Have you ever sat down to work on a project, only to look up at the clock and find that hours have whizzed by because of an interrupting jingle of your smartphone or a knock on the door? This is what it is like to be working in your zone of genius.
Your zone of genius – a phrase coined by Gay Hendricks, author of The Big Leap – is where your passions meet your natural gifts. When you are working in your zone of genius, you feel fulfilled, energized and inspired. It allows you to be the best “you” possible and to deliver the most impactful results for your clients and your business.
Uncovering Your Zone of Genius
To discover your potential zone of genius, ask yourself these questions:
- What are three things or experiences that made me feel a deep sense of joy and fulfillment?
- What do these three things have in common?
- What are my unique gifts/skills?
- What do I love doing for long periods of time without growing bored?
- Is there a type of work I do that doesn’t feel like work?
- What work do I do that delivers the greatest amount of satisfaction and value for my time spent?
Working Outside of the Zone Is Bad Business
The majority of us spend an alarming amount of time outside of our zone of genius. Rather than working in your zone of genius, you spend your time on cringe-worthy administrative tasks, chasing invoices, reading lengthy email chains and stressing about managing household tasks.
When we start spending most of our time working outside of our zone of genius, we are unable to focus on what gets us excited about our business. This can lead to stale ideas, stagnant sales, and it can even topple what could otherwise be a phenomenal business.
How to Stay Working in Your Zone of Genius
You may not be able to dedicate 100 percent of your time to working in your zone of genius. But the more time you spend in it, the happier both you and your clients will be.
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1. Delegate or outsource the tasks you hate
Letting go and no longer having complete control is a daunting task, but it’s one that you must take on. For instance, if you have a fantastic creative vision for websites but loathe coding and web development, hire someone you trust to take that on for you.
2. Automate what you can
Take the time to look into automation services (automated invoices and emails, scheduled social media posts, etc.). A small investment in these services can save you headaches and tons of time.
3. Say “no” to opportunities you despise
Why take on tasks that you know you’ll be kicking yourself for later? Take on opportunities that will have you working in your zone of genius instead. Not only will the task not feel like work, but you will produce better results which will impress your clients (and which will hopefully lead to some much-deserved referrals!).
Never underestimate the power of capitalizing on what makes you uniquely “you”. Combining that with working in your zone of genius is where you will produce your most incredible work and it is the best way to impress clients, set yourself apart from the competition and ultimately grow your business into a profitable and rewarding empire.
