predict real disruptions. Instead, they make safe, hindsight-driven declarations.

Consider the following “visionary” insights:

• “AI will change everything” – Brave.
• “The future of work is remote” – Stunning revelation, post-2020.
• “Data is the new oil” – You don’t say.

These pronouncements carry the same intellectual depth as weather forecasts in the Sahara: “Expect it to be hot.”

How to Spot a False Prophet

If someone brands themselves as visionary, pioneering, or disruptive, apply this simple test:

1. Have they actually predicted something unconventional that turned out to be right?
   • If yes, maybe they’re a visionary.
   • If no, they’re just good at repackaging obvious trends into compelling LinkedIn content.
2. Are they recognized as visionary by others, or just by themselves?
   • Steve Jobs was called a visionary by other people.
   • Most “visionary thought leaders” are called such only by their interns.
3. Are they solving a problem nobody else saw, or just marketing an existing one with better branding?
   • “Solving climate change with a new fusion reactor” → Possibly visionary.
   • “A new AI-powered calendar app” → Just another guy/gal in a Patagonia vest.

The Final Irony: Real Visionaries Are Usually Ignored (At First)

Most actual visionaries are ridiculed, ignored, or dismissed before they’re taken seriously. Think of:

• Nikola Tesla – Died broke, now worshipped.
• Galileo – Arrested for suggesting the Earth wasn’t the center of the universe.
• Alan Turing – Father of AI, persecuted by his own government.

Meanwhile, the people loudly declaring themselves as visionaries tend to fade into obscurity as soon as their personal brand consultancy runs out of LinkedIn ad credits.

Final Rule: The More Grandiose the Title, the Weaker the Substance

Ultimately, if someone has to tell you they’re a visionary, they probably aren’t. Real visionaries don’t need to signal it. They’re too busy actually building the future to waste time branding themselves as its prophets.

So, the next time you see a “Visionary Thought Leader”, ask yourself: is this another Black Swan, or just someone who thinks Midas Complex sounds like a luxury watch brand?