So you’re going through your day with the identity of a somewhat worn down, a middle-aged person in “second-half,” or the “final-third” of their life (depending on your concept of health and longevity).
You may think you are long past their prime and are just trying to make it through the day. “Your golden era days are behind you, and aging has simply taken over.” I paraphrase.
Now with that in mind, let’s consider the power of identity.
Frankly, I understand, some days can feel like that, but the reality could not be further from the truth. The people I work with (typically 40 – 60 at the bell curve’s peak, some younger, some older) are in the second half. Or, as Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum recently called it in a conversation we had as “The Better Half,” and another coincidentally timed conversation with a colleague of mine (in the reference “to the back 9” golf metaphor)–“the future 9.”
I appreciate the more empowering view of our future, rather than seeing it as an ending, seeing it as “what’s next.” And that dovetails into the point of this Change Hero Insight.
As a culture, we are trying to get out of a crisis period, which has dramatically impacted our economy. This impact has inspired us and called us to live better than ever before, so we have the energy to stay strong, healthy, and act to respond to an enormous sea change.
Do you think the identity above will yield the person you need to be to answer that call?
In short, no. The feelings and behaviors that identity will yield will cause you to fall far short of what your potential (energy) could deliver for you, your family, and the world if you “unleashed” it (took the leash off) from all that’s distracting and holding it back.
In particular, that identity; it’s a story that will not deliver you what you want.
You see, Change Hero’s start with a hero identity, someone who has the “strength for two,” which (until you have more insight around the hero identity) is essentially saying that you have an identity that will drive you to do what most don’t.
That is, to change, improve, and optimize the way you are living to be living into a whole new story.
It’s tough to change, improve with an identified underpinning and a self-image that’s following suit that ultimately undermines the actions you want to take. Worse, that is counter to the activities that you want to be taking.
I’ve known about identity for decades, and I never cease to learn about the power of identity.
A shift from who you think you are to what you are, adopting a corporate athlete’s identity vs. an executive alone, or only someone who eats healthy and exercises or not, can mean the difference between one life result and another; actually, one lifestyle vs another.
The potential examples here are endless.
So if you want to make a change here at the end of this year, improve and optimize your approach to transform your present life situation, and become unstoppable in the process, it’s time to become a change hero and start living a performance lifestyle.
Identity, it’s all Wrapped Up In Your Story, Change it to Change, and watch what happens to your life and style of living it.
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John Allen Mollenhauer is known as John Allen or by his initials “JAM.” He is a leading lifestyle coach and entrepreneur and an expert at helping other entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals achieve more through a healthy performance lifestyle. He helps his clients get free of the hidden lifestyle challenges that distract and hold most people back, such as pain and fatigue, overeating under-nourishing food, super busyness, physical inactivity, and unsupportive thinking.
Ultimately, he’ll help you align the way you live with your most important goals in life.
JAM is the founder of Performance Lifestyle® Inc in Florham Park, NJ. With his team, he leads an online training academy and community that starts with helping achievers learn how to manage their energy as the pros do; and then optimize the way they live for the life, health, and high performance they need to flourish.
Also, an expert in Performance Recovery—the restoration of physiological and psychological processes—thousands of people have been inspired by JAM to recover their natural energy proactively. And apply lifestyle-based strategies to regain the zest and zeal they’re used to having and more to increase joy, productivity, and of course, their quality of life.
He is married with two children, loves to learn, apply, improve and share, read the Bible, and watch movies!
