Beyond the Coffee Cups

What creative analogies can you use to help understand your joy and frustration at work?

In episode 95 of the Working Genius Podcast, Patrick and Cody revisit one of their earliest metaphors for the Six Types of Working Genius model: the coffee cup analogy. They explore how it explains joy, competency, and frustration in work—and why new analogies like batteries, bikes, and even shoes can add nuance to the conversation. Along the way, they highlight how interest, energy, and preference intersect with genius.

Topics explored in this episode:

(3:42) Battery Analogies
How genius can feel like charging a phone.
Whether constant genius work is healthy or limiting.

(7:30) Bike Riding Analogies
Cody introduces the uphill, flat, and downhill bike comparison.
Pat adds how electric bikes recharge, mirroring the energy of genius.

(9:44) Analogies About Shoes and Household Chores
The difference between genius and personal likes/dislikes.

(15:06) The Lunch Analogy
How interest or disinterest in particular subjects or meals shape our energy.

This episode of The Working Genius Podcast with Patrick Lencioni is brought to you by The Table Group: https://www.tablegroup.com. We teach leaders how to make work more effective and less dysfunctional. We also help their employees be more fulfilled and less miserable.

The Six Types of Working Genius model helps you discover your natural gifts and thrive in your work and life. When you’re able to better understand the types of work that bring you more energy and fulfillment and avoid work that leads to frustration and failure, you can be more self-aware, more productive, and more successful. The Six Types of Working Genius assessment is the fastest and simplest way to discover your natural gifts and thrive at work: https://workinggenius.me/about

Subscribe to The Working Genius Podcast on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/4iNz6Yn), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4iGGm8u), and YouTube (https://bit.ly/Working-Genius-YouTube).

Follow Pat Lencioni on   / patrick-lencioni-orghealth  ,    / @patricklencioniofficial  , and https://x.com/patricklencioni.

Be sure to check out our other podcast, At The Table with Patrick Lencioni, on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/4hJKKSL), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4l1aop0), and YouTube (https://bit.ly/At-The-Table-YouTube).

Let us know your feedback via [email protected].

This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co.