3 Questions to Check In With Your Unique Genius
While the immediate shock and grief of the terrible attack on May 14th is subsiding for many of us not directly affected there is a generation of work still to be done.
In our home we've been talking about how we can re-commit ourselves to healing the wound of racism on an ongoing basis. For us the answer includes showing up with action + financial support.
Locally in Buffalo the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County is committed to addressing systemic issues that have marginalized communities of color.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing it is stupid. - Albert Einstein
This week I am reintroducing the concept of the zone of genius.
(One of the ways I get inspired to send you something is when I notice patterns in my coaching sessions....and I've been talking about this with a few clients recently...)
Most of us live in a zone of competence or excellence – doing things we are average or above average at and someone else needs or wants (or will pay us) to do.
What if you lived in your zone of genius instead?
Gay Hendricks was the first to introduce this idea, in his book The Big Leap.
Our unique genius – and I believe we all have one – is at the intersection of our fascinations and our innate gifts.
Your genius may be sprinkled into our day to day work but is often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of stuff we do in the zones of competence and excellence.
More than once, I’ve been head down in responsibilities, and expectations only to find I can’t quite recall what makes me uniquely special and talented.
This week one client shared the way the zone of excellence feels like "labor" and "chores" in a way that genius never does. Amen!
In fact, there is a drift in the zone of excellence that is part of what I call the “achievement trap.” We get so much external validation for being in our zone of excellence – praise, high pay, and status – that it can feel especially risky to pivot towards our unique genius.
I assure you it is worth it. And you needn’t make sweeping changes. In fact, most of us need to start by simply giving our genius some attention.
Here are 3 Questions to Check-In with Your Unique Genius:
What is my unique genius? Or: What comes so naturally I tend to shrug off any compliments about it?
How am I using this genius in my daily life or work?
How could I amplify my genius today?
Setting your intention to give attention towards your genius will start to open things up for you.
Perhaps you’ll notice your genius in something small you do later today and you’ll rest in that task more joyfully.
Or maybe you’ll realize that a part of what you do for work really is your genius and you’ll find the inspiration to delegate another task so that you can spend more time in your genius.
Much love,
Marijke Ocean