There will always be periods in life when you feel trapped and need to reinvent yourself and your life. It may occur when you are going through a major life transition, such as changing jobs, starting a business, ending a relationship, or living through a pandemic.
Maybe you feel disconnected from your goals and dreams, or the career you have is not fulfilling anymore because your values and objectives have changed. If the gap between who you are today and who you want to be is becoming too wide, you know it is time to reinvent yourself and change your life.
Maybe the definition of what constitutes a “dream job” for you has changed because of a major life transition you are going through.
Or potentially the pandemic has changed your job for the worse by diminishing your work-life balance, blurring the scope of responsibilities, or weakening the prospects of promotion.
Or maybe the kids have left the nest and you feel lost without them.
No matter what is driving you to reinvent yourself and your life – whether professional or personal – a strategic approach will help guide you in the right direction.
How to change yourself
Changing yourself and reinventing your life may sound overwhelming at first and we all know that the hardest part is getting started. But breaking the challenge down into small, concrete actions and focusing on completing them one at a time will take away initial intimidation. In blue ocean terms, we call this process atomization.
In this post, we’ll show you a specific tool you can use to make the process of reinvention easier in a way that gives you more clarity.
Where are you now? What course should you chart as you reinvent yourself?
A blue ocean strategy approach to reinventing your life
Now you may be asking the question: What has blue ocean strategy got to do with reinventing myself? Quite a lot, as it turns out. After all, what is a strategy if not a plan to achieve one or more long-term goals?
Blue ocean strategy is a very popular business strategy the main premise of which is to make the competition irrelevant by providing a leap in value at a lower cost.
Blue ocean strategy was created by renowned strategy professors at INSEAD, Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, ranked # 1 Management Thinkers in the World by Thinkers50 in 2019.
Blue ocean strategy is more than this, however. With a bit of creative thinking, you can just as easily apply it to your personal or professional life. Imagine that there are competing versions of yourself, the person you are now, and the person you want to be. You need to find a way to identify and uncover the best person you can be. In a nutshell, you need to create a blue ocean strategy to reinvent your life.
The first step in the process is to adopt a blue ocean mindset, which can help you see new opportunities that others miss. Blue ocean strategists don’t get taken in by what everyone else takes for granted. They embrace a perspective that helps them challenge long-held assumptions and recognize the artificial boundaries we unknowingly impose upon ourselves. Adopt a blue ocean perspective so that you expand your horizons and shift your understanding to where opportunity resides.
Don’t blindly accept things as they are. Dare to think what could be possible. The kind of people who view the world with optimism are the ones who are more likely to achieve their vision of life. And they are the ones that inspire others as well. Dare to be different. Be blue ocean.
You can read more about what it means to have a blue ocean perspective in the article Three key components of a successful blue ocean shift.
While adopting a blue ocean perspective is a prerequisite to making a shift in your life, blue ocean tools provide guidance on how to translate a blue ocean perspective into a compelling new offering that creates new market space, in this case, a brand-new fulfilled life path for yourself.
In this post, we’ll use one of the blue ocean strategy tools, the Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create (ERRC) grid, to help you reinvent yourself.
The ERRC grid will help you understand what you should eliminate, reduce, raise, and create to reinvent yourself and your life.
The ERRC Grid can be adapted for self-reinvention.
© Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne. Blue Ocean Strategy. All rights reserved.
Understand where you are now
Having a crystal-clear understanding of your current position is essential as it will enable you to see where the gaps are between your current situation and where you want to be.
Ask yourself, which acts and activities – good and bad – do you spend most of your time on, and which are key to your transformation but that you are currently neglecting? What are you currently focusing on and investing your efforts in?
Pro tip: List all the activities you currently focus your time and energy on as the first step in considering how to change yourself.
Where do you want to be?
In reinventing yourself, you need to reflect on what is genuinely important to you. What are the core, unshakeable values that serve as the foundation for your future decisions, actions, and behaviors?
Maybe they include family, faith, charity, and doing work you can feel proud of. Just as a house without solid foundations will crumble in inclement weather, so will your efforts to reinvent yourself without establishing your core values.
