I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of instant transformation, meaning, having a moment in your life when things just “switch” and you’re never the same person again.
We talk a lot about the process of change and how it’s typically transitory, involving small but incremental changes to your life.
You usually add one healthy habit, and then another, and another. They are layered one upon another over time.
Many times this works, although there tends to be interspersed periods of backtracking on progress – sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.
What if there was a way to do things differently and experience instant transformation? What if you could just decide who you wanted to be and you became that person – habits and all?
Well, it happens all the time.
Someone has a heart attack and then completely changes their eating and exercise habits. They have a wake-up call.
Or someone has a close call with death and they gain a whole new appreciation for life. They see things differently and they now live their life to the fullest.
So we know instant transformation is possible. It already happens. The real question is can we experience it without having to go through a major life event.
The common denominator in all these instant transformations is someone has a big shift in perspective.
The behaviors that follow are just side effects of that perspective shift. It’s a change in mindset.
It’s the reason why we need to be focused on changing who we are – not just what we do.
Focusing just on the behaviors and habits doesn’t really create lasting change. It’s fleeting because they are just being layered on top of the same person/identity.
The perspective shifts we want are most effective when that inflection point contains a big contrast between who you were and who you want to be.
Going back to my earlier example with the heart attack, the fear of dying and losing everything you care about is contrasted with the strong desire to live more time with the people you care about.
Once that perspective shift happens, it’s hard to go back to the old you.
With a little intention you can manufacture your own perspective shift and experience instant transformation.
But you really have to start asking yourself the tough questions.
Why do you want to change? How is your current life holding you back? How badly do you want to change? Are you fed up? Afraid? What do you want your life to look like? What will that do for you?
There needs to be some real meaning behind things. Surface level body change just isn’t enough. You have to go deeper.
Create enough meaning that it shifts your perspective to the point that there’s zero chance you’d want to go back to the old you.
Then watch how your behaviors naturally become a part of your new identity.
Talk soon…