Yesterday I opened my Reinvention Coaching program for a new limited intake. (There are 3 places available. The intake is closing this Friday 8th of March. To find out more and apply, all the details are here >>)
I’ve been asked quite a few questions about Reinvention as a concept and my program more specifically.
Here are both the questions on their own as an index and the questions matched with my responses.
Questions
- What’s the time commitment – how long will it take and how often will we meet?
- What if I don’t have time right now?
- How can I bring other people along the journey with me?
- What if they don’t want to come along with me?
- How will I fill my day with “purpose” after I retire from my busy life as an executive?
- Do I have to leave my current role?
- Is there a predetermined outcome of the reinvention like setting up a business?
- What if I’m already seeing a psychologist, counsellor?
- I’m attending other personal or professional development workshops/courses/mentoring, would that clash?
- What are the strategies to help me into an unpredictable future? How do I handle the uncertainty and instability of the change whilst still operating?
- Will this program make the major shift easier for me?
- How will I find my purpose? How will I find my why?
- Who is it for?
- Can I just try it out for a month?
- How do you make the reinvention stick? What strategies are candidates given to make the changes last?
- What will my legacy be?
- What’s the real benefit and competitive advantage with the reinvention coaching to a candidate?
- How can a person decide what to do next? How do they transition from their state now to the next thing?
- Why does the word ‘reinvention’ scare me? What will I be doing differently if I have this coaching?
- Do you have enough chess and fly fishing analogies?
- What are your self-imposed limitations? Why do they exist?
- How can I teach myself to ‘let go’?
- How can I reprioritise what is important to be relevant to the next chapter?
- How do you measure success or progress in the reinvention journey?
- How do you determine if a person needs to be reinvented?
- How do I best to respond to the noise – both internal and external – about someone’s reinvention?
- How do the strengths and weaknesses in your network impact someone’s reinvention?
- How will it create the life you desire?
- Does it bring you joy/excitement/curiosity? Or if you are just doing it for the $$ is it really the right fit?
- How do I deal with the feeling of failure/giving up that can accompany reinvention?
- How attached are you to your existing identity and the payoffs (eg sport achievement, big role title etc) and how willing are you to let these go? If you don’t want to let the feelings go, how will you satisfy the need for (achievement, glory etc) as you reinvent?
- How can I work on plan B if plan A doesn’t eventuate? How can I be prepared to pivot?
- How is this really going to help me? How will you help me work through my issue?
My responses
What’s the time commitment – how long will it take and how often will we meet?
The minimum time commitment is 12 months.
In that time we’ll have an intensive first month – a half to a full day’s worth of time which can be split into different sessions.
We’ll then typically catch up fortnightly for 60-90 minutes.
And you can call me any time in between our structured catch ups. I’ve found that working on live situations as they’re unfolding can be some of the best ways to crystallise lessons as we go.
What if I don’t have time right now?
That’s ok. I understand. Your plate is already full. How on earth will you find more time to do the program, let alone implement it?
The truth is there is never going to be a perfect time or date when your plate is clear, the to do list has stopped, the competing demands are quiet. You and I both know this is a myth. It’s procrastination in its most seductive form.
Even if you have a date in mind – long service leave, business sale, resignation date etc – do you know for sure you’ll be alive to see it? What if you don’t make it? What if you knew you weren’t going to make it? How would that change your decision making today?
And what is the cost of you continuing to act in the way you’re currently acting on you, your health, your loved ones? Or what is the opportunity cost of what you’re NOT doing right now? What are you missing out on? What contribution are you NOT making?
After decades of service, it’s time to put your own name on the priority list and commit to the changes you need to make.
And the only time for that is right now.
When it comes to implementing, we don’t have heaps of work to do. I’m not leaving you with homework and assignments. We just have the work that matters most. We’ll be ruthless with prioritisation and develop strategies that increase the value of the time you’re already spending.
And you’ll only get what you need, not a firehose of content. In my experience, a shortage of information is nearly never the problem.
How can I bring other people along the journey with me?
To bring others along for the journey, first you need to be able to communicate it.
We’ll build a clear plan together so you:
- Have the transparency you need so you can get input from the people most important to you.
- Get the buy in you need to make the changes you want and pursue the opportunities that matter most to you.
- Can share the celebration, appreciation and support.
