The key to finding your genius, levelling up and living life on your terms
Have you ever wanted to work for yourself and make money so you could take a vacation whenever you want? Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to ask somebody else to approve your time off request? A life of financial freedom and setting your own hours is within reach.
In her upcoming book, P.S. You’re A Genius: An unconventional guide to finding your innate gifts (even when you feel like you have none) (BenBella Books, November 30, 2021), Kelly Trach helps people find their unique genius and the thing that only YOU can do.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kelly and I’m here to share some of her wisdom with you today. If you’re like me, you prefer to live life on your own terms. And this includes working for yourself. If you’re stuck and unsure of what to do, or how to become your own boss, read on to discover how to find your genius and start living the life you want today!
This post does not contain any affiliate links and it was not sponsored in any way. Kelly is a dear friend of mine and I love supporting my bossbabe friends! I hope you enjoy this post and learning how to discover your genius to live your life to the fullest. I have worked with Kelly and highly recommend her coaching.
Interview with Kelly Trach, entrepreneur, business coach and author
There are a lot of people who want more travel in their lives. They want financial freedom to be able to travel more or work remotely. What would you tell these people about finding their genius?
Kelly: I think the biggest piece of the puzzle is finding your unique genius and figuring out how you can monetize that. How can you find your best gift and turn that info an offer or service? How can you do this digitally? You can work from anywhere in the world if you have a digital business.
Need some help finding your genius? Take Kelly’s quiz What’s Your Genius?
Turn your genius into a career
Can you share some advice on this and how to turn it into a business or career and not just a side hustle? I know my readers would love to travel more or even full-time. How can we help them achieve financial freedom? Please share with us how to work for yourself and make money.
Kelly: One of my favourite exercises in my book is to list 5 people that you admire. What are 5 traits that they have? Make a list of these and you will have 25 traits in total. Usually, you will see your genius in other people. Have a look at this list of 25 traits. Do any of these reflect you?
Now ask yourself, how are these people making money? Can you do that too? What does their business model look like? Do they sell online courses? Are they a VP of Marketing? What they are doing can provide you with a direction that you can go into.
How to work for yourself and make money digitally
Kelly: Consider more than anything, how do you want to be spending your time? If it’s travelling, then be strategic to allow this ultimate goal. Design your career with your end goal in mind. For example, if you love to travel then consider becoming a speaker. This way, you can travel internationally to speak at events/conferences etc.
If you’re not into public speaking, another option would be to find remote work by offering digital services. Maybe you can offer group services instead of one-on-one coaching, then you’d have even more free time.
Looking for some help with this? Check out Kelly’s podcast all about deciding what you can sell: https://www.kellytrach.com/podcasts/what-should-i-sell-3-questions-to-help-you-decide
Geniuses have a different set of rules
If you want to become a digital nomad, or simply have the freedom to travel whenever you wish, then you likely already have a different set of rules that you live by. Geniuses have a different set of unconventional rules they play by. Let’s dig into this as well as your new-school rules such as: “quitting is underrated,” “trying harder doesn’t always work,” and “throw out everything you know and go with how it feels.”
Kelly: One of the things I teach is that geniuses have a different set of rules they play by. Your top 3-5 gifts working together, equal your genius. When you find and work within your genius, you find flow. You love what you do so you can create more and do more.
I am also a firm believer in the power of quitting, often and early. If it’s a battle, there’s power in leaving early. It’s okay to quit and drop stuff. We are often taught not to quit, but I think that’s wrong. If what you are doing is a constant battle, then you haven’t found flow. It’s time to rethink what you’re doing because you aren’t working in your area of genius.
The power of intuition
I believe in the power of intuition. Go with how it feels. Trust the wisdom of your body to make decisions that are right for you. It is important to understand that when you create from a space of your genius, the quality of the work is easier, the flow is easier. If it’s not in alignment, it’s an uphill battle and it’s hard.
