Do you feel unfulfilled in life? Does it seem like you’re wasting your time and squandering your potential?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can spend your time thinking about the things you can control<\/a> or the things you can\u2019t. Stanford-trained psychologist Gay Hendricks writes that the way to be happy is to let go of the things you can\u2019t control and instead devote your time and energy to things you can change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Continue reading for an overview of Hendricks’s book The Genius Zone<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Gay Hendricks recommends living your life in what he calls the \u201cGenius Zone,\u201d where you\u2019re expressing your \u201cgenius\u201d by doing the things you love to do, speaking honestly and listening mindfully in your relationships, and committing (and recommitting) yourself to expressing your creativity every day. Spending your time in the Genius Zone enables you to live a fulfilling life<\/a>, one where you\u2019re engaged in the ongoing process of pursuing your creative potential and cultivating joy in your everyday routines.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hendricks is behind the Hendricks Institute<\/a>, a learning center for \u201cconscious living and loving,\u201d which he founded with his wife Kathlyn Hendricks. He\u2019s also the author of The Big Leap<\/em><\/a> <\/em>(2009), Conscious Luck<\/em><\/a> <\/em>(2020), Conscious Living<\/em><\/a> <\/em>(2009), and other books. In 2021\u2019s The Genius Zone<\/em><\/a>, Hendricks expands on the ideas of The Big Leap<\/em> to share more of his strategies for discovering your inner genius and living a more fulfilling life by doing the things you love to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ll explore what the Genius Zone is, what distinguishes the activities that tap into your genius<\/a> from the other tasks you spend your time and energy on, and why spending time in the Genius Zone makes you feel happier and more fulfilled. Then we\u2019ll examine the methods that Hendricks teaches for getting in touch with your genius and pursuing your full creative potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To understand how you can feel happier and more fulfilled by living your life in the Genius Zone, you first have to understand what the Genius Zone is, why it\u2019s special, and how you might recognize it in your life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hendricks uses the term \u201cGenius Zone\u201d to refer to the mind-body space that you enter when two conditions are met: You\u2019re doing what you love<\/a> to do, and you\u2019re using your skills to make a positive impact<\/a> in the world<\/strong>\u2014in other words, it\u2019s the space where you can access your \u201cgenius.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hendricks writes that when you engage with tasks in your Genius Zone, you devote a deeper level of attention to them, a kind of attention that\u2019s different from what you exercise even when you\u2019re engaged in activities you\u2019re really good at. You\u2019re also able to freely access and express your creativity, pursue your creative potential, and find a new level of fulfillment and joy in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Genius Zone is a unique mind-body space that you enter only when you\u2019re working on tasks that align with your particular genius<\/strong>. Hendricks differentiates the Genius Zone from other zones\u2014the Incompetence Zone, the Competence Zone, and the Excellence Zone\u2014which are characterized by the ability and affinity you have for the tasks in each category. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s only in the Genius Zone that you access what Hendricks calls \u201ctrue creativity<\/strong>,\u201d which involves serving yourself and others with your natural abilities\u2014even if they\u2019re not in traditionally creative fields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Genius Zone differs from the other zones (particularly the Excellence Zone) because when you\u2019re inside it, you use your creativity to do things that you love and to make a positive contribution to the world. You can reach a deeper level of creative fulfillment<\/a> by working in the Genius Zone<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To identify what\u2019s in your Genius Zone, Hendricks recommends considering a few criteria. You can pinpoint areas where you have remarkable abilities,<\/strong> or ask yourself what you really love to do<\/strong>. You can also think about which activities you find the most fulfilling<\/strong> or whether you do any work that doesn\u2019t feel like work to you<\/strong>. Those all serve as hints that an activity might fall into your Genius Zone. For example, you might recognize that writing is in your Genius Zone if you feel deeply satisfied when working on an essay or find that writing a blog post doesn\u2019t feel like work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another hallmark of tasks in your Genius Zone is that you probably experience them in a distinctive way with your body. The embodied experience of engaging your genius feels different for everyone: Some people lose track of time, others experience time slowing down, and still others feel a physical sense of joy or freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that we know what the Genius Zone is, we\u2019ll explore why devoting your time and attention to the tasks in this zone will help you feel more satisfied in your everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Hendricks\u2019s view, striving to live in the Genius Zone offers a more fulfilling alternative to what might be your status quo: going through your daily life doing work that doesn\u2019t fulfill you, criticizing yourself for things you have or haven\u2019t done, worrying about things you can\u2019t change, and wishing that you could control what other people do or what they think of you. He writes that you\u2019ll become happier by stepping outside of these negative thought patterns<\/a> <\/strong>and replacing them with efforts to spend your time and energy in the Genius Zone instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hendricks writes that spending your time in the Genius Zone has a number of benefits, both direct and indirect. He explains that as you shift your focus to tasks that engage your