- “I’ve found that it’s essential to begin with a commitment to living in your Zone of Genius. Your commitment must come before you know how to make good on it. The image that comes to mind is from the third Indiana Jones movie, in which Indy must step out into thin air, in a gesture of commitment, before a bridge magically appears beneath his feet. The power of your commitment brings forth the means necessary for you to live in your Zone of Genius. If you will make a powerful, sincere commitment—a vow that you really want to live your life in the Zone of Genius—your journey will be blessed with uncommon good fortune at all the twists and turns of the road. Commitment has that power.” The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (Gay Hendricks)- Page 121
- “You produce an Enlightened No when you turn down something that doesn’t fit into your Zone of Genius. I call it the Enlightened No because you’re saying no in the service of your genius. You’re not saying no for all the usual reasons, such as money, dislike, lack of time, and so forth. You’re saying no because you’ve chosen to focus on activities that are clearly in your Zone of Genius. Saying no for that reason even has an inspirational effect on the people you’re turning down.” The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (Gay Hendricks)- Page 151
- “I encourage you to look carefully at the number of times you say yes to things that do not fit in your Zone of Genius. Even if they seem beneficial for other reasons, those requests can eat up a great deal of energy that could be better invested in expressing your genius.” The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (Gay Hendricks)- Page 152
- “Does it fit in your Zone of Genius?” The question took me so by surprise that I burst out laughing. “No,” I said, “except maybe the fifty thousand dollars part!” Here’s where the magic of saying an Enlightened No comes into play. I sent them an e-mail that explained why I was turning them down. In part, it said, “I’ve been really benefiting in recent years from focusing on activities that are in what I call my Zone of Genius. These are things that I’m uniquely suited to do, and which serve my highest purposes for my life. While I like the people I’ve met from your company, and while I think the devices are useful, I’m going to turn down your generous offer because it doesn’t fit in the sweet spot of my Zone of Genius.” The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (Gay Hendricks)- Page 153
- “Most opportunities to say an Enlightened No do not come attached to compelling amounts of cash. It doesn’t matter, though, because it’s not about the cash value of the thing you’re saying no to. It’s about strengthening your commitment to living in your Zone of Genius. Each time you say an Enlightened No to something that does not serve your genius, you build a stronger foundation for yourself in the zone.” The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (Gay Hendricks)- Page 153
- “Commitment gets you started and propels you through the early stages of any game, but it’s recommitment that ignites your reserves when you feel like you’re going to give up.” The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (Gay Hendricks)- Page 154
- “When I hit a wobbly spot on the journey, I seize the moment to make a recommitment. From time to time, you will probably lose focus and your attention will wander. It comes with the territory. When it happens, though, it doesn’t need to be a big deal. It simply means that you need to recommit to what you’ve chosen to be here for expressing your genius in the world in ways that help you and others thrive.” The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (Gay Hendricks)- Page 156
- “Fall down seven times. Stand up eight. CHINESE PROVERB” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success (Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty) Page 310