Creating Genius

All progress is rooted in balance. This balance lies between action and non-action, doing and being. Without its opposite, one cannot thrive. By integrating both, we move through life in a peaceful flow and create real value.

Most of us have a polarity we prefer. For some, working all the time is all they know. For others, resting and not doing anything is their way of life.

Neither end of the spectrum answers the question by itself. We need an integration of both sides to solve the puzzle.

In order to do so, we must first learn how to master action and non-action. Then, we can learn how to oscillate effortlessly between both.

All work and actions are not created equal. There are ways to maximize the efficiency, intention, and quality of what we do.

A helpful equation I learned during my coach training goes like this:

Genius Work = Time x (E x F x WIN)^C

Okay, so what do this mean?

In order to create what Brian Johnson calls Genius Work, 4 elements are needed:

• Energy: the basic foundation of everything we do. It is rooted in how we ground ourselves and take care of our mind, body, and soul.

• Focus: our best work is done when we are free from distractions and only focus on one thing at a time. With focus, we work on depth and intensity.

• What's Important Now: our actions have to be prioritized. We can all do a million things, but there is always only one thing that matters in the moment.

• Consistency: we are what we repeatedly do. Frequency trumps intensity and wields incredible results. No genius work is created overnight.

This gives us a good foundation to work with. In my experience, actions rooted in these principles are very powerful. When I was a student, I used this framework to work less and get better results than most of my classmates.

But the quality of our actions depends also on non-action. Genius Work is a deliberate and disciplined way of approaching work. But non-action requires us to let go of doing and allow ourselves to be.

Our culture is obsessed with work and control. This creates very little space for rest and spontaneity. If we are always ON and focused, our vision is tunneled and we cannot take in the beauty of the world we live in.

Many of the great thinkers, scientists, and philosophers of the past understood this. They knew how to let go of non-stop action to create something genius.

This is where oscillating comes in — learning to be intensely ON and intensely OFF. Contrary to common beliefs, our best results are not created by working like a maniac, but by alternating cycles of focus and rest.

Non-action is a far simpler concept than we think. It basically means disengaging and being. This is where we get our best insights and connections.

What does it look like? I vouch for taking walks in nature, meditation, music, spending time with loved ones, sleeping... Everything that relaxes me and does not need control.

A crucial element to non-action is solitude — freedom from the inputs of other minds. In solitude, we get to know who we are, balance our emotions, and take a break from frantic consumption and mind-activity.

Some simple ways I honor non-action and solitude:

• Shutdown Complete: stopping all work at 5PM.

• Digital Sunset: switching off all screens after 7PM.

• AM and PM Rituals: sacred space to ground and connect with myself.

• Digital Sabbath: taking a day a week to go completely offline.

Intuition is provoked by cultivating stillness and tuning in. This kind of rest is essential if we want to tap into our higher guidance and create something truly valuable.

We can imbue our life with rest and non-action while working intensely on what matters to us. It's all about learning the balance and how to oscillate.

Elite athletes rest as much as they practice. They understand that burning themselves out will not lead to peak performance.

Action and non-action are core components of our lives. They coexist in balance. But more than anything, the intention behind our actions and non-actions is crucial.

The quality of our being precedes the quality of our actions. What happens inside ourselves influences everything we do. An action rooted in lack and fear has a completely different energy to one grounded in faith and love.

Are you not doing anything because you are afraid of taking action?

Or are you constantly doing things to avoid being with yourself?

Being clear on why we act and why we don’t act is the key to living an intentional life.

We begin by tuning in to what we need right now.

First be, then act.