The path of least resistance is the way to go. Trust that it’s okay to do what’s natural for you. Trying harder doesn’t always work. Surrender to what’s fulfilling. Of course, there’s always going to be stuff that isn’t fun. When you can, automate, delegate or delete these tasks. Be as strategic as you can.
Your unique genius enables you to work for yourself and make money
Let’s touch on how to ditch the doubts that hold you back. Let’s chat about how to overcome fears like “I’m not good enough” and “somebody is already doing it better than me, so I can’t.” Plus, other worries like “I can’t make money doing that” and “I need more time, experience, and maybe another certification.”
Kelly: I think it’s key to pinpoint the specific doubt that comes up the most. You have a unique genius so your way is going to be different. Your audience wants to connect with you. They want YOU because of your unique perspective, experience etc.
You are the differentiating factor, no matter how many times something has been done before. Even if there are millions of other blogs or competing job applicants, nobody has the exact same blend of lived experiences as you. Nobody has seen life through your eyes, endured your traumas, and had the same heartbreaking setbacks. Nobody thinks the same way or has the same vision or wisdom. Because of all that, you create your way of doing things. You are the competitive advantage. Because at the end of the day, people are buying or hiring you. Your heart. Your intellect. Your genius. So it’s wrong to assume that if someone else is already doing something similar, then you can’t. Because they are not you.
P.S. You’re A Genius by Kelly Trach
Yes, you CAN work for yourself and make money
Kelly: Self-worth and money go hand in hand. They are like two best friends. If you want to invite money to the party, then you gotta make sure you invite self-worth too. Otherwise, money ain’t gonna show up on your doorstep with a case of coconut La Croix and a party hat on. If you want to work for yourself and make money, you need to believe it to achieve it.
Here are a few ways to increase your self-worth:
- Saying no
- Not settling for less than you deserve
- Going for what you want versus what you think you can get
- Setting boundaries
- Knowing when it’s time to walk away and doing so
- Charging what you’re worth (Ahem, no discounts)
- Letting go of the things that don’t serve you
- Not taking any shit
- Valuing yourself enough to prioritize your own needs
- Proudly proclaiming your gifts in a world where it’s uncool to do that
- Promoting yourself. And often.
- Trusting your gifts, rather than your inner critic
If you are having self-doubt and thinking that you can’t do what you want to because someone else is already doing it, then listen to this podcast on how to stand out online in a saturated market: https://www.kellytrach.com/podcasts/how-to-stand-out-online-in-a-saturated-market
Your goal is to know that your genius has worth and you are deserving of what you desire.
P.S. You’re A Genius by Kelly Trach
Competition is a good thing
Kelly: It’s important to remember that competition is a good thing. It means that you’re onto something great. It also means that someone else has educated your customers for you. All you need to do now is think about how you can niche down and improve what’s been done. In order to work for yourself and make money, you need to improve on what’s already out there. You need to add your genius to make it better. Improve on what’s already being done. Find your version of the vegan, chipotle, organic mayo.
Always be clear with what your offer is. Package it. Get clear on pain points, how to solve them. Tailored to one target audience! Make sure you build offers that are centred around your genius. Have a high self-worth! It’s important that you are feeling worthy and deserving. Don’t offer tons of discounts. Treat this like a job. Set the intention that this is your full-time goal and then reverse engineer what you need to do to get there.
Check out this inspirational podcast on how to make your first $1K online: https://www.kellytrach.com/podcasts/how-to-make-your-first-1000-with-an-online-business
How to stand out from the crowd
P.S. You’re a Genius takes you on a self-reflective journey to find your own gifts, asking questions like:
- How are your idols a reflection of your own genius?
- What are you great at that nobody taught you how to do?
- How is your darkest shadow your greatest gift?
- What have you been unexpectedly criticized for?
Through these questions and more, you’ll uncover the ways you naturally excel, relinquish the lie that you’re not “good enough,” and discover how to convincingly convey your value to anyone.
Whether you are looking for financial freedom, or the digital nomad lifestyle is calling, I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s interview with Kelly. If you are interested in purchasing her book, P.S. you’re a genius, please visit https://www.kellytrach.com/books.
