The Working Genius of Tenacity: The Genius of Finishing and Follow-Through

We're Not Done Yet

This week brings us to the final Working Genius: Tenacity.

The T in the Working Genius WIDGET and the genius responsible for making sure the thing actually gets finished.

And you're either going to love this one... or you're about to understand yourself in a way you didn't expect.

Honestly, Tenacity might be the most impactful discovery for me in the entire Working Genius framework.

Not because I have it.

Good gravy, there are plenty of moments when I wish I did.

Tenacity is the genius of finishing. These are the people who get energy from crossing things off the list, tying up loose ends, closing the loop, and making sure the project actually gets done.

They're the people saying:

"We're not done yet."

"There are still two steps left."

"Let's finish this."

"Let's close the loop."

And thank goodness they exist.

Because the rest of us are over here celebrating the fact that we started.

Tenacity isn't just doing the laundry.

It's gathering the laundry.

Sorting the laundry.

Washing the laundry.

Drying the laundry.

Carrying the laundry back upstairs.

And then...

Actually putting the clothes away.

It's that final step that turns a task from "almost done" into done.

And if you don't have Tenacity as a genius, that last step can feel oddly difficult.

For years, I felt bad about myself because I could start things, think about things, create things, help people with things... but somehow that clean laundry basket could sit in my room for weeks.

And then maybe a few more weeks.

Understanding Tenacity has given me so much compassion for myself.

Does it mean I never have to put my clothes away?

Unfortunately, no.

But it does mean I understand why certain tasks drain me more than they seem to drain other people? 100%

And that awareness matters.

Because when we don't have Tenacity as a genius, we often do one of two things:

We start things and don't finish them. And then we wonder what's wrong with us.

Or...

We force ourselves to finish everything anyway. We push past our capacity. We turn completion into an energy leak. Then we wonder why we're tired. Or why we're dreading the next project before it even begins.

One of the most powerful things I've learned through Working Genius is that not every phase of work gives every person energy.

Tenacity gives some people energy. For others, it costs energy.

Neither is wrong. It's just information.

And that information becomes incredibly valuable when we're building teams, running businesses, and managing households.

Think about an administrative assistant or virtual assistant. If both you and your assistant struggle with Tenacity, there may be a lot of brilliant ideas, exciting plans, and half-finished projects floating around.

Nobody is wrong, or lazy, or failing.

But it might explain why certain things never quite make it across the finish line.

Understanding Tenacity helps us stop assigning character flaws to what may simply be differences in how we're wired.

And honestly?

That's why Tenacity might be my favorite Working Genius.

Not because I love it.

And certainly not because I have it.

But because it helped me stop making up stories about myself.

It helped me understand why some things feel easy and why some things feel hard.

And it helped me recognize the people around me who bring this genius to the table every single day.

When a project actually needs to get finished? I know exactly who to call.

Here's the compassion piece—and maybe a bit of straight talk.

Our world tends to celebrate the people who make things happen. The people who get it done. The people who finish! Yes, those people are incredibly valuable.

But so is the person staring out the window having a moment of Wonder.

So is the person asking uncomfortable questions through Discernment.

So is the person helping everyone else succeed through Enablement.

Every genius matters. Every genius contributes and creates value.

The goal isn't to become someone else.

The goal is to understand yourself well enough to appreciate what you naturally bring—and appreciate what others bring too.

Now that we've walked through the entire WIDGET, can you look around your home, business, and relationships and feel grateful for the people whose geniuses are different from your own?

Can you stop measuring your worth by someone else's strengths?

Can you stop assuming that struggling with a particular phase of work means there's something wrong with you?

I sure hope so. Because there isn't.

Your permission slip today:

Go be yourself.

In all your geniuses.

Your competencies.

Your frustrations.

Every bit of it.

Your invitation today:

Thank someone whose genius is different from yours.

Appreciate what they bring to the table.

And then offer your own gifts right back.

That's where the magic happens.

Want to know where your geniuses lie? You can take the assessment here.