Unlocking Your Zone of Genius: How to find your state of 'flow'

Running a business can feel like juggling a million tasks at once: sorting out your accounts, dealing with client queries, scheduling social posts, and somehow squeezing in time to actually grow your business. Sound familiar?

If you feel like you're drowning in tasks, planning to delegate or you already have a team and looking to establish how to delegate and get the best out of everyone involved, this is where the concept of the Zone of Genius can make all the difference.

The idea comes from Gay Hendricks’ book The Big Leap, and while Hendricks talks about it across all aspects of life, I think it’s a game-changer for business owners. Understanding your Zone of Genius not only helps you enjoy your work more but also focuses your energy on the things that will drive your business forward.

If you're a founder, here’s how this can help you:

1. Work in a state of flow: Concentrate on the tasks where you truly excel
2. Free up space: Free your mind of anything weighing or slowing you down
3. Enjoy the process: Build a business that doesn’t feel like a daily grind

Let’s dive into the four zones and what they mean for you and your business.

The Four Zones

1. Zone of Incompetence

These are the tasks you’re just not good at. They’re time-draining and soul-sucking because they’re either outside your skillset or they bore you to tears. For me, this includes anything to do with graphic design or bookkeeping. I could spend hours on Canva trying to design Instagram posts, but they’d look amateur at best, so I leave that to someone who actually knows what they’re doing.

Founder example: You might spend half a day trying to update your website, only to break something in the process. Instead, hire someone who can do it in 30 minutes, freeing you up to focus on what you’re great at.

2. Zone of Competence

Here, we’re talking about tasks you can do, but they don’t light you up. You’re okay at them, but they’re not your strong suit. For example, I can handle spreadsheets to a point, I’ll happily colour-code a budget or work out profit margins, but I’m not about to deep-dive into pivot tables. When it gets too complex, I delegate it. This is where either my accountant or amazing tech support comes in super handy.

Founder example: Maybe you’re alright at social media scheduling but dread coming up with content ideas. Instead of spending hours on it, why not bring in a social media assistant to handle it for you? OR utilise ChatGPT to help you generate a system for creating posts with ease. I will never suggest using AI in replacement of creative thinking but it's a tool to be used and when used correctly, it can save you bags of time!

3. Zone of Excellence

This is where things get tricky. Your Zone of Excellence is filled with tasks you’re really good at, possibly even things others admire you for. The problem? They’re not the things that energise you. Spending too much time here can leave you feeling stuck or unfulfilled, even if you’re smashing it.

For example, I’m great at organising events. I’ve run countless workshops and community gatherings that people rave about, but while I enjoy them, they’re not where I feel most alive. If I spent all my time here, I’d miss the bigger picture of where I want to take my business.

Founder example: Perhaps you’re excellent at sales calls and closing deals, but deep down, you’d rather spend time creating your next product or building a strategy to scale your business.

Caution: Hendricks calls this the “danger zone” because it’s so easy to get stuck here. It feels comfortable and productive, but it’s not where your unique magic lies.

4. Zone of Genius

Your Zone of Genius is your sweet spot—the activities that make you come alive, the things you could do all day without getting bored. These are the tasks that only you can do, the ones that drive the biggest impact for your business.

For me, this includes strategy sessions with founders, creating mindmaps for new ideas, and writing. No one else can capture my vision and ideas quite like I can, and these are the things that excite me most.

Founder example: Maybe your genius lies in crafting compelling stories for your brand or building meaningful connections with potential partners. These are the things that will make your business stand out.

How to Find Your Zone of Genius

Here’s a simple process to identify your zones:

1. List your weekly activities: Write down everything you’ve done in the past week. Yes, everything—from answering emails to brainstorming new ideas.
2. Sort them into zones: Which tasks drain you? Which ones feel easy but uninspiring? Which ones do you love doing? Be honest.
3. Ask yourself these key questions:
   • What work feels effortless and energises me? When am I in a state of flow?
   • What do I do that creates the most value for my business?
   • What’s unique to me that others can’t replicate?
4. Delegate or eliminate: Anything in your Zones of Incompetence and Competence should be delegated or scrapped. Free up time to focus on your Zone of Genius.

Why This Matters

When you spend more time in your Zone of Genius, you’ll notice two things happen:

1. You’ll enjoy your work more, and your energy levels will skyrocket.
2. Your business will grow because you’re focusing on what truly matters.

For founders, this isn’t just about being happier, it’s about creating a business that thrives because you’re thriving. So, what’s in your Zone of Genius? Start there and watch your business transform.