When an idea goes viral, it mutates.
That’s what happened when the “zone of genius” became the trendiest tool in every entrepreneur’s toolbox. Lauded across articles, listicles, podcast episodes, and keynotes, you can practically see the emoji-heart-eyes when coaches and mentors rave about it.
But then.
“Zone of genius” mutated from a useful mindset shift and practice to a you-are-or-you-aren’t binary. Not working in your zone of genius? You poor lamb. Working in your zone of genius? You clever entrepreneur. You’ve got it all figured out!
3 Problems with Zone of Genius Thinking
Our obsession with the zone of genius can cause three problems for women thought leaders. It:
- holds back our growth and progress
- sets up unattainable expectations
- makes us second-guess our brilliance
To be clear, there’s a lot to love about Gay Hendricks’ work and the zone of genius concept: focus on working in your superpower — the unique skills that come naturally to you — instead of what you’re merely competent or even excellent at doing.
But adulation comes with a cost. Let’s get into the cost of unmitigated zone of genius obsession to women thought leaders:
1. Growth and Progress aka “I’m too precious to do this”
It’s sneakily easy for your zone of genius to become an excuse to avoid important work. Writing thought leadership / using Kajabi / proofreading / social media isn’t in my zone of genius, you think. I’ll delegate it.
But sometimes, “isn’t in my zone of genius” is just a hashtag-able veneer over:
- Arrogance: I’m too important to do this, or
- Fear: I’m scared of being bad at this.
So you put off necessary tasks because they’re “not in your zone of genius.”
The consequences? Your audience doesn’t grow because you refuse to write about what you think. You avoid emailing your list because Kajabi is haaaard. Your engagement dwindles.
You may be performing your face off in your zone of genius, but running a thought leader business demands more of your precious self. You are the person steering this ship and steering yourself through what to do. And how. And why. It’s your responsibility to share your unique, inspired perspective. It’s your job to know what you DON’T want.
Of course you can’t do everything — you only have 168 hours per week. Some things must be delegated. You can’t delegate until you know what you want, and you can’t know that until you TRY.
You can’t be too precious to lead.
Working in your superpower is ideal, yes. But not at the expense of remembering that it’s your role — honor, even — to lead in all aspects of your business.
2. Unattainable Expectations aka “there’s no free lunch”
Apparently, your zone of genius is doing what’s most effortless for you — what comes naturally and puts you in a flow state. Something you could do forever.
The problem is: nothing is effortless.
And the idea that your zone of genius ought to be “effortless” sets up unattainable expectations — namely, that working in your genius is free lunch.
In fact you may be expending more energy when you’re in your flow state. You might lose time and be flying through the work, only to “come to” and find you’re shaking with hunger, thirsty, exhausted, and you really have to pee.
Take yours truly. The following put me in a flow state:
- Writing
- Public speaking
- Connecting 1:1 or in microcommunities
But to say “public speaking is my zone of genius” makes it sound like public speaking is always effortless, always gives me more energy, and I can do it at any time.
FALSE! Public speaking exhilarates me and drains my energy. It makes me feel vibrant and connected and makes me nervous. My words and energy flow easily and all I want to do afterwards is lay on the couch with a pillow over my eyes.
My ability to do these zone of genius activities “effortlessly” varies wildly depending on time of day, what I’ve already done, where I am in my cycle, when I last ate, etc.
Working in your zone of genius takes tremendous energy. It can fill you up and wipe you out at the same time. It’s not a free lunch.
3. Second-guessing Your Brilliance aka the word “genius”
As a kid, I remember reading about a young man who was considered a “genius.” He started at Harvard as an early teenager, and had numerous hard-to-believe capabilities. One I still recall (maybe incorrectly, as it seems impossible) was that he could look at a pile of stones and know exactly how many there were.
If that’s genius, then I’m definitely chopped liver. I once joke-complained to my sister that everything I’m really good at sounds like something you’d brag about in third grade: I’m good at making friends and reading!
She laughed, I laughed, and while I realize how valuable these skills are, they’re not genius. I’m great at them, I enjoy them, but let’s not lose our heads.
That’s why I prefer zone of joy.
Genius implies something you ARE or ARE NOT.
Joy has a spectrum. We feel joy in different ways and at different times. Joy encompasses that energizing, aligned, vibrancy feeling without putting your skills on a genius-sized pedestal. You can feel joy in your zone one day and exhaustion in it the next.
With joy there’s a choice. (And I don’t mean choice in the sense that if you’re not joyful 100% of the time then you’re failing at life and all uncomfortable feelings are your fault.)
Joy can come and go regardless of circumstances — which is exactly how the things I’m brilliant at feel. Sometimes they feel amazing, sometimes they take more or less energy, and sometimes I just don’t wanna do them.
So if zone of genius has struck you as overwhelming or high-handed, try on zone of joy. Ask yourself, am I enjoying this? Could I make this more enjoyable? Your zone of joy may be a flow-state pinnacle, but you can find joy in ordinary moments, too.
I got this Note from the Universe the day I was drafting this article:
“If your breathing itself was not proof enough that you are loved beyond comprehension, then how about your freedom to feel unlimited joy, in spite of circumstances that surround you?”
You are Not a Prisoner of Your Zone of Anything
If “zone of genius” makes you question what you’re doing, why it matters, who even cares or the meaning of life, remember:
- You have the courage, aptitude and resilience to do new things that are hard or annoying
- Everything you do uses energy, including the things you love.
- You are a creature of joy. Joy is always available to you, and when you don’t feel it? That’s normal, too.
The things you do — the skills you have — are valuable and worthy.
Sometimes they are difficult and tedious, other times they are wondrous and energizing.
But NOTHING you do is wrong or bad, even if it’s in your zone of absolute abhorrence.
You are precious, but not too precious. You put forth the effort when you need to. And your zone of joy is always available to you.
Magnetic Thought Leadership
The zone of genius raised my hackles long before I wrote this article. And when something raises your hackles? That’s data.
Because if it raises your hackles, you can be certain it raises other people’s.
Turning your raised hackles into BIG opinions, provocative insights, and bold thought leadership is what I teach in the Magnetic Thought Leadership Method program.
Find out if this program is right for you here.
Now go out there and lead.
