Two Reinvention Myths Revealed

Life is hard. Everything worthwhile is hard. It takes a lot of hard work to be successful in business, or to have a great relationship; and in business it’s hard to stay ahead of all the rapid development that technological advancements bring.

Most of us are apprehensive when it comes to change and reinvention, yet we know that progress is a result of changes. We know we must continuously reinvent ourselves to stay ahead of our competition, or at least be on par with them. In order to manage our busy, constantly plugged in day-to-day lives, we must take an educated guess as to which changes or inventions are here to stay and which ones won’t last. We follow and embrace trends, often at a cost of time and money, only to find it was for nothing. Remember QR Codes? It wasn’t long ago we thought they would change the face of advertising permanently. Now, very few people actually use them anymore.

This is the first reinvention myth revealed – I believe that most of us are uncomfortable with making changes. I know… I can see your hand rising up to correct me saying, “but change is exciting” or, “the only constant is change” – but really, other than this overused cliché, who actually likes going through the painful process of change?

The truth is, we tend to like what happens once we have made a change. Whether it’s moving in to a new house, or starting a new job, or developing a new relationship- it’s exciting! Building is better than tearing down, although both can be equally satisfying. So how do you get to where you want to be from where you are now?

These are trying times. We have seen massive changes in the way that businesses conduct themselves as more and more transactions shift towards the latest and greatest technology and online-based business models. Our job may no longer exist tomorrow while new jobs that we haven’t even heard about are posted, looking for experience in areas that mean nothing to us.

Millennials are trying to enter the job market only to find entry-level jobs occupied by thirty and forty year-olds, who despite having extensive experience take these opportunities away without giving the newcomers a fighting chance. But the thirty and forty year olds need to take the entry-level jobs because their jobs have been wiped out by a long recession, alongside the massive shift I just described of businesses adopting new technological practices. The job market is messy, and we can agree that the changing landscape of business isn’t done yet.

Why not just give up then?

The second myth is that not all aspects of reinvention are a challenging and negative.
Reinvention becomes necessary when something isn’t working anymore. Sometimes the old house has to be torn down so the new can be built. It’s likely the new house will end up better than the one before. And you can reinvent yourself to be the person you always wanted to be.

In business it means that people are getting a much better sense of collaboration and community. Guru’s are out and teams are in! Besides there’s power in numbers.

Buzzwords are real and authentic. We are done with perfectionism, being fake, and over modified. We want to be our true self and have our contributions accepted as an important part to the whole equation. There is no better chance for this to happen than today. So, let’s get to it.

Between knowing and feeling, there is always a gap that needs to be bridged. What’s in our head is not necessarily in our hearts. Sometimes we might wonder if we have enough courage to make it through to the other side. It’s time to stop thinking you can’t. It’s time to shift your thought pattern from negative to positive, from despair to hopeful excitement.

Reinvention is a necessary evil. And if you are not overly excited at the prospect of change or having to adjust yet again, think about it this way…

By making the conscious choice to be part of the way business is reinventing itself, you give yourself the opportunity to play a part in the change and not be left behind as a helpless victim. This is the difference between someone with hope and someone who quits before giving change a chance.

This is the time to muster up that last bit of courage. Dust off those self-improvement books and get yourself back to where you can feel that sliver of hope. Embrace it, nourish it, be gentle with it; only watch and participate in what will expand your hope, and only talk to people who have hope themselves. Guard your hope with everything you have, this is your ticket.