New Beginnings and New Becomings

As we often do this time of year, we look at goals, intentions, and aspirations for the year ahead. We create our lists, our vision boards, our strategic plans. We formalize a plan, a budget, and resources to move us towards our goals.   

Why do we do this? Well of course, we want to be intentional about success and envisioning what those success measures are. But if we peeled it back a layer, we want a feeling, a state of being.  We want to feel and be successful, or happy, or at peace. It may come in the form of a financial goal, a number on a scale, a business target met, or some other measurable form. So we make plans, we do all the things, and yet sometimes realize we haven’t achieved our goals or states of being.  

Sometimes a focus on “being” gets you to your goals faster than “doing.” Have you ever been working on a project or problem, and you keep trying harder and harder to solve it?  Progress becomes stalled, and you get frustrated (OK—WE get frustrated. Don’t mind us as we engage in some projection here!) You put it to the side, go for a run, take a trip, make dinner—whatever takes you away from the “doing” of problem solving. Without fail, new approaches to solving the problem emerge and often you are able to clear the blockage and continue.  

In his book “Atomic Habits”, James Clear talks about the simple yet challenging shift from outcome-based habits (ie, what you want to achieve) to identity-based habits (ie, who you wish to become). He states habits are how we embody our identity. He proposes that if we really do want change, we first need to decide the type of person we want to be and then prove it to ourselves with small wins. This forms the foundation of lasting sustainable change in ourselves, our teams, and in our organizations.

So the question is—who are you becoming?