The Fantastic Life

Just Keep Growing!

Growth means change—and real personal growth requires us to let go of parts of our old selves. The habits, routines, or identities that once served us can oftentimes start holding us back. I learned this from my coach, Dan Sullivan, who taught me that Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt = Growth.  Moving forward is never easy, but it’s necessary to live a Fantastic life.  I have had to grow tons over the last 40 years. Here is just a few areas: my business has changed dramatically, from the composition of my team to how we deliver CRE brokerage services, in addition to raising kids, health issues….on and on.    I have grown to embrace growing.  I know my life is not unique — yours will have multiple areas of growth as well.   Below is a nice article on this topic.

Here’s what stands out to me:

— Release the Old to Make Space for the New: Growth demands we let go of outdated mindsets and embrace uncertainty. It’s uncomfortable, but that’s where the magic happens.  The pace of the world is accelerating and so change is mandatory. Grow to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

—  Lean Into Discomfort: Growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones. When we stretch ourselves, we unlock new potential.  If you are not having fear, uncertainty, and doubt in your life, get some. 

— Identity is Fluid: We aren’t bound by who we were yesterday. The person we’re becoming is built one small choice at a time.  I am now 63 years old.  My identity has changed multiple times over my life… and I now recognize this is simply life happening. 

Personal growth isn’t about fixing who we are — it’s about stepping into something new, even when it’s uncomfortable. If we cling to the old, we miss out on becoming our best selves. Is there an area of fear, uncertainty, and doubt you should explore today?

 

 

The Fantastic Life Rule #3:
Build Your Resumes Every Year
 The last thing a new job applicant wants is a stagnate resume. It’s the same with your life resumes. If you aren’t adding to them, building them bit by bit every year, then you aren’t growing. 

 

 


Why Personal Growth Means Leaving Your Old Self Behind
By: Ozan Varol 

The snake is the ancient symbol of transformation.

Unlike human skin, the skin on a snake doesn’t grow as the animal grows. During its lifetime, the snake’s insides outgrow its outsides, and the animal reaches a point where the older layer of the skin must be discarded in favor of the new.

This process is uncomfortable. The snake rubs and scratches until it’s able to literally crawl out of its old skin. When the process is completed successfully, a new vibrant skin emerges in place of the old. But when the process fails, and the snake can’t shed its skin, it can grow blind and die.

Over the course of my life, I’ve worn many skins: Rocket scientist. Lawyer. Law professor. Author. Speaker.

Each transformation was preceded by an uncomfortable feeling that something wasn’t quite right. I’d make some adjustments here and there, but there came a point where my old skin couldn’t sustain my inner growth.

For example, when I was a lawyer, I grew tired of thinking of my life in six-minute billable increments and missed the intellectual stimulation of academia. I shed my lawyer skin and became a professor. With academia, I grew tired of writing only academic articles that professors in my specialized field read. I shed my old skin and began writing articles for general audiences (to accompany this transformation, I shed the business suits I’d wear when I taught classes, opting for the far more comfortable skin of jeans and a t-shirt).

“To discard was to temporarily lose my balance. But not to discard would have meant to lose myself.”

In each case, to discard was to temporarily lose my balance. But not to discard would have meant to lose myself.

Make no mistake: Discarding old skin is painful. There’s a certainty to your old skin. You’ve worn it for years, if not decades. Your old skin makes you feel safe and comfortable. Over time, your skin becomes your identity, so putting on a new skin means changing who you are.

Just like the snake, in order to grow, you must learn to discard.

If you cling to your old skin—if you stick with a job just because it’s easy or if you keep dating someone just because it’s familiar—you’ll sacrifice the possibility of what could be for the self-constructed prison of what is.

If you’re feeling uncomfortable—if you have that nagging feeling that something’s off in your life or work—it might be time for you to do some shedding.

When you discard your old skin, you won’t lose yourself.

You’ll discover it.

Ozan Varol is a rocket scientist turned law professor and bestselling author. Click here to download a free copy of his e-book, The Contrarian Handbook: 8 Principles for Innovating Your Thinking. Along with your free e-book, you’ll get weekly strategies to innovate your thinking.

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