A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned the book “Is Your Genius at Work?” while referencing an interesting post by the author, Dick Richards. Genius is a phenomenal book that brings a valuable and unique approach to discovering your unique genius and purpose. The core principals of the book are summarized as:
You have a genius that is inevitably linked to your work and career.
Your genius was a source of success and satisfaction in work that you have done in the past, and it can be a source of success and satisfaction in work that you do in the future.
The first step toward recognizing your genius is acknowledging that you do have a genius.
The primary method for recognizing your genius is to give it a name.
I discovered the book last year after reading about it on several of my favorite personal development blogs. As an avid reader, I’ve read hundreds of success and personal development books. Most have little or no lasting impact. Genius was different. Here, almost a year later, I can trace many key life decisions and changes back to discovering my genius with the help of the book.
Shortly after reading the book the first time through, I wrote to Dick, which became a guest post on his blog:
As I began to study the book and complete the exercises, my interest intensified. Though I had been through hundreds of personal development products over the years, I never felt the need to write an author. But after my first time through “Genius,” I was compelled to email Dick to express my enthusiasm regarding his work. His methodology was such an authentic and fresh way of approaching that “inner something.” What I found even more appealing is that the process is not an easy, quick-fix. If I had read the book once, done the exercises, and had my genius, I don’t know if it would have had the same impact. The fact that I had to continue to search within to articulate my genius, made the process even more compelling.
The exercises in the book are both fun and engaging. They can also be frustrating:
After several weeks, I had not found my genius and began to get frustrated. I saw glimpses and flashes as I struggled to grasp hold of the underlying thread that was trying to reveal itself. It was like desperately trying to remember a dream that you know has significance. The more I tried to uncover the details, the murkier it became.
It took time and work, but I did find my Genius. Now, close to a year later, I feel that the discovery helped me to better understand who I am and why I do things. It also gave me a much needed wake-up call about what I wanted to do in life. There is amazing power in clearly knowing who you are and what you want. “Is Your Genius at Work?” can help to find that clarity, and provide some valuable insight into the real you.
More Resources
- Chapter 1 is available for download from Dick’s site.
- Lots of folks have had similar experiences with the book. You can find more stories on the Come Gather Round blog.
- There is a companion Google Group that might be helpful for those going through the exercises and looking for some help.