Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?
(Day 5)
Your Genius Is Hiding in Plain Sight
You see others doing big, bold things—launching successful businesses, giving inspiring speeches, creating amazing projects—and think, “I’m just not that kind of person.”
You watch colleagues get promoted, see friends starting new ventures, or read about people making a real difference in the world.
Each time, you feel that familiar pang of admiration mixed with self-doubt. “They’re so talented,” you think. “They have something special that I don’t have.”
So you keep your head down, do your work, and convince yourself that you’re just an ordinary person doing ordinary things.
You tell yourself that genius is reserved for other people—the naturally gifted, the boldly confident, the ones who seem to have it all figured out.
You are in a comparison trap.
The Moments You Dismiss
But here’s what’s interesting: You’ve had moments of brilliance. Real, genuine moments when something clicked and you made a difference.
Maybe it was last month when your team was stuck on a difficult problem. Everyone was frustrated and running out of ideas.
Then you quietly suggested a solution that seemed obvious to you—but no one else had thought of it. The room lit up. “That’s brilliant!” someone said. The problem got solved, and the project moved forward.
Or perhaps it was the time a coworker was having a terrible day. They looked defeated, ready to give up on something important.
You said exactly the right words at exactly the right moment.
You helped them see the situation differently, gave them hope, or just made them feel heard and understood. Later, they told you that conversation changed everything for them.
Maybe it was when you noticed a pattern in the data that everyone else had missed.
Or when you connected two ideas that seemed unrelated but turned out to work perfectly together. Or when you explained something complicated in a way that made it simple and clear for everyone to understand.
These moments happened. They were real. They made a difference.
The Genius You Can’t See
But here’s what you probably did next: you brushed it off.
You thought, “Anyone could’ve done that.” You told yourself it was just common sense, or luck, or that you happened to be in the right place at the right time.
You downplayed your contribution and went back to what you consider “regular” work. You treated these moments of brilliance as accidents rather than glimpses of your true capability. This is one of the most common ways we sabotage ourselves.
We have this idea that genius should be obvious, dramatic, and undeniable.
We think it should come with fanfare and recognition. We believe that if we were truly talented, we would know it without question, and so would everyone else.
But that’s not how genius actually works in the real world.
What Genius Really Looks Like
Real genius isn’t always dramatic or obvious. Most of the time, it’s quiet, practical, and happens in everyday moments.
It’s the ability to see what others miss, to solve problems in ways that seem simple after the fact, to connect with people in meaningful ways, or to make complex things understandable.
Your genius might be your ability to calm down tense situations with just the right words. It might be how you can look at a messy problem and instantly see the core issue.
It could be your talent for helping people feel comfortable and included, or your skill at organizing chaos into something that makes sense.
Maybe your genius is asking the questions no one else thinks to ask. Maybe it’s your way of explaining things that makes people say, “Oh, now I get it!”
Maybe it’s how you can spot opportunities that others walk right past, or how you remember exactly what someone needs to hear when they’re struggling.
These abilities feel natural to you, so you assume they’re natural for everyone.
But they’re not. What feels obvious and easy to you is actually your unique way of seeing and interacting with the world.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
In his book Linchpin, Seth Godin reminds us that genius isn’t rare—it’s often hidden under layers of doubt, fear, or routine.
He says, “You are a genius sometimes.” The problem isn’t that you lack genius; it’s that you don’t recognize it when it shows up.
We’ve been trained to think genius requires special credentials, formal recognition, or dramatic breakthroughs.
But the truth is, genius happens in small moments when you bring your unique perspective, skills, and caring to a situation that needs exactly what you have to offer.
The key is to stop dismissing those moments and start owning them.
When you solve a problem, help someone, or contribute something valuable, don’t brush it off as “nothing special.”
Recognize it as evidence of your genius at work.
This isn’t about being arrogant or boastful. It’s about being honest about what you’re capable of and intentional about sharing those gifts with the world.
(Linchpin: Are Your Indispensable by Seth Godin)
(Day 5) Micro-Coaching Moment
Your Genius Hiding in Plain Sight
You want to become more valuable at work, but you keep dismissing your natural abilities: “Anyone could have done that.”
The Scenario You’re reflecting on your week when moments of success flash through your mind. You helped a frustrated coworker understand a complex process in minutes.
You spotted a problem in a project that everyone else missed. You said exactly the right thing to motivate someone who was ready to give up. You explained a difficult concept so clearly that the whole room suddenly “got it.”
You find yourself thinking: “That was nothing special. I just happened to know that stuff. Anyone with common sense would have seen that problem.
I was just being nice—it’s not like I did anything genius-level.” You brush off these moments and return to thinking you’re just an ordinary person doing ordinary work.
What if the thing you take for granted is exactly what makes you a genius?
Consider this: Seth explains that genius isn’t rare or dramatic—it’s often hiding in plain sight. He says, “You are a genius sometimes.” The problem isn’t that you lack talent; it’s that you don’t recognize your natural gifts when they show up. While others struggle with something, you do it effortlessly and assume everyone can. But they can’t—that’s your unique genius at work.
Ask yourself: What do people often come to me for help with? What seems easy to me but hard for others? When do I find myself thinking, “Why doesn’t everyone just...?” What compliments do I regularly receive that I dismiss as “no big deal”? What problems do I solve that others find difficult?
Try this: Use the “Genius Recognition Framework” to identify your hidden talents:
Recall: Think of three times in the past month when someone thanked you or complimented your work.
Analyze: What specific ability did you use in each situation? What made your contribution valuable?
Pattern: What common thread runs through these moments? This is likely one of your genius areas.
Acknowledge: Instead of dismissing it, accept that this is a real strength you possess.
Level up: Start using your identified genius on purpose, not by accident. Look for opportunities to apply this natural ability in new situations. Volunteer for projects that need what you’re naturally good at. Share your insights more freely. Stop waiting for people to ask for your help—offer it when you see they could benefit.
The Psychology Behind This:
In Linchpin, Godin reveals that we’ve been trained to think genius requires special credentials or dramatic breakthroughs.
But real genius is often quiet, practical, and happens in everyday moments.
It’s the ability to see what others miss, to connect dots that seem unrelated, or to help people in ways that feel natural to you but magical to them.
When you consistently dismiss your natural abilities, you rob yourself and others of your unique value. You stay small when you could be making a bigger difference.
The framework shifts your mindset from “That was nothing special” to “That’s evidence of my unique gifts.”
This recognition is what separates people who hide their talents from those who develop and share them generously.
Your turn: Today, pay attention to moments when you help someone, solve a problem, or contribute something valuable. Instead of brushing it off, pause and ask: “What ability did I just use? How did this help someone? What made my contribution special?”
Write down at least one example. This isn’t bragging—it’s recognizing reality.
Then tomorrow, look for an opportunity to use that same genius intentionally.
Remember: The world has enough people who hide their talents under false modesty. What it needs are more people who recognize their gifts and share them confidently to make others’ lives better.
Wrapping Up Next:
“Fear Is a Sign—Do It Anyway”