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Living in Your Zone of Genius

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Are you doing your best in your day-to-day life, but still feeling unsatisfied? Sometimes when we try and take on too much at a time or get stuck in a routine, we lose sight of our passions and the ideas that make life truly rewarding.

In his 2010 book, “The Big Leap,” Dr. Gay Hendricks, Ph.D., discusses taking the jump from your comfort zone into your area of genius that’s waiting for its full expression. He urges you to “go beyond your internal limits, release outdated fears and learn a whole new set of powerful skills and habits to liberate your authentic greatness.” 

Once you learn how to function in your Zone of Genius, you can find more happiness in your everyday life.

“The Big Leap”

Hendricks’s best-selling book “The Big Leap” discusses our self-built barriers that prevent us from reaching our full potential, and in turn prevent us from being truly happy and satisfied. Hendricks lays out a comprehensive plan to overcome these barriers and achieve success and fulfillment in your career, finances, and relationships.

Four Zones of Function

In “The Big Leap,” Hendricks outlines what he calls the “four different zones of function”: 

  • The Zone of Incompetence is a zone of function where you are engaging in something you have no skills for, or do not understand. 
  • The Zone of Competence is where you function with the same efficiency as almost everyone else, meaning your capabilities are not particularly unique or special.
  • The Zone of Excellence is the zone that most people aim to achieve and then stay static at. This zone allows you to perform extremely skillfully at something you are particularly efficient at, that you have practiced and cultivated over time.
  • The Zone of Genius is where you can capitalize and function at the highest level using your innate abilities, rather than the ones you develop over time..

[Related: What to Know About Mental Load]

The Zone of Excellence vs. the Zone of Genius

The Zone of Excellence is good but not ground-breaking. A lot of individuals functioning in the Zone of Excellence feel stuck in autopilot, delivering quality work but not feeling as though they are fulfilling their highest purpose. Hendricks believes that we each have a unique perspective and gift that only we can give to the world, and that can happen only when we fully express our genius and commit to bringing it forth.

The Zone of Genius is where every highly successful person should aim to function at, according to Hendricks. Most intelligent individuals function in the Zone of Excellence, but ultimately don’t feel as fulfilled with their lives because they aren’t pushing further. 

When you function in the Zone of Genius, you find inspiration and produce work that is innovative, creative, and completely unique, excelling in your area much more than others around you. Yet pushing yourself to find your Zone of Genius is a lot easier said than done.

The “Upper Limit Problem”

In “The Big Leap,” Hendricks brings up something he calls the “Upper Limit Problem.” This issue suggests that we create our own internal glass ceiling that limits our fullest expression of self. We do the best we can but stop ourselves from pushing forward for fear of consequence or failure. 

In order to enter your Zone of Genius, you have to take risks and make the leap from your familiar life into working with your unknown realm of genius. You will not only be more successful, but entering into your Zone of Genius will also make you happier, more creatively energized, and more socially magnetic.

How to Enter Your Zone of Genius

Turn the hours of the day into chances to express your best, creative, and most energizing self. Hendricks recommends meditating or journaling starting at only 10 minutes a day to brainstorm where your Zone of Genius lies. He suggests asking yourself these few questions that can help you begin your journey towards your zone:

  • What work do you do that doesn’t seem like work?
  • In your work, what produces the highest ratio of abundance and satisfaction to the amount of time spent?
  • What is your unique ability?

 

Think about your answers to these questions and how you can push internal boundaries and release your anxieties. Once you master your Zone of Excellence, you can then go further into your Zone of Genius, living your most passionate and engaged life.

Although you may be functioning in a Zone of Competence (or even Zone of Excellence!) doing activities like laundry and grocery shopping, we think your time is valuable, and could be better spent in your unique Zone of Genius. 

Let Pepper’s Personal Assistants help you start your journey toward your Zone of Genius by giving you the gift of time. We can assist you with tasks such as spring cleaning and running errands so you can begin meditating on what you’re innately gifted at. Make every hour count, and contact Pepper’s Personal Assistants today!

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Pepper’s Personal Assistant Reviews

See what it’s really like to work with a Pepper’s personal assistant!

Proactive, Reliable, Caring Support

“Sarah has been such a reliable support—always proactive, spotting things that need to be done before I even ask, and taking care of them. She has such a positive attitude and is constantly looking for ways to add value and make things easier. And I love how much happier and more spoiled my dogs are thanks to her care. I barely have to think about her day-to-day, and I mean that in the best way possible!”

K.W.

Exceptional Home Management

“Bernice is simply amazing—I just can’t say enough good things about her. She excels at physical tasks and knows my habits so well that she can anticipate my needs without me even saying anything. As a house manager, she’s exceptional; she takes care of all those little things that I wouldn’t even think of. Over time, we’ve developed a wonderful rhythm, and it’s such a relief to have someone who just knows what needs to be done and does it effortlessly.”

J.H.

Exceeding Expectations Every Day

“My PA has truly exceeded my expectations. I really enjoy coming home now because everything in my home is something I know and love. She’s helped me with tasks I didn’t even know where to begin, and her ability to do the background work and present options has been invaluable. She has made it possible for me to manage things without feeling overwhelmed, and it’s been a game changer for me!”

