April 17, 2019 – JOLT – Conscious renewal vs bag of bricks. Choose!

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” – Lao Tzu

Renewal often evokes…

a love/hate relationship.

On the one hand, we’re all inspired by the idea of rejuvenation and new possibilities.

On the other hand, renewal requires that something be given up and/or (literally or metaphorically) destroyed.

Consciously and proactively giving up the old (i.e., comfortable, known, routine, standard, regular, customary, accustomed, normal, usual, ordinary, established, typical…you get the point) for the new is not always easy.

It requires action, vs simply waiting for something to change.

Alas, and regardless, things will change on their own if not proactively steered, because we all know that shift happens.

But that kind of “renewal” is not always as pretty and inspiring as we’d like.

When out on major layoff assignments during The Great Recession of 2008-2009, I’d meet with employees just after they’d been riffed (reduction in force). Some would be highly distraught and even in tears.

I’d ask, “Did you ever think of something beyond this place in terms of your career?”

Too often they’d say “Sure, I’ve been wanting out of here for years”…even as they took another tissue from the box.

So, shift happened, and caught them broadside, instead of being in the driver’s seat.

Even though they’d been inspired to change for a while, it took circumstances to force that change. So, instead of a carefully planned and consciously designed renewal, it was messy and void of any direction.

Apply this to whatever area in which the shoe fits, but ask yourself: “If I don’t consciously renew in [X] area, what’s it going to look like in 6 months? Is that the picture I want? Does that inspire me?”

If the answers are “Not good” “No” and “No”…why not use this traditional season of revival and awakening to point a conscious renewal in that direction?

Wishing you all the best in this time of high renewal holidays.

If the career or business area is one in which a renewal is ripe, take advantage of the limited-time early-bird discount for The 2-Day Career Relaunch Workshop happening May 10-11 in Irvine, CA. Whether it’s a career change or new business strategy, a conscious renewal beats a bag of bricks any day.

Got conscious renewal?

“There are some things one can only achieve by a deliberate leap in the opposite direction.”- Franz Kafka