It is human nature to be jealous of others. However, before you even begin comparing yourself with others, think again. We all have different talents and gifts. Each of us is destined to be great. You may not be good in math but you can be an excellent artist. You may be poor in communication skills but you may be a good athlete. Just because you got bad grades in school, it does not mean that you will fail in life. You are more than your report card. You are talented. All you need to do is to find and unleash the genius within you.
Unfortunately, instead of finding our own path, majority of us opt to follow the dictates of society. We let our parents choose our path. We follow what’s popular. Instead of creating our own definition of success, we chose to adhere to how society defines success. We were programmed by society to think in a certain way. As a result, we lose ourselves in the process.
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life thinking it is stupid.
– Albert Einstein
Instead, we should all learn from Santiago, the lead character from The Alchemist who followed his heart and intuition to look for his treasure.
Zone of Genius
The good news is that, it is not yet too late. We can still find what Gay Hendricks, psychologist and author of the The Big Leap, call the Zone of Genius. The genius zone is that particular area in our life where we are taking advantage of our natural gifts and talents and at the same actually enjoy what we are doing. It pertains to the zone wherein we capitalize on our innate abilities.
Psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi call this at “in flow”. This is because, at this zone, you are “in flow” and are completely immersed in what you are doing that you have lost all sense of time. In addition, you get never-ending inspiration with what you are doing. Every second is fun and meaningful for you. You always feel happy and energized while working. All highly successful people are in this zone. They are fortunate enough to use their passion as the key to success.
Zone of Excellence
However, please take note that there is another zone, the zone of excellence. Be careful not to confuse the two. In the zone of excellence, just like in the zone of genius, you are also doing something that you are good at. Your skills and expertise are also top-notched in this level. The only difference is that in the zone of genius, you not only excel but you also enjoy every minute of what you are doing.
Test yourself. Do you dread going to work every Monday despite the fact that you are good in what you are doing? Are you always looking forward to weekends so that you can recharge? If you feel that way, then you are in the zone of excellence. Remember that you lost track of time in the zone of genius because you are having fun every second of the day. That is reason why some people in the zone of excellence who have already achieved so much still feel that something is lacking in their life. It is because they are in the wrong zone.
Unleash The Genius Within You
Launch Challenge
To unleash the genius within you, you first need to find your zone of genius. How to find your zone of genius? There are two components to get to your genius zone. First, you need to find your genius. The second one is you need to find your purpose.
Finding your Genius
To find your genius, you need to sit at a quiet place and meditate. Listening to calming music can help. Then close your eyes and ask yourself.
- What is one thing that you are exceptional at? No one else does it better than you.
- When do you feel most energized?
- What moment in your life did you feel that you shine the most? What were you doing then?
- When do you get the most compliment from other people?
- What is one thing that you can do for hours and hours and not get bored with it?
- Why and what do people normally ask you for advice?
If you can answer the questions above honestly, then congratulations! You have just identified your genius.
Finding your Purpose
The question now is what do you do with your genius? This is now your purpose. Your purpose is the meaning of your very existence. All of us are born with a purpose in life. Generally, our purpose is to love and serve others. Individually, it is all about serving others using our genius.
Continue your meditation. Then just ask yourself one question.
- How can I be of service to others using my genius?
If you can search within yourself the answer to this question, then congratulations! You have now found your purpose in life.
So, what are you waiting for? Work at what you are good at. Follow your passion. Don’t give up. Unleash the genius within you!
Edited Version. First Published in Pinoy Smart Living on 10.05.2018
Feature Image by pasja1000 from Pixabay Images.