W.W.

Bringing Joy and Efficiency

“My PA Tess is proactive and handles everything beautifully, from small tasks that bring joy to big projects like planning trips. She balances recurring tasks with high-priority work, and everything gets done perfectly. I didn’t realize how much joy small things like making the bed could bring until Tess started doing them. She has truly made a difference in our home, bringing both efficiency and a level of organization and joy we didn’t realize we needed.”

K.H.

Support That Makes a Difference

“Having Missa as a PA has taken me from daily treading water to swimming to the shore. I’ve gone from never quite keeping up with things to actually having extra energy to do more. She has been a tremendous help, reducing my stress and allowing me to rest and recover. The support I receive is perfect; Missa is a 5 out of 5 in meeting all my needs. I’ve already recommended Pepper’s to a few friends because having extra help makes all the difference.”

Kathy M.

Back-to-School Unmatched Support

“Having Jay as my personal assistant has been fantastic. She helps me tackle projects that were just looming over my head and has built a great rapport with my teenage son. She’s helped my son pick out his back-to-school wardrobe and coached him through decisions — I couldn’t ask for better support. I sometimes think about when I could handle everything on my own, but now I can’t imagine doing it without Jay’s help.”

R.B.

PA to the Rescue

“I am very satisfied with my personal assistant. The biggest relief is knowing that when things get hectic with work my PA is there to help us from lighting on fire, especially when one of us is traveling.”

Ana V.

Dream PA Experience

“I am very satisfied; My PA has everything dialed in and the schedule works really well and is flexible when needed. Honestly: My PA and I click very well, I love it, it’s a dream!”

Jodi K.

Stress-Free Travel

“One of the massive benefits of having a PA is during travel disruptions. When flights are delayed, the kids are upset, and you’re stuck in customs, coming home to a stocked fridge and a prepared meal eliminates the need for a late-night milk run. You don’t realize the stress these tasks add until you have someone to handle them for you.”

A.S.

11/10!

“My PA is incredible—an 11 out of 10—really thoughtful, thorough, intuitive. She is professional but friendly; she has just been great. A couple of times because of things going on with her calendar, Kandis has been flexible—coming 15 minutes later to drop the dog off at puppy play. She has been really great.”

Libby

Thoughtful and Detail-Oriented

“My PA is a thoughtful and discerning assistant. She pays attention to details in our home and makes great suggestions for how to improve and optimize our lives. We trust her judgment, and she communicates proactively and frequently. She is always on-site on time and patient with my unpredictable schedule. We communicate frequently, but she’s also very efficient in how we communicate. Great work!”

Client

Super Happy!

“[I] really do think Kandis is setting the bar! Having a new person come into your house can go either way. [I’m] very grateful for the time and energy and people that Pepper’s has. It’s a big step; no suggestions around onboarding. [I’m] really happy that we were able to board Kandis quickly; super happy for the West Seattle support.”

Libby

Organizing Superhero

“My PA is really good at organizing; it’s one of her superpowers. Some of the simple reorganizing things that she has done have made a big impact. She organized all the cat stuff in the garage and took the initiative on her own. She’s bright and cheery—no moaning, whining. Very great.”

Emma

One of the Best Decisions I’ve Made

“I just wanted to take a few minutes to tell you how much I have appreciated working with all of the Pepper’s staff. My assistant is so generous and thoughtful — she brings value to every interaction. I can’t remember a time when I’ve hired anyone with such a professional and high standard of customer service. Working with you all has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in a very long time!”

Libby

10/10 for Sure!

“Missa is a 10/10 for sure! She has been wonderful, and we check in regularly. I’m comfortable communicating with her about questions or requests, and she’s always been very responsive and also seems comfortable checking in if she has any questions for me. [The] biggest help remains pet care and household chores support, plus the help with one-off projects that come up. Missa has all kinds of skills she brings, (e.g., she’s currently putting together a ‘cat highway’ for the living room rafters).”

Homeowner

My Quality of Life Has Improved

“I used to spend every weekend and every evening doing chores and running errands. Now, I’m able to spend the time that I need to on my business, and then I get to enjoy my home and my life and the precious unstructured time that I have. The truth is, my quality of life has improved by having a Pepper’s household assistant here.”

Libby

Takes Initiative

“I want to mention what a fantastic personal assistant Billie is to me. We were on vacation last week, and she managed my household and vendors flawlessly. I even had her redecorate my office, and I gave her very little direction other than just to make it nice and functional, and, my goodness, did she ever! She takes initiative in my house in so many other ways but does not overstep or overspend. To strike that balance is really something unique and special. I feel really lucky to have her.”

Anura

I’m Blown Away

“[I’m] blown away by how much better the house looks already :)”

Graham

Kind, Caring, and Proactive

“My PA is a very caring person. I was incredibly ill last year, and my PA connected the dots that the washing machine had a lot of mold and thought the black specs on my clothes were from that. On her own time, my PA sent me an article about the impact of mold/washing machines. It was so kind of her.”

Emma

Goes Above and Beyond

“My PA has gone above and beyond. She’s organized my laundry room while keeping on top of laundry, which made it much easier to stay on top of stuff. She’s always ready to jump in and tackle items. It made this holiday season way less stressful.”

Andrea