You, My Friend, Are a Genius
Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash
I’m reading Big Magic by Liz Gilbert—I know, I’m probably the last writer on earth to do so—and I’ve been mulling something over since what I read today.
I read her words about genius and it brought back some thoughts and feelings I had from another book I read a few years ago called The Element by Sir Kenneth Robinson. Both books talk about having a zone of genius, The Element more so than Big Magic, and I believe, along with Liz and Sir Ken, that we are all geniuses.
That does not mean that I think all of us are brainiacs…it means that all of us are a genius at SOMETHING. That we are good at something innately and when we use our genius, we are in a mental state where we thrive. But what makes me sad is that most of us don’t know what our genius is and may never know. We are often led to believe by modern society that genius means high intelligence. The real truth is that we are ALL intelligent but at different things.
I really connected with this idea because I felt conflicted as I tried to grapple with what I wanted to do with my love of writing. I felt guilty for doing something I loved but paid me very little. But I knew that when I wrote words, I felt connected to myself and when I write, I lose track of time. I think this is where people get confused because they think that people are born with skills or they aren’t and believe me when I tell you my early writing was fooking atrocious. I’m still learning to be a decent writer and know that with time and lots of practice, I will be much better. But deep down I knew I had a knack for wordsmithing but just needed to hone my skills.
I think finding our genius is just as much about being tenacious about our gifts through consistent love and attention. Sure, some people are born with natural talent but most are not. I think we owe it to ourselves to spend our lives finding the sweet spot of where what lights our heart on fire and what we are intelligent at intersect.
Many of us are trapped in lives that have nothing to do with our zones of genius. And I say trapped because that seems to be the feeling associated when we live in conflict with our natural talents. The world tells to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, biologists, teachers, accountants, nurses and so on and the majority of America’s educational institutions reflect that.
Math, science, engineering, social studies, and english courses are forced upon us until our heads feel like they are going to explode. What about the people who are great at other things? Schools require these core classes even if we show zero intelligence in these areas nor care to ever have anything to do with those subjects in the future. Unless you plan on being an engineer, mathematician or physicist, calculus is pointless. (Sorry, a little PCSD from my freshman year at college is still lingering) And if you’re a business administration major in college, you’re screwed. It’s a required class which I truly don’t understand.
You may be gifted in the creative arts but those are electives in most schools, if they are even offered at all. But in the meantime, those core classes are required year in and year out that make us feel stupid. Creative genius is not valued so the bulk of our time in our formative years may be spent going against our natural talents. I do know there are many schools that don’t teach this way but the majority do and it makes zero sense to me.
Society tries to mold us as well. If you choose a traditionally financially unstable life as an artist, musician or a writer rather than a financially stable one as a banker, lawyer or police officer, you are often persuaded to reconsider. I know this is a sweeping statement but how many of you felt freedom to live your life according to what was in your heart versus what you thought you should do?
Maybe this is you. Maybe you feel stuck in a life that does not feel like the real you but you have no idea what to do about it. Finding your zone of genius isn’t an easy task nor does it require you to quit your job. Ask yourself these questions:
What are you passionate about?
What activity could you do for hours and lose track of time?
What makes your heart feel lighter and more alive when you do it?
Need some help answering those questions? Here are some ideas:
Journal daily
This has been a huge resource of information about myself over the years. Use a paper journal and free write every morning, letting the ideas and words flow with no editing. Ask yourself questions and answer them; reflect on what you loved about yesterday/the week/the month; write about an event that made you feel happy; write down what you are grateful for; choose something you want to do or try this week then reflect on it the following week in your journal; explore what makes you happy and so on. This will open your eyes to what you love and what is in your heart.
Explore your curiosity
You know that thing that keep wondering about? That thing that you keep wondering about but you’ve done nothing about? Yeah. Go check that out. If you’ve been curious about painting or drawing but haven’t pulled the trigger to buy paints, brushes or some canvas, DO IT! Get in your car, head to the nearest craft store and get a starter set. Canvases come in packs and are fairly cheap. Start practicing. Find a picture or a piece of art that you love and create your own version of it.
That curiosity is there for a reason. I have a friend was shopping for artwork for her new home and after not finding what she wanted at a good price point, she wondered if she could make what she wanted herself. She ended up creating exactly what she wanted with the colors she wanted and it only cost her the price of the supplies and time. And guess what? When people came into her home and inquired about the paintings on her wall, she was asked to paint pieces for her friends. It became her side hustle as well as a way to use her talents. Her curiosity became a money maker for her!
Pay attention to what lights you up
You know what I’m talking about. It’s that little voice in your head that says “What’s that all about?” “Hmm, that sounds interesting.” or “Tell me more.” It’s that thing that intrigues you, pulls at your mind, makes you feel alive, makes you lose track of time while you’re doing it, or it comes naturally to you. It could be playing tennis, writing, public speaking, event planning, graphic design, sketching, teaching, coaching, strategizing or sewing and when you’re doing this activity, you feel in the zone.
Where are you unconsciously competent?
I saw this term in an article and realized that this describes being “in the zone” perfectly. This is the space where you are great at something that you don’t even realize it. Maybe you can ski like you’ve taken lessons all your life, you can sing like Carrie Underwood never having taken voice lessons or dance like Juliana Hough without formal training. These are things that you just do without have to think about them. They are just part of who you are. This is your sweet spot. This is where your zone of genius is at its peak. ideally this is where you want to live because chances are that thing that comes so naturally is a thing that also makes you feel in a state of flow.
So what if you did more of all of these things in your life? Imagine how rich, full and alive you would feel is you did more of the things where you are unconsciously competent, that light you up, you’re curious about, and you consistently bring ideas you have to the surface?
We are all wired for greatness but just at different things.
Let’s stop telling ourselves that we aren’t intelligent. We are ALL intelligent at something and we owe it to ourselves and the world to find out what that is.