We are often frightened of change. It’s normal. One way to get past the fear of making a big shift in your life is to make a game out of it.
I recently changed up my whole career. Like yesterday.
Sure, I’d been steadily incorporating more speaking gigs into my life. I love talking to people—especially crowds of people—lighting them up and giving them info they can use to make their lives better lights me up. But it wasn’t until recently that I decided to making speaking a full-time career.
I’ve “been a writer” since 1988. It’s been my identity for 30 years. Somebody would ask me “What do you do?” and I’d say “I’m a writer.” They’d say … “Wow, cool.” And that would be that.
30 years is a long time to be one thing.
Yesterday, on the advice of my coach, I changed my website. I publicly switched hats from “I’m a writer” to “I’m a motivational speaker.” And yeah, it was scary at first. I looked longingly at the website I’d so proudly built. All the pics of me with my books and awards and all the stories about writing those books.
Then I went into the backend and dismantled it all, hitting “erase” on 30 years of identity.
AND THEN …
Something happened. I got excited! I found new pictures I could use. Pictures of me speaking. Pictures of events. Pictures declaring a whole new story.
WOW! I was amazed at the joy I felt. I was changing! My life was VISIBLY changing! I was taking action!
The energy built up so much I had to quit work, turn on some hard rock music and dance for 20 minutes just to be able to contain the excitement.
So here’s a little advice for you. Next time you face a BIG change, sure, go ahead, feel nervous about it. But then do something visible that makes a statement—a declaration of the change you’re making.
Change your Facebook or Instagram page. Redo your LinkedIn page. Get new business cards. Wear different clothes that declare “Hey, look at me. I’m changing!”
Yes yes – of course the important part of change is what happens INSIDE you. You are the one driving the transformation, and all of it is based on a deep thought process, emotions and decisions that are all internal.
But there’s nothing quite like making an overt statement to get the juices flowing. A visible statement that says “Transformation in progress.”
Don’t be surprised when you do this that you just might get the urge to get up and dance.