As a person who speaks, writes, coaches and consults on personal and organizational change, I can tell you: reinvention ain’t easy. If it was, everyone would do it.
Some of you have followed my quarterly blogs about “the big adventure” of reinventing my life. And I have to say that writing this blog, one year later, presented challenges because my life does not look at all like I thought it would.
This past year has given me a fresh perspective about the challenges, rewards and insights gained from making a major personal change and subsequently, reinventing my business. I lived in Kansas City, MO for almost 25 . The first 10 years I was a corporate executive. The next 15+ years I have had my coaching, speaking and consulting business. I had deep roots and rich connections in the community, personally and professionally.
But I yearned to live on the water again. I grew up on the Atlantic Ocean and later lived on the bay of Green Bay. I missed living on a large body of water and all that it contributes to a community. After a lot of soul searching and exploration, I knew I could live and work anywhere, so a year ago I moved to La Jolla, California – only knowing a couple people here.
I believe this experience has deepened my understanding, empathy and at times, the necessary rigor, that’s needed when working with my clients. Put another way, it’s hard to coach or provide “wisdom” if you haven’t walked in their moccasins.
Random Thoughts on Personal Reinvention
The truth is, we all go through changes – some more dramatic and/or traumatic – but we all experience reinventing ourselves at some time in our lives. Whether it’s a change in marital status, change in employment (loss of job or starting a new career), having children or being an empty nester, or loss of good health or significant others. We all redefine ourselves at some point.
Whether these changes are by choice, or not, we all get to choose how we move forward in life.
I made the choice to uproot my life and my business because, truth be told, the predictable stability, sameness of daily life, was closing in on me. I was complacent and I was feeling stifled and suppressed.
When a person embarks on a personal change, many don’t understand why. I remember having a conversation with a long-time friend who was very concerned about my move across the country, not knowing people, having “roots” and venturing into the unknown. When I assured him that while I was uncertain about the future, I was excited about the opportunities ahead of me. Then conversation shifted to him. “I could never do that. I would be terrified,” he said.
That was his reality – not mine.
Here’s the Reality of Reinvention
It can be lonely.
Be prepared to stand alone, be alone, act alone – and enjoy being alone.
It’s your life. Your choices. Your future.
Understand it will be a roller coaster.
Some days are high, some days are low. Most days are pretty great, though.
Because it’s your choice. Your life. Your future. You’re in control of your thoughts words and actions.
Random Thoughts on Business (or Work) Reinvention
For quite a while I thought I was reinventing my work because gaining new clients locally was a bit of a challenge. Then I realized, I wasn’t really starting over because I’ve continued to work with clients across the country! Duh! A wise person said: Get Out of B.E.D.(Blame, Excuses and Denial): Change Your Outlook – Alter Your Outcomes! 🙂 Ha!
Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, wrote about the cumulative effect of the ‘flywheel.” Momentum is gained not by any one action, but the accumulation of multiple and consistent actions over time. And so it is with a person’s career, business or life’s work.
I realized that despite what seemed like a temporary setback or slowdown in working locally, the accumulated momentum of all that I have done and worked towards has not stopped. In fact, it is actually positioning me to go to the next level of contribution and fulfillment.
On October 5, I received the Distinguished Alumni Award from my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay.
And in November, I will be receiving a national Stevie Award for excellence executive coaching.
These honors are a result of the accumulated efforts, initiatives and accomplishments for the past 35+ years. I see them as a launching pad for something new and most likely in greater alignment with who I am and what I want today.
It really is all about recalibrating.
Fine tuning. Being awake, aware, purposeful.
Taking calculated risks.
Trusting yourself and that when you do what’s for your highest good – everything works out.
Have faith.
Be The Change.
Marty Stanley, Certified Speaking Professional, speaks, trains and coaches people and organizations on how to recalibrate to meet current challenges and envision the future. 816-695-5453 or 858-432-6764 martystanley@alteringoutcomes.com www.alteringoutcomes.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/martystanley
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