Reinvention has been on my mind a lot lately. Maybe it has something to do with the beginning of fall. For a good portion of our early lives, we are conditioned to associate this time of year with starting a new grade at school, beginning a different path in our education, or even taking a few courses to forge some new skills. Regardless, whatever the catalyst, reinvention has consumed my thoughts.
Recently, a new consulting client hired me. He is a professional who wants to transition into the world of speaking and coaching. We are creating a phased-out strategy to help him reinvent the person who has gone to school for two and a half decades and shift how people begin to see him. This is a fun reinvention project for me and I promised him that I would be grilling him hard in our session.
In the celebrity world, we see reinvention as a constant. Britney Spears, that girl who shaved her head, lunged at a paparazzi with an umbrella, and was deemed incapable of self-conservatorship is now a six-pack ab, goddess, often seen at her sons’ sporting events, and vacillating between a soccer mom and cover model.
Not long ago, Katy Perry, cut off her sometimes raven, sometimes sapphire hair in an act she declared ‘liberating.’ Perry, who once gave candy themed concerts is now incarnating into a political activist come doyenne of millennial ideology.
The bottom line is that anyone can choose to reinvent themselves at any time in their life and it doesn’t take a fortune to do it – it only requires a decision. Reinvention is the ultimate form of progress.
When do you know if it is time for reinvention? If you are going through your day exhausted, feeling you have no purpose, and finding yourself irritable, negative, and without hope, then it is time! This week’s edition of The Thursday 3 centers around reinvention and it is my hope that you will feel inspired.
3 Things to Spur Your Reinvention
Pivot by Adam Markell
Markell’s book is essential to anyone wanting to transcend. This once anxiety ridden lawyer is now a personal development guru. This is a worthy read.
My Live Show on Reinvention
Every Monday, I do a Facebook Live and this past Monday, I discussed reinvention from a deeply personal level and the 6 steps you can take to begin a phased-out approach.
Some Movies To Inspire Your Reinvention – Needing a catalyst to find the courage to reinvent yourself? These are just a handful of reinvention charged flicks…
- Pretty Woman – we all know this one.
- The Blind Side – Sandra Bullock stars in this movie about a homeless boy that becomes an NFL star.
- McFarland – The story of a high school cross country team that everyone discounted.
- I’m Not Your Guru – Tony Robbins on Netflix
- Rocky – All of them!
- The Matrix – Seriously, the red pill or the blue pill? This is a huge metaphor for life.
- Wall Street – From greed obsessed, deal loving, Wall Street apprentice to a conscience finding whistleblower – Charlie Sheen’s best.
Lastly, my friend, one thing I know for certain is that we are meant to continuously grow. In business, and life, it is up to us to take our limits off and with faith, courage, and determination, we can always live into the next beautiful incarnation of ourselves.
Go for it!
Susan
