Why the 'Old Zone of Genius' Doesn't Work for the Wonderfully Weird and Neurodivergent

 Do you know that less than 5 percent of people understand their gold? Everyone is born with innate skills, genius, and magic: your Gold! Your Inner Gold is what makes you 100% unique and irresistible. It is the reason people buy from you. It's why your friends like you. It's why some things are so easy for you!!

But unfortunately, that's not what school teaches us. Without support, it's practically impossible to see its value. That's why so many people give it away, instead of using it to grow financial abundance.

If someone had taught us to see, feel, and adore our Inner Gold, we would never feel like there's something wrong with us!

• We would never feel the odd one out. Because everyone would celebrate their uniqueness.
• Creating offers and selling would be so much fun!
• We would be proud of our Inner Gold and show our children that their gold is amazing. 🎉
• We would craft messages that connect deeply with our audience's needs because we would truly understand them.

You have probably heard of Gay Hendricks' famous "Zone of Genius" from his book The Big Leap.

It's a fantastic book, and I highly recommend it to everyone. Yet, I've found that the traditional four-part framework often misses the mark for those of us who are neurodivergent or wonderfully weird.

The Four-Part Framework of the Traditional Zone of Genius

In The Big Leap, Gay Hendricks outlines four zones:

1. Zone of Incompetence: Tasks you’re not good at.
2. Zone of Competence: Tasks you can do, but others can do just as well.
3. Zone of Excellence: Tasks you’re highly skilled at and may find success in.
4. Zone of Genius: Tasks that engage your innate genius, your unique abilities, and fulfill you deeply.

Yes, this framework can be incredibly insightful for many. But it often falls short for the more beautifully complex minds that don't fit into traditional molds.

Why the Old Zone of Genius concept is too Challenging for the Wonderfully Weird and Neurodivergent

1. Rigid Categorization: The four-zone framework can feel overly rigid. For those of us who are multi-passionate, sensitive, and neurodivergent, our talents and interests rarely fit neatly into these categories.
2. Binary Thinking: The old Zone of Genius model creates a black-and-white perception of "good" and "bad." But if you’re wonderfully weird, what you excel at and what you love aren't always straightforward. You may have multiple Zones of Genius that overlap and develop. Sometimes in days * I'm waving here!
3. Masking: many of us neurodivergent people have been - or are still - masking.
   We have tried to fit in for years. I had convinced myself that I was great at live events - I just needed a full week to recuperate and cry. I also thought that I could focus on 10 different things during one day.
   Turns out this Monotropic autistic thing is real! And I thrive when I can focus on ONE thing for a full day. But lose all my joy when I've got a lot of different things on the same day. 
4. Cultural Conditioning: From an early age, we’re conditioned to fit into societal norms. When you're wonderfully weird, this conditioning often clouds your ability to see and appreciate your unique traits, making it incredibly difficult to find your true Zone of Genius.
5. Multi-Passionate Challenges: multipassionates often have a pretty epic mountain of interests and skills. Also: they don't take the slow train to Learningville.
   
   They are serial-possessed. They find out everything there is to know. And drop it in their brain and body where it remains as food for more ideas. Go on; ask them any question and blown-of-your-socks by what they know. .
   
   But they seldom value their knowledge. Because it was TOO EASY. 
   So pinning down one "genius" area can feel like choosing your favorite child—not only impossible but also unfair to your multi-faceted nature.

My Journey with the Zone of Genius

I've been exploring the concept of the Zone of Genius since 2014, long before I knew I knew there was a concept with that name or a book dedicated to it. My journey to explain the idea of the Zone of Genius to my clients has been a rollercoaster of self-discovery, filled with more questions than answers.

I kept circling back, trying to fit our wonderfully weird beings into the traditional four-part framework. It felt like trying to squeeze a star into a square hole. No matter how many times I rephrased, revisited, or reshuffled the categories, something was always missing. 

I realized that the framework was too linear and simple to capture the complexity of beautifully intricate and neurodivergent minds like ours.

Why You May Be Stuck

1. Overemphasis on Good and Bad: Many of us get stuck in the dualistic: if this is good, then that is bad. 
2. Being trapped in those four boxes won't lead you to discover your Inner Gold or Zone of Genius Magic. It just doesn't help you embody your magnificence.
3. Inducing Shame and self- judgment: Self-judgment can hold us back. You might think, "This is too easy; it can't be my Zone of Genius," or "No one will understand my unique skills." You feel it, but can't phrase it. And once we own what we're good at, it's shame that can pop up at any moment to ruin our moment of joy.
   Because, let's face it: sure we're good at some things.:-) But the moment nobody likes our posts, or buys our offers, we're back at shame and judgement. After a lifetime of feeling lost and isolated, shame can pop-up at any moment. Old habits die very slowly (but they eventually will!!!)
4. The Search for Gold: The idea of finding one singular Zone of Goodness that flies higher than the rest is can feel like searching for gold in an endless mine. The more you dig, the more elusive it becomes.

A New Approach to Finding Your Zone of Genius

I have created a fresh approach that celebrates complexity and fluidity:

1. Embrace and understand Complexity: Understand that your Zone of Genius Magic is multi-faceted. You don't have several areas. You are one person with many magics. Your magic and, history, feeling, obstacles, etc;  they all belong to your Real You Zone of Genius.
2. Move Beyond Binary: Let go of the "good" and "bad" mindset. Your unique traits are neither; they’re simply different and equally valuable. 
3. Regular Self-Reflection: Make self-reflection a habit. Journaling, meditation, and discussions with like-minded souls can help you uncover your evolving Zone of Genius.
4. Celebrate Your Uniqueness: Surround yourself with a supportive community that celebrates your wonderfully weird self. The Real You Sisterhood, for example, is a space where authenticity is not just accepted but celebrated.
   
   🏆 But luckily I can teach you how to find your Inner Gold.
   
   

🍎 That's where the 12 Abundance Archetypes come in.

Archetypes typically make us aware of things we don't see, and my archetypes are 100% cut out to do the job for you. Finding your Inner Gold is 100% in my Genius. People pay me to help them find it for them.

In only 8 weeks, the Archetypes and I will show you your gold, your genius, and all the things that make you unique. Imagine being able to finally understand what makes you such an amazing person!

🍎 Not only will you love and embrace your gold in only 8 weeks.
🍎 You also craft your unique message and find your authentic voice.
🍎 You even create your golden success offer!
🍎 And you will find out how to use the abundance archetypes for your family, friends, clients, and the children in your life

Final Thoughts

The Big Leap is a wonderful book, and I encourage everyone to read it. But if you're like me—neurodivergent, wonderfully weird, and multi-passionate—you may find that the traditional Zone of Genius framework doesn’t quite fit your needs.

And that's okay. Your journey to discover your true Zone of Genius is unique and ever-evolving.

Embrace it. Celebrate it. And most importantly, let your wonderfully weird self shine.

With love and encouragement,

Esther de Charon de Saint Germain