So many times, it’s the people we love most who suffer the cost of us not being all of who we need and want to be.
And they’re very often the ones who stand to benefit most.
What if they don’t want to come along with me?
If they don’t want to come with you, then you may find yourself looking in the mirror at a decision you may have been putting off for a long time.
What truly matters to you? Who truly matters to you? How can you make a decision in alignment with that right now? What does that say about your relationship if they don’t want to support you?
I’m not going to sugar coat this. It can be hard work at times. I’ve had to sit with this too through my own shifts.
Eyeballing the decisions and change that we’ve been avoiding can be deeply uncomfortable. But often that’s a sign of importance too because the more we care, the more likely that the tough stuff might show up.
Ultimately, all you can do is be clear with yourself on what matters so that you can be clear with others.
Then they can make the choice to come with you or not.
How will I fill my day with “purpose” after I retire from my busy life as an executive?
The short answer is to get crystal clear on what is important to you first and then align your time, attention and activity.
Will you nail this first time round? No. It will take time and experimentation. That’s why the program is 12 months. You’ll test and learn and iterate many times before you’ll feel completely comfortable with the shift.
When top performers are moving from high stimulation environments of business, military, sport etc, sometimes the hardest thing in the world is not to go and climb a mountain, but to sit on the floor and connect with their kids.
The invitation is not to just “fill” your day, it’s to design your days, weeks, months and years to prioritise the people and contributions that matter most to you.
Do I have to leave my current role?
Absolutely not.
I’ve coached people who had already made the decision to leave a business or a role. When they reconnected to what mattered to them and recognised the opportunity to express that through their current circumstances, they reversed the decision and went all in on their current position.
Here’s a case study about that exact situation.
Is there a predetermined outcome of the reinvention like setting up a business?
This is not a “How can I start a business?” program.
This is a “Who am I truly and how can I express that every day in as many areas as possible?” program.
You creating a business may be an outcome of the process, but it is entirely up to you.
What if I’m already seeing a psychologist, counsellor?
Great. I actually like having clients that are using those services because I’m not psychologist and don’t play one in my coaching or online. They have a very important role to play in helping you.
My focus with you is on the present and future. Where are you headed? How do you want to walk the path? And how does that translate to the actions you take today?
There is no single guide or methodology or framework that 100% of the time works for everyone. Every person’s context is different therefore the solutions are different.
The opportunity is to integrate any lessons you’re learning elsewhere into the work we undertake together.
I’m attending other personal or professional development workshops/courses/mentoring, would that clash?
Hell no. I don’t have all the answers. I have my own coaches and learning going on all the time!
Our work together is about understanding who you are and the paths you may choose to take. We’ll integrate those lessons and meaningfully and methodically make sure you’re putting the most important new ideas and discoveries into action to have the impact you need in order for you to make the contribution only you can make.
What are the strategies to help me into an unpredictable future? How do I handle the uncertainty and instability of the change whilst still operating?
The future has always been unpredictable. The only control we have is what we choose to do right now. Your ability to be hit by the uncertainties and come back to the present and your choice of response is the entire game.
That’s why the answer is building psychological flexibility and an adaptable plan/roadmap driven by what truly matters to you.
It’s also why the plan is a living thing. It is an ongoing exploration of expansion, opportunities and directions that can be tested (without betting the house) and either written off or doubled down on depending on results.
Will this program make the major shift easier for me?
Buddha said life is suffering. I agree. There is no way to face and then go through a major shift without experiencing tough stuff and setbacks. To pretend otherwise would be complete nonsense.
But the most important thing I can help you with is to build the toolkit that will enable you to absorb the hits and recognise the choice you can make right now to move towards purpose, values, the people and things that matter most to you.
And that includes dusting off when things don’t go your way.
This means we need to map out your longest game possible and help you to understand how your choices today are either moving you towards or away from that.
How will I find my purpose? How will I find my why?
My question back, is why haven’t you already? If it was just a matter of thinking it through – which I assume you’ve probably tried – you’d have already done it.
Thinking can get you started (try this article: A Brief Guide To Finding Your Purpose).
But only repeated investigation and refinement following a structured process can help get you from your first draft to deeply connected. Using a coach helps the reflection process and can accelerate the process. The systems and structures ensure you’ll do what it takes to get there.
Who is it for?
