Why staying in your zone of genius often begins with letting go
January’s recommended business book: The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks.
If you have ever noticed that things are going well in your business and yet you still feel overwhelmed and stretched too thin, you are not alone. This is a pattern I often see in the clients I work with, and it is something Gay Hendricks explains clearly in his book, The Big Leap. A book my friend who is also a business owner recommended and I’m so so glad she did.
To summarize the book, it is about the idea that we all have an internal upper limit that determines how much success, and well being we allow ourselves to experience. When our life or business begins to feel smoother or more in sync, many people unconsciously pull themselves back into familiar patterns that feel safer, even if they are less fulfilling. This often shows up as busyness that keeps us occupied without truly moving us towards success.
Hendricks explains that most of what we do in life falls into four different zones. The zone of incompetence includes tasks that drain energy because they are not aligned with our strengths. The zone of competence includes work we can manage but that does not bring a sense of satisfaction. The zone of excellence includes areas where we perform very well and may even be recognized, yet still feel a sense of exhaustion over time. The zone of genius is where our work feels aligned with our natural abilities, values, where effort often feels more meaningful.
What I have noticed through my work as a virtual assistant, is that many successful business owners spend most of their time in the zones of competence and excellence. They are doing work they can do well, but that work takes time and energy away from the areas where they feel most present, and fulfilled. With time, this pattern can create the feeling of the dreaded burnout, even when the business itself appears to be thriving. And I mean we have all been there, when we are swimming with our head over water, yet all the waves are coming towards us drowning us slowly. Enough chaos for us to struggle, but yet we are still surviving.
Delegation is usually the solution. It is not just a practical solution to a long to do list, but a way to create space for work that feels aligned and sustainable. When certain busy tasks are supported by someone else, it allows business owners to spend more of their time in the areas that truly require their zone of genius the areas that usually bring in the revenue.
Staying in your zone of genius is more about self care. It is a way of protecting your time, and the parts of your work that feel most meaningful to you. It is also a way of moving beyond the limits we sometimes place on ourselves without realizing it. Cause man do we do this! we are our biggest critic, and our biggest pusher.
If reading this brings a sense of self recognition, it may be worth reflecting on which parts of your work feel life giving and which ones pull you away from the life you want your business to support. If you find yourself curious about what it might look like to have support around the tasks that do not need your direct attention, I would be glad to have a conversation and explore whether working together feels aligned.