If you were to look at the things you spend time doing, can you categorise your life, into four zones? Do you know what would fall into your zone of genius? In his book The Big Leap, Gay Hendricks explains that these are the mental zones we spend our lives shifting between:
1. The zone of incompetence: you are engaging in something you inherently don’t understand or aren’t skilled at.
2. The zone of competence: you are doing what you are efficient at, but recognise that many people are also efficient at it, therefore don’t distinguish yourself in any significant way.
3. The zone of excellence: you are doing something you are tremendously skilled at. Often, the zone of excellence is cultivated, practiced, and established over time. A lot of people can sit in this zone and think they’re in the zone of genius.
4. The zone of genius: you capitalise on your natural abilities which are innate, rather than learned. This is the state in which you get into “flow,” and find ceaseless inspiration. You seem to not only come up with work that is distinguished and unique but also do so in a way that excels far beyond what anyone else is doing.
It is very easy to get caught up in the day to day running of your business, often to a point where we forget to look at the bigger picture. Are you operating in your zone of genius? Are you tapping into your most natural talents and using them to benefit you long term? Most importantly, are you MONETISING your zone of genius?
The Zone of Genius is a phrase created by Gay Hendricks in relation to fulfillment, success, and finding ‘your calling’ in your career. “Your zone of genius is what’s most effortless for you.” – Homebody club
The zone of genius can be described as the moment you are able to relax and start your work. Also, it’s the time that “you recognise that you are able to create almost instantaneously and without too much thought”.
“Forget about the fast lane. If you really want to fly, harness your power to your passion. Honor your calling. Everybody has one. Trust your heart, and success will come to you.”
Oprah Winfrey
Once you have put your life into the 4 zones, Hendricks’ asks you to consider the following questions:
- “What work do you do that doesn’t seem like work?”
- “In your work, what produces the highest ratio of abundance and satisfaction to the amount of time spent?”
- “What is your unique ability?”
When starting a business or searching for fulfilment, the goal is to identify what comes naturally to you. Once you do this, capitalise on it. So many of us identify what comes naturally to other people, and try to teach ourselves those skills. We do this to mimic and recreate what is working for them. It is common that people are successful in the zone of excellence, “but to take your life to the next level, you cannot keep playing by other people’s rules.”
A common mistake people make is not even recognising their zone of genius. Often, it comes so naturally that it feels too ‘easy’, and so people can be tempted to seek out areas that are more of a challenge, incorrectly believing that they will be happier and more successful. The key to finding your zone of genius is to find the spot in your work that feels effortless.
Future Females has been working for some time with entrepreneurs who are ready to step into their zone of genius, through the Creator Mastermind. This mastermind has been designed to support coaches and entrepreneurs who are ready to start selling their knowledge online.
This comprehensive 4-month programme will take you from ideation to creation. Are you ready to ready to fearlessly build your authority, connect on social media and grow a thriving online business, using what you already know? Find out more about the Creator Mastermind here!