This program is specifically designed for top performers facing a major shift personally or professionally and ready to go all in on the process to navigate the change.
What does that mean?
It means the program focuses on people with 10+ years in their game, facing a major change either forced or chosen.
Typically the change is in response to any number of life’s curveballs (eg health, relationships, work). Or it could be triggered by opportunities like the sale of a business, a desire to spend more time with family or retirement.
They find themselves in a position where they need to make wholesale change, to reinvent who they are and what they do to prepare for and deliver on what comes next.
Sometimes my clients have ideas about the future, other times they can’t see the future at all but just know they need to make the change.
It’s also for people who want to take the science and theory and put it into practice. To call for help when they need it.
As I’ve said, it’s worked for elite military, global execs, business owners, entrepreneurs, tech founders, pro athletes and more.
If that sounds like you, let’s talk.
Can I just try it out for a month?
No. You’re a smart capable person. If this was a problem that could be solved in a month, you would have already done it.
I’ve tried this in varying formats – 1 month, 3 months, 6. And I’ve learned that those time frames are not enough.
Because this program is not just to get you fired up to make the change, it’s about doing the reps that will actually make it happen. It’s about the compound effect of daily action taken over time to turn ideas into reality. We’ll find you some immediate wins to build momentum, but as you know, in a compounding curve, most of the results happen towards the end.
And the most exceptional and lasting results come from a long term commitment not to me, but to yourself and the people that matter most to you.
How do you make the reinvention stick? What strategies are candidates given to make the changes last?
When a handful of evidence based tools align with prioritisation and diary that’s when you know the changes will last.
I use tools and strategies from the science of Psychological Flexibility.
I then use proven agile frameworks such as Kanban and Scrum (don’t worry if you don’t know these things yet) to operationalise purpose, values and goals to enable you to explore into uncertainty.
The good old diary helps reinforce daily, weekly, monthly operating practices.
When it comes to making these kinds of changes, I love the Bruce Lee quote:
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”
Strategies and toolkits are all great to learn, but ultimately nearly all of the value is created in practice. That’s where we’ll spend most of our time.
What will my legacy be?
You’re already creating a legacy. Are you happy with it? The opportunity in this program is to design and leave one that you’re proud of, rather than leaving it to chance and hoping you get your legacy right.
What’s the real benefit and competitive advantage with the reinvention coaching to a candidate?
The competitive advantage is the development of an internalised framework for decision making so that, rather than reacting to a situation, you can learn to choose your response.
When people are living and working in alignment with their values and purpose, in service of the people that matter most and with a meaningful sense of contribution, the discretionary effort dials up, commitment dials up, obstacles become paths forward.
When this is combined with energy and priority management through deliberate diary and prioritisation design, the ability of participants to stay ultra focussed on the highest leverage work becomes a compounding advantage.
How can a person decide what to do next? How do they transition from their state now to the next thing?
We’ll run experiments to explore what might come next for you and then double down on what works and eliminate what doesn’t. Once that path clarifies, we’ll use the same process through the transition to the next stage.
Why does the word ‘reinvention’ scare me? What will I be doing differently if I have this coaching?
Reinvention can feel scary. And at times it is. I think that’s often why people haven’t.
But to me, Reinvention is about bringing forward the best of what has served you in the past and discarding what hasn’t.
It’s not about me giving you advice, it’s about you uncovering what truly matters to you and making conscious choices and steps that move you towards those elements.
It’s not about being someone different, it’s about being more of who you already are, and know you can be, when you’re at your best.
Do you have enough chess and fly fishing analogies?
Probably not 🙂 Chess I love. I’ve never fly fished – I’d prefer to surf or hike mountains. But if you want that on your roadmap? That will be entirely your choice!
What are your self-imposed limitations? Why do they exist?
The answers to these questions are different for everyone.
But we can learn to be aware of them and then work with them.
And it’s a repeatable, trainable skill using the science and evidence based toolkit of psychological flexibility.
How can I teach myself to ‘let go’?
For me, “let go” sometimes comes with this idea of getting rid the tough experiences. But the science of psychological flexibility shows that we need to learn to accept the tough experiences and recognise them and then make choices that will move towards what we truly want in life.
That’s a teachable and trainable skill and can happen very quickly.
How can I reprioritise what is important to be relevant to the next chapter?
