Unleashing Your Zone of Genius for Sustainable Career Development.

One of the most asked questions of my generation is “How do I know what I’m supposed to do?”. Especially in regard to our careers. It is a crippling thought for any young person to define the path they want to take. It is easier for others, like doctors and lawyers, while others find it more difficult. I am on such a journey, the ideas, and vision I had for my career have shifted year after year. As we speak, I am on a break, out of work and back to the drawing board.

As I stare at the blank canvas of my future, gathering lessons from giants of various industries, I stumbled on the idea of the Zone of Genius. Coined by Gay Hendricks in his book “The Big Leap,” the zone of genius refers to the intersection of what you love, what you are exceptionally good at, and what brings you profound fulfilment.

The ideas and vision I had for my career have shifted year after year.

From what I have deduced, discovering one’s Zone of Genius can be an insightful step towards creating the career that’s right for you, and one that can sustainably grow and morph at any stage of your life. So, what’s the Zone of Genius, and how do you find yours?

Discovering Your Zone of Genius

To discover one’s Zone of Genius, one must begin with the other three zones.

• The Zone of Incompetence: this is a description of activities that you might engage in that you aren’t skilled in or very good at. These are activities that you might struggle to do, for example accounting, in the case where mathematics is a challenge or public speaking where you’ve got low confidence.
• The Zone of Competence: this is a description of activities that you are efficient and good at, but it doesn’t make you distinguishable as other people are good at it too.
• The Zone of Excellence: these are activities that you do exceedingly better than other people. This is however because you have cultivated and practiced the skill over and over. It brings to mind the “10,000 hours to become an expert” philosophy.
• The Zone of Genius: here your skills come naturally. The skills are innate and unlearned, and when you engage in activities, you often enter a state of flow where you produce higher results than anyone else.

If you look closely enough, you’ll find that many industry leaders are operating in their Zone of Excellence, which in the long run, does not give as much satisfaction as expected. This is why the zone of genius is imperative.

When working within one’s Zone of Genius, you find that work is done effortlessly. A combination of these Genius and Excellence zones can lead to an abundance of success and fulfillment in your work.

Here’s how to unlock your Zone of Genius

• Introspection: Spend some time thinking about your interests, strong points, and times when you lose sight of time. What energizes and brings you a sense of aliveness? These might be excellent markers of your genius.

• Feedback and Evaluation: Consult with dependable friends, mentors, or coworkers for input. Find out from them what makes you special, what makes you stand out, and most importantly, how they see you fitting in.

• Discover A Variety of Experiences: Take on various tasks, responsibilities, or experiences to better understand what appeals to you. Sometimes venturing outside your comfort zone reveals very interesting things about your interests and abilities.

• Alignment of Passion and Purpose: Think about the ways in which your interests and abilities fit into a larger goal or mission. A deeper sense of achievement and fulfillment are frequently attained when your employment is significant and consistent with your values.

These ideas can bring you closer to discovering what line of work works for you. And once you’ve found your Zone of Genius, you must work at leveraging it daily to ensure maximum career growth.

Strategically plan your career. You can leverage on the experience of a career coach to create a clear plan and with simple steps to follow.

Leverage on Your Zone

This you can do by finding work that utilizes your strengths, prioritize continuous learning, network and collaborate with others in the same industry. Always be willing to adapt and innovate your skills to ensure you perform wherever you are and finally, strategically plan your career. You can leverage on the experience of a career coach to create a clear plan and with simple steps to follow.

You can flourish in your current position and provide the groundwork for long-term professional advancement by utilizing your zone of genius. Always keep in mind that developing your special talents takes time and requires self-awareness, flexibility, and a dedication to learning. Adopt a positive outlook, seek fulfilling employment, and see how your career develops successfully.