Finding Zone of Genius through Your Energizing Vision

Hey there, ever found yourself caught up in someone else's dream, leaving your own passions trailing behind? I've been there, and in this episode, I'm getting real about my journey. From chasing acceptance to diving into countless side hustles, I share the ups, downs, and aha moments that reshaped my outlook on success and happiness.

Join me as I rewind through the story of rebuilding my business from scratch, sparked by a health scare that shook me to my core. Through it all, I discovered that finding your groove isn't just about playing to your strengths—it's about embracing the challenges and letting them fuel your growth.

So, why not come along for the ride? We'll chat about why nurturing your vision is like navigating by the stars—constantly adjusting, evolving, and moving forward with purpose. Consider this episode your roadmap to uncovering your zone of genius and owning your unique journey through life's twists and turns.

Transcript

Humaira Akhter: 0:00

Hey friends, welcome back to the Self-Ware Soloprenner podcast. Here we are diving into part two of the Energizing Vision series. I'm sitting in my cozy corner, just having dropped my kids off at Jujutsu class, and I set myself this challenge. You know what? Record this episode within the hour. No overthinking, no procrastinating, just raw, unfiltered insights straight from my heart. If you missed the last episode, we delved into the five big signs indicating you might need an Energizing Vision. So today we're venturing into the essence of finding your zone of genius through that very vision.

Humaira Akhter: 0:48

Now, before we dive in, I want to emphasize something. Everything I share here, take it with a grain of salt. It all stems from my own journey that is marked by highs and lows, successes and setbacks. It's not the linear guy rocketing trajectory you often hear about it, but you know what I've come to embrace, that I'm okay with not always being okay, because I've realized that impermanence is woven into the fabric of life. It's about honoring where you are, my friend, finding grace in your journey and realizing that every twist and turn has its purpose. So let's talk about finding your zone of genius through your Energizing Vision. Before we jump into the nitty gritty, let's revisit what an Energizing Vision truly means To me. It's that magnetic force that propels you forward, fueled by your core values and a relentless pursuit of growth. It's actually what infuses each day with enthusiasm, guides your journey and nurtures your evolving identity. It's not just a lofty goal, it's a roadmap grounded in your origin story, the narrative of your past experiences, challenges and pivotal moments. And to kick things off, I'm going to share a bit of my own origin story, a journey marked by a quest for acceptance.

Humaira Akhter: 2:26

After making a series of choices in my life, as we all have right, I found myself yearning for acceptance, both from others and from myself. It was a journey filled with twists and turns, highs and lows, but through it all, one consistent pattern emerged. I was constantly exploring different side hustles, searching for that elusive sense of happiness and fulfillment. From selling MLM products to diving into digital arts, from experimenting with various business models like creative agency models to memberships, I tried it all. Yet it was all gathered efforts with little to no return. I would dive, head myself into one endeavor, throwing myself into it with passion and determination, only to find myself feeling unfulfilled and empty once again. It was a relentless cycle of chasing someone else's blueprint, trying to fit into moles that were never meant for me. If that resonates with you, I say that you're on to something, because most people, unconsciously or subconsciously, they just keep driving without ever looking or pausing to see what actually they're doing.

Humaira Akhter: 3:54

Then came 2021, a year marked by a personal family health scare that put everything into perspective. It forced me to restructure my business from the ground up, a pivot I wouldn't wish upon anyone. Restructuring an entire business built on a shaky foundation was a daunting task. I realized that sometimes restructuring is necessary, but it was also a wake-up call. Amidst the chaos of constant movement and change, something clicked, a realization that would change the course of my journey forever.

Humaira Akhter: 4:37

I realized that the key to true fulfillment lay not in chasing someone else's vision. But you knew that already right. And how is it that we still don't embrace it? And that's where I want to get a little bit deeper into the next episode. Again, truthful commitment lay not in chasing someone else's vision, but in embracing my own.

Humaira Akhter: 5:04

So, armed with this newfound clarity, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery that is fueled by pursuit of my own energizing vision. I allowed myself to explore, to experiment, to fail and to learn, knowing that each step was bringing me closer to my true path. It wasn't easy. There were moments of doubt, moments of fear, moments when I questioned everything I thought I knew. But through it all, I held on to the belief that my vision was worth fighting for, worth pursuing with every ounce of my being. And, slowly but surely, my vision began to take shape. As I mentioned before, it was messy, it was chaotic, but it was undeniably mine, and with each passing day, I felt myself coming alive in a way I've never experienced before.

Humaira Akhter: 5:59

So to anyone out there who's feeling lost, who's searching for acceptance, who's yearning for fulfillment, I urge you to get clarity on your own energizing vision. Trust in yourself, trust in your journey, and know that the path to fulfillment begins with accepting and honoring your own unique vision. Now, why do I share this? Because it is part of my origin story, the tapestry of all the experiences that shaped who I am and what I stand for. And I bet, if you reflect on your own journey, you'll uncover similar threads, the challenges, the triumphs, the moments that shaped your path.

Humaira Akhter: 6:43

And there lies the key to finding your zone of genius. It's not about leveraging your strengths, which most people think. That's what it is, because a zone of genius is about, you know, finding your greatest strengths and being in your competency level. That makes you whole right, that awakens your superpowers. Well, that's true, but in my perspective it's about embracing your challenges, your moments of deepest struggle. Those moments are where you're most alive, most engaged and most in tune with your purpose. It's where the magic happens.

Humaira Akhter: 7:28

Some people will tell me that their purpose is to pass on legacy, or they're doing this for their children, or leaving a better world, something like that. Right, you've heard that before. In my mind, it's not something that you can latch onto for the long term haul. When you actually have went through a challenge that you know it has marked significantly for you somewhere in your part of your life, a challenge that you went through, that's when I see that there is an opportunity to connect those dots that makes you for who you are, because you have a certain way of solving that challenge. You had a certain way of looking at that challenge that no one else does, and that's the part that's really fun for me when I work with my clients to figure out how to extract that genius out of you that makes it stick with your energizing vision. So, as you again reflect on your journey, ask yourself what challenges have I overcome? What lessons have I learned? What fires have forged me into who I am today? Because within those answers lies the essence of your genius waiting to be unleashed.

Humaira Akhter: 9:04

And as we journey together through this series, we'll explore how your energizing vision intertwines with your intrinsic motivation, how it shapes your purpose and how it feels your path forward. But for now, remember this your vision isn't just a destination, it's a journey. Every solopreneur has a north star in them, but it's your responsibility to find it and guide it within yourself. So, my friend, keep embracing the journey, keep uncovering your genius and, above all, keep believing the power of your vision. Until next time, take care and remember your story matters, your journey matters and you, my friend, matter. Thank you for listening.