genius, you\u2019ll make changes that have two direct effects: You\u2019ll decrease the frequency of your negative thinking, and you\u2019ll increase your ability to access and express your creativity<\/strong>. Also as an indirect result of the change in your thinking and behavior, you\u2019ll improve how you relate to other people. Next, we\u2019ll take a closer look at each of these benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first benefit of living in the Genius Zone involves reducing your negative thoughts. Hendricks writes that every day, you have hundreds of opportunities to enter the Genius Zone, and each one comes to you through your tendency to worry about things you can\u2019t control<\/strong>. When you\u2019re thinking negatively about something outside of your control\u2014maybe something that happened in the past, or what other people think of you, or things you can\u2019t change about your circumstances\u2014you can either keep doing what you\u2019re doing, or you can let go of your negative thinking and self-criticism to engage your \u201cgenius\u201d instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hendricks characterizes cycles of self-blame and self-criticism as addictions that sabotage you in the pursuit of your goals<\/strong>. When you redirect your attention away from the negative thoughts that you habitually think about yourself, then those thoughts have a way of receding into the background. He explains that this is much more effective than fighting negative thoughts, which just become more persistent the more you try to suppress them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second direct benefit of living in the Genius Zone is learning to access your creative skills more readily. Hendricks writes that to live your life in the Genius Zone, you have to commit to pursuing your full creative potential<\/strong>. By making this commitment (and following through on it), you\u2019ll spend more time exercising your creativity. You\u2019ll also learn to avoid the negative emotions and coping mechanisms that accompany the feeling of unfulfilled creative potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hendricks writes that when people feel that their creativity is stifled or that they\u2019ve stalled, they compensate by developing various \u201caddictions\u201d to distract themselves<\/strong>. This might look like what we traditionally think of as addiction\u2014such as drinking or smoking\u2014but it could also manifest as another coping mechanism that helps you forget that you\u2019re feeling creatively unfulfilled. (Maybe you watch Netflix all evening instead of working on your own screenplay.) Hendricks notes that you probably always have time for these habits, even when you don\u2019t have time for creative pursuits. When you stop telling yourself you don\u2019t have time for your creative work, you can confront your sense of unfulfillment and recommit to pursuing what you love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A benefit indirectly associated with living in the Genius Zone is improving your relationships<\/a>. Hendricks writes that learning to let go of things that are outside of your control to pursue life in the Genius Zone can have profound effects on how you relate to others because you\u2019ll learn to accept other people as they are, without trying to control them or worrying about what they think of you. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, taking stock of how you\u2019re spending time can help you evaluate whether you\u2019re dedicating your time to relationships where you\u2019re appreciated for your creativity. Hendricks writes that many people dedicate significant time and energy to relationships that hold back their creativity. But if you want to spend more of your time in the Genius Zone, you\u2019ll need to cultivate the relationships that support your creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Living in the Genius Zone requires practice with consciously choosing how to allocate your time and attention. It also involves a process of committing and recommitting to your goals, and gently correcting course when you realize that you\u2019ve strayed<\/strong>. Hendricks explains that, instead of chasing perfection and considering success an all-or-nothing endeavor, you can realize that it\u2019s inevitable to make mistakes. When you slip up, take concrete steps to get back on track instead of criticizing yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hendricks outlines a variety of methods and tools to access the Genius Zone, pursue your creative potential, and minimize your negative thinking. Each one is either a tool you can use when you realize you\u2019re trying to control something you can\u2019t<\/strong> or a practice you can cultivate over time <\/strong>to work toward the goal of doing the things you love while making a positive impact on the world around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this section, we\u2019ll explore Hendricks\u2019s tools to help you access your Genius Zone, based on a range of \u201cHands-On Activities\u201d he offers throughout the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To find and live in your Genius Zone, the first thing that Hendricks says you should do is to explicitly make a commitment to yourself<\/a>: Resolve to stop your habit of negative thinking and pursue your true creativity<\/strong>. Hendricks writes that if you don\u2019t feel that you can sincerely make this commitment, then you shouldn\u2019t proceed with the rest of the process until you\u2019ve figured out what stands in your way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, the key method of the book is a technique that Hendricks calls the \u201cGenius Move.