Can you remember a time when you were so engaged in an activity that you lost track of time? Time just slipped away and hours felt like only minutes, as you were completely and utterly ‘in the zone’?

The zone I’m referring to is called the “Zone of Genius” – a phrase coined by author Gay Hendricks.

Everyone is different. Your Zone of Genius is unique and individual to you. It’s what makes you special. Your unique genius is your natural gifts and innate talents combined with your life experiences.

What would it mean to you to deeply know — and fully express — the gift that you and you alone contribute to the world?

Traditional cultures around the world have recognized that within each of us exists a unique array of qualities, gifts, talents, passions and longings that form our true identity and make us who we are. That each soul enters the world with a distinct, valuable and meaningful way to serve in the world. No one person is more special than any other because each of us possesses a unique expression that is essential.

We are most happy and fulfilled when we are in our zone. Understanding our unique genius is fundamental not only to our happiness but also to overcoming self-doubt and feeling personally empowered.

Children demonstrate the inner qualities of their unique genius and may suddenly display a talent or wisdom beyond their age. Children dwell in their true nature and through play will demonstrate their unique gifts. Childhood play is free, joyful, and timeless. These feelings of expansiveness and freedom through play are like a compass leading us to our zone of genius.

Think back to your childhood, to times when you ran, played hide-and-seek, skipped rope, climbed trees and built forts. As children, we naturally gravitate towards the activities that we excel at. What did you do as a child that made you feel good, powerful, and free? What activity made time stand still for you? You have innate talents, gifts and proclivities that directed your play as a child. This is an excellent place for clues to your unique genius.

Another clue are what I call “peak moments” in life. Think of times in your life when you were at your absolute best and felt a deep sense of joy, expansiveness, and freedom. These peak moments indicate an intersection of time in which you were in your Zone of Genius.

In working with clients to uncover their unique, they have discovered that it’s something that feels so easy and second nature that they easily overlook it and take it for granted as if everyone has that ability. What comes easy and natural to us though, can feel impossible for others.

Your genius is something that you are good at, love doing, it makes you feel “in the flow,” and comes easily and naturally to you.

4 Steps to Discovering Your Genius

After setting into one of your favorite places and centering yourself with a few deep breaths, answer the following questions.

1) Things you love to do and do well

• What do you love to do when you have spare time?
• What do you naturally do well?
• What are you doing when you get so absorbed that you lose track of time? This is something you can do for long stretches of time and you don’t get bored or tired.
• What have your top 3 successes been from your perspective? (Not what others think.)
• What cause do you feel passionate about? Why?
• What conversation topics could you talk about all night long?
• What topics do you love to read about/watch/listen to/learn about?
• What courses or workshops have you enjoyed the most?
• What activities make you feel free, joyful, and timeless?

2) List your top three themes.

3) Ask three people who know you well about what makes you unique – your gifts, talents and strengths. It may feel challenging to make this request but people love answering these questions. It’s human nature to want to help!

4) Narrow down your findings, looking for any common themes or patterns that emerge, indicating your unique genius.

If you’re feeling stressed, tired, or run-down, you are probably spending much of your time outside of your zone. There may be activities that you do well yet they don’t bring you a lot of joy.

Make it a priority to spend time doing the activities where you are in your Zone of Genius. Give yourself permission to say “no” to new opportunities where you won’t be in full expression of your genius. This life is about being more fully who we uniquely are because this is the source of true joy.

You know you’re doing your best work and serving others at the highest level when you’re in your Zone of Genius. This is when you’re bringing your gifts, passions, talents and life experiences together in a profound partnership. This is serving in the way you were uniquely meant to serve.

This is you at your best.