Thursday, October 2, 2008

Ready to Reinvent?

What does it take to sustain a successful business or career? My answer: You must continually reinvent yourself. Changing times requires changing you, but reinventing yourself is not easy. Most change causes a sense of fear. Fear of failure, fear of success, and fear of rejection are common fears we face during reinvention. Don't allow fear to rule your life. Instead feel the fear and do it anyway. Then you will discover that fear has no power over you.

Here are eight sure-fire ways to reinvent yourself and ensure sustainability in your business or in your career.

1. Let go of your past.

Holding onto past hurts, anger, and fears is like trying to drive a car forward with the gear in neutral. Let go of things you can't control and release yourself to move forward.
2. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Growth is neither comfortable nor convenient. If the uncomfortable feeling of change causes you to quit, you have closed the door to experiencing more. And if you are waiting for a more convenient time to reinvent yourself, you are comfortably stuck.
3. Know where you are now.

Spend time discovering who you are. What are your values, passions, talents, and gifts? What skills do you need to develop or improve? Getting to know yourself is a lifelong journey.
4. Know what you want.

Start thinking about where you want to be one, five, ten years from now. Define your goals. Then begin to visualize what you want.
5. Use today as a springboard toward the future.

Capitalize on your successes.Each time you achieve something new, ask yourself what you learned in the process. Use the lessons learned as building blocks to achieve future goals.
6. Fear less.

Fear... F-E-A-R... stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. Fear immobilizes us by painting a false reality. We fear what might happen, especially when our expectations are based on misinformation or misconceptions. The only way to minimize your fears is to start moving through it. So, get the real facts, list your options, and get moving.
7. Don't confuse complacency with contentment.

People that are complacent are riding a bus unaware that they are going nowhere, in fact the bus is not even moving. They have become satisfied with the status quo. They no longer challenge themselves. They are stuck in routines and going through the motions of life. Contentment, on the other hand, is when you enjoy what you have, but continue to pursue what's possible.
8. Get the support you need.

If you could really do it by yourself, don't you think you would have done it already? Expand your association with supportive people. Work with a life coach. We all need help -- admitting it does not make you less successful.

Make a commitment to change one thing this month to reinvent yourself. It can be as simple as changing your hairstyle, especially if you've been wearing the same style for the last five years.

"Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still." -- Unknown

Article by Cassandra Washington - a veteran trainer and proven coach who has helped countless men and women push their limits and expand their success. She is the author of the book, "How to Manage Unacceptable Employee Behavior." For more information, visit http://www.exceedlearning.com

[print_link] For graphic/photo/image credits.

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