First you’ll need to clear on what is important to you by answering questions such as:
- What are your values?
- Who is important to you?
- What is important to you?
- What is your purpose?
- What would you willingly do for free?
- What energises you?
Once you’re clear on what truly matters, you can begin to clarify direction, develop a plan and then make daily choices that will allow you to align your actions, priorities, time and energy in your next chapter.
How do you measure success or progress in the reinvention journey?
That varies from person to person, but we’ll clarify direction and then set the roadmap, 3 month missions and shorter term goals that are meaningful to you. Once that’s happened, we’ll be in a position to determine the metrics that will best provide the feedback and sense of progress you need.
How do you determine if a person needs to be reinvented?
Some change definitely doesn’t require reinvention. For instance, a recent enquiry said: “I’ve been told I need to improve my communication skills.” My immediate response was: “If that’s the case then I might not be your guy.” We talked more about the situation and in the end, we decided that this wasn’t going to be a fit for them. And that’s fine.
This program is really for complex, multidimensional situations where we collaborate for a year on developing workable solutions for you and providing you with the tools and systems and structure to enable you to continue on independently.
How do I best to respond to the noise – both internal and external – about someone’s reinvention?
A 3 word summary of this program would be: Choice of response.
My aim is to help you to recognise the internal and external noise, find the signal and choose your response using the science of psychological flexibility and an agile planning process.
And leave you with the competence in the tool kit so you can graduate past me.
How do the strengths and weaknesses in your network impact someone’s reinvention?
Strengths and weaknesses of a network will definitely impact a person’s reinvention. We’ll figure out the best way of deploying your strengths and mitigating weaknesses in your network and other areas too.
How will it create the life you desire?
We’ll look in the mirror first and figure out what truly matters to you. Then you can start to build towards what intrinsically motivates you.
The process is pretty simple: we’ll assess where you are, build the plan, develop the systems and structures and toolkit and then provide you with support and accountability along the way to make sure you’re taking the steps you want to take.
Does it bring you joy/excitement/curiosity? Or if you are just doing it for the $$ is it really the right fit?
Can reinvention bring you all of those emotions? Absolutely. We’ll be spending quite a bit of time on your intrinsic motivators so those experiences are a part of the process. At the same time we need to temper this with some pragmatism. Decisions about money are a fact of life. That can’t be avoided. How that fits in the equation changes for every single person.
How do I deal with the feeling of failure/giving up that can accompany reinvention?
We all experience tough thoughts, feelings and sensations. Fear is also a common one in the reinvention process, as are frustration, anxiety, imposter syndrome… All kinds of things show up.
But we can learn to work with them using the tools and science from psychological flexibility and ACT which are World Health Organisation validated.
There will be some education and plenty of opportunity to practice.
How attached are you to your existing identity and the payoffs (eg sport achievement, big role title etc) and how willing are you to let these go? If you don’t want to let the feelings go, how will you satisfy the need for (achievement, glory etc) as you reinvent?
I’ve seen plenty of impressive trophy cabinets behind which are miserable people.
Reinvention then is about separating who you are from what you do. It is not about trade offs. It’s about alignment.
It doesn’t mean you have to stop achieving. Quite the opposite. Achievements are great provided they are in service of what is truly important to you.
We will work to align your achievements with your longest possible game so that you can have the highs of accomplishment and appreciation and fulfilment within the moments of the journey.
How can I work on plan B if plan A doesn’t eventuate? How can I be prepared to pivot?
The short answer is experimentation. By running ongoing experiments into what might come next you’ll build a roadmap of options and opportunities that you can test. You’ll also a clear internalised framework for assessing your intrinsic motivation to filter those options.
How is this really going to help me? How will you help me work through my issue?
In order for this program to be useful to you, you’ll need to understand three things:
- The results you want from engaging in the first place.
- The reality of where you are in comparison to your desired results.
- The roadblocks of what are holding you back or getting in your way.
The process will be a mix of evidence based frameworks applied specifically to your context.
By clarifying your longest game, aligning your goals around that and then setting up the systems and structures to support the change, you’ll be able to do the reps that can compound into making the difference you’re looking for.
The support and accountability helps the reflection to learn what’s working and what’s not and allow you to keep making progress.
Please note: There are 3 places available. The intake is closing this Friday 8th of March. To find out more and apply, all the details are here >>
