Leveraging Your Zone of Genius for Maximum Impact - Day 23

Ep. 157 - Leveraging Your Strengths and Zone of Genius for Maximum Impact - Day 23

Episode Summary:

We’ve been taught to focus on our weaknesses—fix what’s broken, improve what’s lacking—but what if that’s slowing you down? The real key to success isn’t fixing your flaws, it’s doubling down on what you already do well.

In today’s episode, I’m diving into:

✅ How to identify your unique strengths and skills

✅ Why focusing on strengths leads to faster, more fulfilling progress

✅ Practical ways to integrate your strengths into goal-setting and daily actions

If you’ve ever felt stuck or frustrated trying to improve in areas that don’t come naturally, this episode will help you shift your mindset and start working with your strengths instead of against them.

Resources Mentioned:

• Join The Village: Click here to connect with our community.
• Sign up for the Momentum Challenge: Click here to get started.

Resources & Links

• Follow Christina @christinaslaback
• Email us at hello@christinaslaback.com
• www.christinaslaback.com

Transcript

Day 23 -Leveraging Your Strengths 

Christina: [00:00:00] The assumption is that the way to grow is to fix what's broken. But what if we've been looking at it all wrong? What if the fastest, most fulfilling way to grow isn't by fixing our weaknesses, but by doubling down on our strengths?

 Your greatest potential lies in what already comes naturally to you. When you lean into what you're good at, things feel easier. You get results faster. You're more energized, more confident, and more likely to stay consistent. 

Welcome to Clear and On Purpose, the podcast designed to help you cut through the noise and get back to what matters most. If you're feeling stuck but need to take intentional action, you're in the right place. I'm Kristina Slaibach, homeschooling mom of two and life and business coach, helping you drop in and align with your values and create more space.

Each week, I'll be sharing practical insights and simple insights. Actual steps to help you find clarity, boost your energy and [00:01:00] design a life that balances ambition with. Let's dive in and get clear on purpose.

Welcome back to Clearing On Purpose. Today is day 23 of Momentum Month and we're talking about leveraging your strengths. Let's be real, most of us have been taught to focus on what's wrong with us. We're told to fix our flaws and to improve in the areas that we struggle.

 we're told to look at where we lack. We're constantly looking for the flaws, for the mistakes, for the errors. And we're told to fix and improve in areas where we struggle. It can start even early in school, where if you got an A on your math test, but you got a C in writing, where is the focus going to be?

What are your parents going to be paying attention to? That's C, right? The assumption is that the way to grow is to fix [00:02:00] what's broken. But what if we've been looking at it all wrong? What if the fastest, most fulfilling way to grow isn't by fixing our weaknesses, but by doubling down on our strengths?

Here's something to think about. Your greatest potential lies in what already comes naturally to you. When you lean into what you're good at, things feel easier. You get results faster. You're more energized, more confident, and more likely to stay consistent. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that you should ignore your weaknesses entirely.

Some skills are necessary and you do need to develop in certain areas to reach your goals. But the key is in how you do it. Instead of forcing yourself to operate in a way that drains you, think about how you can use your strengths to work around your weaknesses. If you're to constantly build up the areas that you're weak, you may get to a point where you're mediocre at it.

You may even really, if you're putting a lot of focus into it, get to a point that you're good at. But [00:03:00] if you took that same effort and you, you applied it to areas where you're already naturally gifted at, where you already do well, you can get to excellent levels. You can get to areas that other people aren't going to be able to hit just because that comes naturally to you.

So those can become areas where you become the go to person. Where you can really excel. For example, let's say you're an incredible big picture thinker, but you struggle with details. Instead of spending hours trying to become a detail oriented person, maybe you structure your work so you can stay in that visionary role, while bringing in tools, systems, or even support to handle the details.

That way you're still making progress without getting stuck in something that doesn't align with your strengths. Let's make this personal. What are your strengths? So take a moment to think about these questions. What do people come to you for advice or help with? Where are you constantly [00:04:00] being sought out?

What kind of tasks feel effortless to you, but seem difficult for others? When do you feel the most energized, engaged, and excited? If you had to teach someone something without any preparation, what would it be? Your strengths aren't just things that you're good at, they're things that come naturally to you, that light you up, and that make you feel like yourself.

A lot of times we can overlook our strengths because they feel too easy. We assume that if something is easy for us, it must be easy for everyone. But that's simply not true. The things that feel second nature to you could be incredibly difficult for someone else. For example, you may have a natural ability to connect with people, build relationships, and create community.

Or maybe you're great at breaking down complex ideas into simple steps. Maybe you're super creative or [00:05:00] incredibly analytical. Whatever it is, own it. If we all focused on owning the parts of us that come naturally, we could complement each other into a big, beautiful picture of how everybody's working together.

Now that you have a sense of what your strengths are, let's talk about how to use them. So you want to align your goals with your strengths. The way that you set goals matter. If your goals align with your natural abilities and ways of working, they're going to feel harder than they need to.

Instead of forcing yourself to follow someone else's path, ask, how can I achieve this goal in a way that plays to my strengths? Structure your action plan around your strengths. Think about how you naturally like to work. Are you a visual person? Do you need accountability? Do you prefer structured plans or more flexibility?

Build a process that makes sense for you. If you're great at speaking but struggle with [00:06:00] writing, maybe you record voice notes and transcribe them instead of staring at a blank page. If you're an idea person but you struggle with execution, maybe you set up small deadlines to keep yourself on track.

Spend more time in your zone of genius. Your zone of genius is where you're operating at your highest level, doing what you're best at, what comes naturally, and what energizes you. The more time you spend in this space, the more momentum you'll create. So look at your daily routine and how much of it is spent in your strengths versus forcing yourself to do things that drain you.

How can you shift that balance? Overcome the I should mentality. One of the biggest things that holds people back from leaning into their strengths is the idea that they should be good at something else. I should be more organized. I should be better at numbers. I should be more structured.

The truth is, you don't have to be everything. You just have to be you. [00:07:00] And instead of beating yourself up for what you're not, ask, how can I work with who I am instead of against it? Here's your challenge for today. Write down three of your biggest strengths. Then think about one goal you're working toward, and how can you use those strengths to make progress faster and with more ease?

And then take one action today that leans into your strengths. When you start shifting your focus from fixing weaknesses to amplifying strengths, everything changes. You'll feel more aligned, more capable, and more powerful in a way that you move through the world. If this episode resonated with you, take a screenshot and share it on Instagram.

Tag me so I can cheer you on. And if you're ready to go deeper into designing a life that's aligned with your strengths, check out my Design Your Life coaching offer. I'd love to support you in making this shift in a way that sticks. Thanks for tuning in today, and I'll see [00:08:00] you back here tomorrow.

Thank you for tuning in to Clear and On Purpose. If you're ready to take intentional steps toward a more fulfilling life and want to customize the approach, I'd love to work with you. Visit www. christinaslayback. com to schedule a free consultation or explore current offers designed to help you gain clarity and reclaim your energy.

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