Reactive Reinvention - You will need an enormous amount of energy and motivation. Not all of this energy is positive. Much of it can be negative because you are reacting to situations. This energy could come from fear, anxiety, nervousness, or even pain.
Reflective Reinvention - You have failed repeatedly at something. If your best effort and knowledge does not result in success, then the problem is easy to diagnose: you need information from outside of yourself. You need a mentor or coach.
My Reinvention was Reflective. I’d come to understand that for every career, every goal or dream, there will come a time when the results of your efforts will plateau. I just wasn’t getting the results I needed from my writing. The engagement and awareness of my books with readers left a lot to be desired. I wanted to get to the next level, but I wasn’t sure how.
I had hit the wall or the ceiling, depending on your perspective. The research was telling me I wasn’t alone, that It was a regular part of any endeavour. The rub was how you managed it. This could be your final resting place, or it could be used as a springboard for bigger and better things. It was a scary time for me, especially when you don’t recognise it’s a natural part of the process. Everything you’ve done in the past suddenly is brought into
question. All the routines, strategies, and processes that have served you so well you’re not so sure about. In some dire cases, you start wondering if this the life you really want; are you even made for it?
All these questions and more were running through my head, but I knew I had to do something different. I had to start some kind of transformation.
Firstly I had to know where I was going. I didn’t like my direction, and so I had to dramatically change course.
Then I had to get curious.
Research and study got me feeling comfortable with new ideas and options I could try.
Next, I did something different.
Whatever I did to get me where I am now will not get me to where I want to go. Fresh new strategies were required, which came from research and study.
Taking small steps came third.
Applying these new strategies and learning what works and what doesn’t through trial and error.
And lastly, I topped it all off with a sense of balance. Don’t overthink the process, work it, and let the changes come naturally. You will know how much change you want for your life and how much effort is required for a little or dramatic transformation.
I’m glad I discovered the benefits of Reinvention. It has helped me to incrementally claw my way in the direction I need to be heading. The alternative is not worth imaging. I could be on that plateau I talked about, miserable and trapped. The thought makes me shudder and that Gentle Reader takes some doing.