Keep in mind that your values and opinions can change throughout your life. After all, what was important to you at 20 may not have the same significance for you at 40, or 50.
Blue ocean tools can be used to reinvent yourself in your professional or personal life.
How to reinvent yourself at 40, 50, 60, or even 70 by using blue ocean tools.
Use the ERRC grid to clearly map out exactly what you want to change in your life.
What follows are examples of habits and behaviors you might want to eliminate, reduce, raise and create as you chart a new path towards personal reinvention.
Obviously, these tips do not constitute professional advice about personal wellbeing or psychological health but simply show a novel way of looking at the problem. Everyone will have a different idea of what’s best for them so use the following examples as a prompt to rethink your life. With that said, let’s get into it.
What to eliminate
Wasting time worrying about trivial things? Self-absorbed at the expense of others who need your attention? Here are two things you might eliminate as you take your first steps towards reinventing your life.
Stop worrying about what doesn’t matter
You’ve probably heard the expression “don’t sweat the small stuff”, which advises us not to get stressed about minor issues. You probably agree with it too. And yet, despite knowing there are more important things that deserve your attention, you sometimes forget what really matters.
Worrying about trivial problems or getting stressed about minor annoyances isn’t worth the effort. Whether it’s getting stuck in traffic, losing an earring, or dealing with poor customer service, you’re probably wasting your time and energy. In fact, stressing about trivial matters can affect your health.
Those who stress about minor annoyances tend to have shorter lives than those who let things roll off their backs. Stress, in any form, has a negative impact on our health. It can cause high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and sleeplessness.
Instead, learn to take things in your stride. Sometimes all that it takes is a shift in perspective. Does the traffic jam really matter? Will you even remember it a week from now? Learn to see things objectively for what they are, be stoical, and focus your energies on what really counts.
Pro tip: Turn the pain points into opportunities – for example, rather than getting annoyed by being stuck in traffic, turn this into a learning opportunity by tuning into your favorite podcast. Are there any other pain points that you could turn on its head?
Eliminate self-centered thinking
Maybe you don’t get caught up worrying about trivial things like traffic jams. Well done! Instead, you’re totally caught up in yourself. Oops! That’s not an improvement. In fact, it’s even worse than sweating the small stuff. If everything revolves around you, you may be suffering from self-centeredness.
Self-centeredness is regarded as a bad personality feature. Nobody wants to spend time with someone whose only interest is themselves.
However, the first thing you should do if you realize you are self-centered is to stop beating yourself up over it. Doing so is just another way of being self-absorbed.
Instead, consider what might be the cause of your self-centeredness. Perhaps it’s a symptom of underlying anxiety—the feeling that you don’t have much value as a person, you’re bad at what you do, or unlikeable in some way.
Thinking through your difficulties like this can help you make sense of yourself and your circumstances. In other words, self-reflection, rather than self-centeredness, can be beneficial.
Finally, make a habit of looking outward. Concentrate on others and find ways to be generous and helpful. You might be surprised at how giving to others opens us opportunities for friendship, connection, new ventures, and self-reinvention.
What to reduce
Is your ego getting in the way? Are you burning bridges when you should be building them? Being assertive and self-confident are good qualities but make sure they don’t get out of control. You may want to turn them down a bit.
Be less confrontational
Have you been known to cause a bit of a ruckus? Have people ever said you have a fiery personality? We all get into fights for a variety of reasons, but one of the most prevalent is emotion, such as feeling angry, irritated, or insecure.
But perhaps you’re just a passionate person with strong beliefs and self-confidence. Be careful, though, because this can spill over into being confrontational or tetchy in a way that harms relationships. If that sounds like you, now might be the time to become more aware of your emotions, listen more effectively, and speak in a way that brings people to your side.
Start adopting a few useful new habits such as paying attention to the physical signs of emotion. Are you tensing up, frowning, clenching your fists, or grinding your teeth? This is your body in fight-or-flight mode. Something might be about to kick off that you’ll regret. So, take a few deep breaths and maybe go for a walk.