\u201d Hendricks writes that when you feel unhappy, it\u2019s because your thoughts have turned to something that\u2019s outside of your control. The solution is to switch your focus to something that you can change<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, Hendricks advises cultivating an awareness of your breathing as a useful tool for pursuing life in the Genius Zone, a process that he believes should involve both the mind and the body. He explains that you can learn to tune in to your emotions by becoming aware of your breathing<\/strong>. Breathing involves both the autonomic nervous system and conscious control, so learning to pay attention to your breath might be one way to access the connection between your conscious and unconscious minds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another strategy Hendricks recommends adopting if you want to live in the Genius Zone is to cultivate relationships with people who not only support and appreciate your creativity but with whom you can communicate honestly and thoughtfully<\/strong>. He explains that you probably leave things unsaid, even in conversations with the people you\u2019re closest to. But you don\u2019t want to be lied to, and so you shouldn\u2019t lie to other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hendricks advises that in addition to practicing the skill of communicating honestly, you should cultivate the skill of listening generously and thoughtfully<\/strong>, without interrupting or criticizing what the other person says. He explains that you can\u2019t control what other people think or say, and letting go of trying to control them will make it easier for you to live in your Genius Zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next strategy that can help you pursue your genius is to learn to overcome your negative thoughts about the past, the future, other people, and yourself<\/strong>. Hendricks writes that to stop dwelling on your negative thoughts, you have to first acknowledge that you can\u2019t control your thoughts<\/a>. When you accept your negative thoughts for what they are, then you loosen their hold on you. By using the \u201cGenius Move\u201d to change your focus, you can stop expending energy on fighting negative thoughts and instead focus it on something you can change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another simple tool for living in your Genius Zone involves learning to finish what you start. Hendricks writes that much of our negative thinking begins because we have a tendency to leave tasks and conversations unfinished<\/strong>. When we leave these things incomplete, then we feel negative emotions ranging from guilt to sadness to shame to denial, as well as a physical sense of that negative feeling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfinished tasks could be as small as an email you left in your \u201cdrafts\u201d folder or as big as brushing off an important conversation with your partner. The solution is to identify the tasks that you\u2019ve left incomplete and, one by one, go back and finish them. If you have a long list of the things you\u2019ve left undone, take it day by day, and you\u2019ll cross items off your list and eliminate sources of negative thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another tool that Hendricks recommends using is the open-ended question (what he calls \u201cwonder questions\u201d). Hendricks writes that the sensation of wonder lies at the heart of creativity: It\u2019s what you feel when you let your mind explore, free of your efforts to control or criticize it. He explains that asking yourself open-ended questions that relate to the things that you\u2019d most like to know in your life<\/strong> can engage your creativity, genius, and wonder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These questions don\u2019t have a single right answer; instead, they have a number of possible answers, each of which might open a different avenue for you to explore. You might want to know, \u201cWhat can I do every day to make the most of my time with my family?\u201d or \u201cHow can I use my skills to make the biggest difference in my community?\u201d Hendricks notes that discovering answers to these questions could change your life<\/a>. But even if you don\u2019t find a complete answer, the process of contemplating the question can still help you gain insight into how to do what you love to do while making a positive contribution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, if you want to pursue the highest expression of your creativity, it helps to surround yourself with people who support your creative pursuits and appreciate your creativity<\/strong>. Hendricks recommends taking a clear-eyed look at the people to whom you devote your time and energy. When you build relationships with people who support your creativity, you can do the things you love to do and help them do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, when you choose to spend time and energy with people who don\u2019t encourage your creativity, Hendricks recommends acknowledging the role of your own choices instead of blaming others when you fail to reach your creative potential. Letting go of blame frees up more space for creativity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Genius Zone<\/em> by Gay Hendricks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Is the Genius Zone? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s Special About the Genius Zone? <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
How to Recognize What\u2019s in Your Genius Zone<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Why Is Living in the Genius Zone the Best Way to Be Happy and Fulfilled? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Are the Benefits of Living in the Genius Zone? <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll Curb Patterns of Negative Thinking<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll Gain More Access to Your Creativity<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll Improve Your Relationships<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
How Can You Access the Genius Zone? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Commit to Letting Go of Negative Thoughts and Pursuing Your Full Creative Potential<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Perform the \u201cGenius Move\u201d When You Start Thinking About Things You Can\u2019t Control<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Use Your Breath to Tune in to Your Emotions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Commit to Communicating Honestly and Thoughtfully<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Accept Negative Thoughts Without Trying to Change Them<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Stop Leaving Tasks Incomplete<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Ask Open-Ended Questions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Cultivate Relationships With People Who Support Your Creativity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Appreciate and Cultivate Your Creativity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n