Robert Dilts, one of the foremost developers of NLP (
Neuro-Linguistic Programming), has done some interesting research into genius and created mental models of genius that anyone can learn to apply. If you can find them, his Strategies of Genius
Volume 1 (Aristole, Sherlock Holmes, Walt Disney, Mozart),
Volume 2 (Albert Einstein) and
Volume 3 (Nikola Tesla, Leonardo DaVinci, Sigmund Freud) are insightful reads.
Also check out his interview on
Genius and the Generative Self.