Mission Motivation
Motivation comes and goes. Your Zone of Genius is the answer.
Have you ever heard that saying “it’s all in your head”? Well it turns out it really is. Research from the Royal College London tells us we have over 60,000 thoughts per day. Of those, over 95% are the same thoughts we had yesterday. So if we are in charge of our thoughts, doesn’t it follow that our thoughts shape our life and thereby our ability to feel motivated (or not) in any given moment? It’s what we focus on that matters most.
Research also suggests that the highest form of motivation is Mission Motivation. It stands to reason then, that if you know your why and you know what mission you support, you can become highly motivated to bring it about. The most successful people in the world (such as Richard Branson, Tony Robbins, and the late Steve Jobs to name a few), have similarities that we can all tap into:
They know WHY they are doing what they are doing
They use that why to stay motivated and centered on what matters most.
Knowing your Mission isn’t always easy. It’s important to stay flexible and be present to moments of genius.
Research also states that only 24% of people on the planet know their purpose or why they do what they do. Knowing what drives you also helps you identify where you will spend your time and what you will focus your 60,000 thoughts on per day!
Here’s a couple of strategies to help you find your purpose:
Answer this question - Other than Time or Money what do I want more of?
This might include more job freedom, more flexibility, radiant health, better energy, peaceful moments, best friends, living in a different country, having a family, intellectual conversations. Just explore this and write down as many possibilities as you can.List down all the things you love to do (your interests and hobbies) and some things you’d like to learn more about.
These might be a love of art, cooking, reading, researching, crafting, sports, networking, children, friendships, cleaning, writing, dancing.Ask people you trust what they think your superpower is. Create a chat group or have one-to-one conversations with others whose opinions you value and that know you well. Ask them what they think is unique about you, and what they think you are good at. Often they will have insights about you that you just haven’t identified in yourself.
Now, the intersection of what you want more of, what you love to do and what you are good at is your zone of genius. Your zone of genius can come in any form so be very open-minded and in a state of expansion as you explore this. It can also change over time so don’t be afraid to revisit this exercise.
Your Zone of Genius is just around the corner.
Now you should have three lists:
You’ve got what you want more of in your life.
You’ve got what you love to do or are interested in.
You’ve got what you and others think you are good at.
Create three overlapping circles (a Venn diagram) and move each list into a circle. What is common among them? Your zone of genius is the small part where all three of these intersect - the commonality. Write the themes or common items into the small overlapping part of your Venn diagram. Be creative as you go through this and stay open. Reach out to us if you’d like to explore your purpose further. Good luck.
