Today I’m here to talk to you about the power of working in your zone of genius and how it can transform your life and business. Your zone of genius is when you are working and productivity is high, you're confident, and you find fulfillment in your work. If you aren’t sure how to find your “zone of genius”, we will go over how to start figuring out where to find your area of highest potential.
The power of working in your zone of genius
To begin to understand your individual genius zone, picture yourself working on a project. You’re excited with your head down completely engrossed in your task. Then you look up and realize hours have gone by. You were probably just in your element aka zone of genius!
There are countless benefits to working in your element! When you regularly work on tasks that bring you joy and that you are confident in, you are less apt to burn out. You are more productive and proficient because the work feels effortless. Not only that, but you find fulfillment from work, as you enjoy it! It brings out your natural abilities and sparks endless creativity, which in turn will allow you to achieve your highest potential and that of your business.
Finding your Zone of Genius
This is the number one piece of advice I give entrepreneurs starting out in business. Find your genius zone and try to stay in that zone for your work. If you're struggling to figure out or pinpoint where your passions and expertise lie, there are tools that can help point you in the right direction.
01. Know Yourself
In life and business you need to know yourself. You have to know your personality, and be real about your strengths and weaknesses. I highly suggest taking the Enneagram Test and the Myers-Briggs Personality Test.
These tools will highlight key strengths, personality and character traits, conscious and unconscious motives, and so many other fascinating details about yourself. The accuracy of these tests is a little freaky sometimes! They really do help you understand yourself on a deeper level, and clue you in on work tasks that fit your individual chemistry.
02. Ask Questions
In addition to knowing yourself and your personality, you can ask yourself simple questions, like:
- What lights me up?
- Are there any jobs that come easy to me?
- What tasks do I enjoy?
- What could I do all day and not get bored?
The honest answers to these questions are indicators of your zone of genius and where you should focus your attention.
Outsourcing
My seasoned business owners who already know their genius zone might be shaking their heads saying, “that’s all great, but running a business often requires numerous tasks that fall outside my zone of genius.”
That is a thousand percent true. Any CEO will tell you that there are a ton of tasks that aren’t even close to their zone of genius. However, most successful business owners will tell you that the solution is outsourcing.
When you outsource the jobs that leave you overcome with dread before even beginning, I guarantee your productivity will increase just by removing those tasks from your plate. You will no longer be wasting precious energy focusing on a task you hate. If there is a project that doesn’t inspire you, or you find yourself procrastinating every time a job needs done, then it is probably time to outsource.
Tips for Managing Unenjoyable Tasks
However, I do think it is important to note that not every unenjoyable task can be outsourced. There will be inevitable moments in life and business that will require you to work outside your comfort zone and area of expertise. That’s okay!
In those moments try to break up whatever the task is between other tasks that do bring you joy. You can also break the task itself into smaller, more manageable steps that you can sprinkle in with life-giving tasks.
It might take some trial and error to find your zone of genius and stay there as often as possible. However, once you do discover it, you will see the extreme benefit of staying in your element. I encourage you today to sit down and start thinking about your genius zone. Doing so will not only uncover your potential, but transform your business!
