Kelly Trach - P.S. Youre a Genius: An Unconventional Guide To Finding Your Innate Gifts (Even When You Feel Like You Have None)

Heres what everyday geniuses (just like you) have to say...

I used to think those who are living their dream lives and running their dream businesses are cut from a different cloth, and that Ill never be able to have all of that, but Kelly proved me wrong on all fronts. Kelly has been my #1 role model showing me how to create a life of authenticity and freedom, and making money doing so!

Dominique Huang, Program Manager at Microsoft

Kelly feels like your best-friend-life-coach-hairstylist-guardian-angel all in one!

Dr. Jamie Wong, Doctor of Physical Therapy

Kellys knowledge on mindset and business is just insane. Listening to her always lights me up, makes me check-in and see things from a new perspective. Its like taking a shot of enthusiasm and motivation.

Ange Severo, Life Coach + Yoga Teacher

The content and energy that Kelly brings are absolutely magical. Everything is real, raw, and honest. Shes seriously like the big sister I wish I had and aspire to be: unconditionally caring, optimistic, and believes in others. If you want to get some of that energy, listen to her. It will shift your life.

Julianne Nieh, Entrepreneur

Before working with Kelly, I had a lingering belief that it wasnt possible for me to help others in an impactful way and make money doing it. Kelly feels like your greatest cheerleader and now building a digital business, making money, and having fun in the process are all doable!

Nishi Singhal, Intuition Coach

Kelly has an innate gift for not only seeing the potential in others but turning that potential into reality. Without Kelly, I truly dont believe Id be living my dream of running a business and doing work I love thats aligned with my genius.

Kristy Vail, Life Coach + Writer

This book is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information about professional development. Neither the author nor the publisher is engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services by publishing this book. If any such assistance is required, the services of a qualified financial professional should be sought. The author and publisher will not be responsible for any liability, loss, or risk incurred as a result of the use and application of any information contained in this book.

P.S. Youre a Genius copyright 2021 by Kelly Trach

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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First E-Book Edition: November, 2021

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021941517

ISBN 9781953295705

eISBN 9781637740040

Editing by Katie Dickman

Copyediting by Jennifer Brett Greenstein

Proofreading by Michael Fedison and Greg Teague

Text design and composition by PerfecType, Nashville, TN

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To you.

If youve ever felt uncool, not special enough, unlovable, or perhaps not worthy or deserving, I hope you discover the opposite through the pages of this book.

W e were all sitting in a circle. The dude leading this weekend program for college students striving to score high-paying jobs after graduation wanted us to introduce ourselves with our name and one fun fact about us. Now, this wasnt just any fact. He specifically said, Recruiters are looking to see that you won a chess championship in China and that you are getting straight As. Its got to be something really memorable and unique about you.

In the jet-black Armani suit that he probably wore to his fancy finance internship in New York, the kid beside me said, Im Tom. Im currently learning ancient Egyptian and becoming fluent in hieroglyphics.

Fuck.

Growing up, I didnt think I was particularly special, and things like this always stumped me.

But it was my turn to go next.

Hi, Im Kelly, I gulped.

I like... mustard.

Oh god. Did that just come out of my mouth?

I, umm, love mustard so much. I will put double the amount of mustard on my burger compared to ketchup. But a veggie burger, because I dont eat meat. You know those Kirkland ones you get at Costco? Yeah, those. So, uh, I guess thats what makes me special. I love mustard. Any kind, actually. Grainy is good. Although honey mustard might be the best.

I could feel the guy at the front of the room rolling his eyes and thinking this extracurricular experience was totally wasted on me. Needless to say, this six-month program didnt work out well for me. The leader hooked up teachers pets like Tom with connections at Fortune 500 companies while I was told something to the tune of youre not what these employers are looking for.

I felt like my deepest fear was confirmed: unlike everyone around me, I was not special.

I never thought I was gifted or talented or smart. I just worked hard to get where I was. I graduated high school with a 96 percent average, which was pretty good considering I was in five AP classes. My strategy was to just spend time doing my homework and practice whatever math problem was in front of me. It wasnt a hard equation to crack: do the homework, get good grades, and then people will make a big fuss about how smart you are... which will make up for the fact that you think youre dumb.

I didnt know what I was really good at. I genuinely believed that there was nothing extraordinarily awesome about me. So I was forever on a quest to figure it out. That way, I could participate in stupid icebreakers and sound semi-decent in a room full of strangers.

Ive done all the personality tests. Im an ENFJ, but all that really told me was that Im your stereotypical extrovert and I was supposed to be popular like the high school cheerleader or quarterback. (I dunno where that trait was in my teenage years.)

A paid assessment said that enjoying achievement was my top strength. (Like, what am I going to do with that? Push myself more and die early of burnout?) My Enneagram says Im an 8w7. It told me that I was determined, independent, and a nonconformist. And if not channeled correctly, this type tends to be the high school bully. (Well, thats conflicting. I thought I was supposed to be popular?)

I even turned to astrology for answers. Im a Leo and cheesy internet astrologers with bad websites that havent been updated since the 90s say that this means Im highly confident and gregarious, and I love luxury. (How does my love for high-end hotels turn into a career, exactly? I mean, Id rather vacation there than work for one.)

Whenever you take these tests, or look anywhere outside yourself for answers, you end up with a mixed bag and nothing really accurate. You read the results and think,