I was in a café, writing stories. A boy at the next table asked: "What are you doing?" — and I froze.
When you are in your Zone of Genius, you cannot explain what you are doing. You just do. Time disappears. Energy grows. A child sees something magical.
What Zone of Genius is
Gay Hendricks (The Big Leap, 2009). Four zones: incompetence, competence, excellence (trap), and genius — where talent, passion, and value align and energy increases.
Zone of Excellence feels like work. Zone of Genius does not. Genius feels like cheating — so guilt pushes you back.— Ken Norton, former VP Product, Google
Does everyone have one?
Yes — not IQ 180, but your unique combination. Gallup: chance two people share the same top-5 strengths in order is one in thirty-three million.
Why it is hard to find
Upper Limit Problem: an internal thermostat for happiness and success. When life exceeds it, we sabotage ourselves.
How to work with it
Not 100%, but more than yesterday. Delegate incompetence and competence. Work on Upper Limit when you sabotage. Self-love as entry condition — without it, genius stays invisible.
Because the child's play — is your genius.
