It’s Time To Give Up Your Outmoded Way Of Thinking

By Robin Fisher Roffer

The Way To Live Deeply Is To Keep Reinventing Yourself

Over the past three days at my Reinventing Yourself! Workshop in Santa Fe, eleven brave entrepreneurs dug deep into their souls to uncover what really mattered to them so they could declare their mission, craft their pitch, and write the roadmap to put it all into action. By far their hardest task was to give up old, outmoded ways of thinking and to embrace a new paradigm for themselves and their business.

These entrepreneurs experienced the very same evolutionary process I apply when branding major corporations and my own company. In 1992, Big Fish opened its doors as a promotions firm conceiving and executing sweepstakes and contests. In the mid 90’s we evolved into a strategic branding firm, and declared ourselves “Brand Strategists For The Digital Age”. By the new millennium, we had caught the online bug and were in full swing as a digital advertising agency.

The early years of online marketing matured into a much less exciting commoditized business, so last year we jettisoned our online ad agency. Today we are focused on our core business, which is corporate branding, and our passion, personal branding and career reinvention. Our new tagline is “Reinventing Brands. Reigniting Professionals.”

To thrive in business today, you have to embrace change. To live deeply, you have to evolve.

The nature of career evolution is all about course correction. You need to periodically evaluate what’s working for you and what isn’t and be willing to preserve your indelible qualities. At the same time you need to update your look, your style and your thinking in a way that’s advantageous to your situation.

In my case, I listen to the my clients and the markets to find what’s next, take the classes or seminars necessary to master the skills needed to make the shift, then tell the world my new story. It’s time to think of what action you can take to reach your next peak and resist that doubting voice.

Companies and people don’t become irrelevant or obsolete because they suffer a loss, or experience an unexpected challenge. They go into decline because of what they refuse to do: change with the times. They get stuck in old patterns and outmoded ways of doing business — straying from what they do best, moving away from their mission, or biting off more than they can chew.

It’s often adversity that spurs companies and people to greatness. Reinventing yourself is the answer.

Life’s hard knocks don’t have to be your downfall; in fact, it’s often adversity that spurs people and companies on to greatness. Statistically the best time to start a business is during a recession. This is the time to discover your true character… when the chips are down, rise to the occasion.

Change is not your enemy —it’s your ally. Becoming stale, complacent, stagnant—these options are unworthy of anyone who wants to be unforgettable in business. You can prevent yourself from going there by asking yourself these questions every six months:

• What old ideas can I let go of to experience a renewed approach to work?

• What positive qualities do I need to strengthen to stay current and relevant?

• How can I evolve these qualities while staying true to my essence?

• What can I do to feed my fire so I can feel excited about work?

Evolution is essential to a rich and meaningful life journey. As you take the first step in a different direction, be patient and compassionate with yourself. Embarking on anything new can be uncomfortable. Pay attention to the signs along the way and you just might find the route to a deeper, more fulfilling career.