The Genius Zone: The Breakthrough Process to End Negative Thinking and Live in True Creativity

Psychologist Hendricks (Conscious Loving) explores in this satisfactory but simplistic guide the process of realizing one’s creative potential. He suggests one must ask the “wonder question”: “How can I spend the majority of my time doing what I most love to do, while also making my greatest contribution to the world?” To open one’s mind, he suggests breath work and prioritizing tasks to give oneself time to “focus on excellence.” Also included are activities intended to be completed while reading, such as releasing a grip on a ball in a too-literal lesson about metaphorically letting go. Committing to something isn’t what’s important, Hendricks argues, it is the recommitting that must continuously happen. He suggests incompleteness—or a lack of closure—is what feeds persistent negative thinking, and suggests that achieving one’s goals or working on a fulfilling project can stymie repetitive negative thoughts. While Hendricks provides some helpful ideas about creativity, the exercises generally land as bland, and readers well-versed in the topic won’t find much new here. But for those new to the idea, there’s plenty to recommend in this practical workbook. (June)