But what if you have good cause for feeling annoyed or upset and you want to express yourself honestly? That’s fine. Just think about what you want to say in advance, rehearse it, run it by a friend or colleague and put yourself in the shoes of the person who has caused you to feel upset or annoyed. You’re much more likely to get the desired result this way.
Review your circle of friends and acquaintances
Reduce the number of your existing friends and acquaintances that won’t bring much value to your future life and instead focus on connections that will help you think differently and reinvigorate you with new energy.
Do you have people in your life you speak to about absolutely anything? Or do you surround yourself with superficial acquaintances that are there to have a good time but, in reality, you are not comfortable turning to with your problem?
Ask yourself, would I want this person to be my friend when I reinvent myself and pursue a different life path? If not, make a goal to meet new people that align with your goals and dreams better. Join a coaching group or mastermind if your goal of reinventing yourself is in the professional sphere or join a club or group that aligns more with your hobbies. Sometimes all we need is a fresh perspective and small change to help us see a way out of the current situation.
What to raise
How can you get more out of those moments you spend alone? Do you need more honest feedback about where you are right now? Consider raising these two factors on your path towards self-reinvention.
Get more out of being alone
You might consider being alone to be a negative experience. It suggests you’re either antisocial or without friends and family. However, it isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, learning to enjoy a bit of solitude can be profoundly beneficial.
We all need to interact with others; it’s essential to our well-being. But constant interaction takes a lot of emotional and mental energy, which can be draining after a while. What better way to recharge than to get some alone time? That means switching off the phone and social media too!
Spending time alone gives you the chance to do things that you really enjoy, whether it’s painting, gardening, or reading a novel. When you reserve time for yourself, you won’t have to make compromises doing activities the whole group enjoys. You can do exactly what you want.
A bit of solitude also allows for some self-reflection, a chance to process all the day’s information and consider all the reasons you have to feel grateful. Life is too short to be living it at breakneck speed. Slow down for a moment; enjoy some reflection in solitude. Embrace the joyful emotion that comes from knowing you’re OK being alone.
Be more honest with yourself and seek honest feedback
Now that you’re getting more out of your time alone, what about your social life? As part of your self-reinvention strategy, this is a good moment to think about the individuals you spend time with. Do they believe in you? Do they encourage you but also give you honest feedback?
While it’s important to be around people who are supportive of your reinvention, you also need people to be candid with you without fear of confrontation. If you surround yourself with people who simply agree with you and say yes to everything, you’re doing yourself more harm than good. Critical feedback is essential for personal development.
At the same time, you need to put your own ego aside. Is your business running into trouble but you’re too afraid to tell anyone? Time to get over yourself. Nobody can help you if they don’t know there’s a problem. Take it as a learning opportunity and with supportive people around you to offer constructive advice, you can get back on the path to success.
What to create
If you’re feeling stuck and feel like you need to reinvent yourself, it might be because you’ve become too comfortable in your life. You need to push yourself!
Strive to do something that pulls you outside of your comfort zone. Set yourself a challenge, learn something new, and get creative.
Take up a new hobby
Sure, you’ve probably thought about it. And the benefits seem obvious. Or do they? There are many more benefits to engaging in a pastime on a regular basis than you might think.
Whether it’s indoor rock climbing, joining a knitting club, or singing in the local choir, taking up a new interest can be a fantastic social outlet allowing you to meet new people and increase your social network.
A new pastime also keeps your mind engaged and can break up repetitive routines to keep you mentally stimulated. Because hobbies are fun and optional, the obstacles they provide are not as daunting as work or family issues.
And think of the health benefits! Getting absorbed in a pastime has been associated with lowering blood pressure, cortisol, and BMI.
Taking time to focus on your interests can free up new perspectives, helping you solve problems that previously seemed intractable.
Finally, while it may appear that you already have too much on your plate, taking up a new hobby can provide you with a new channel for self-reinvention. Most people have a few things they’ve always wanted to try, so make this the year you attempt them.
Learn a new skill
You have a vast array of resources at your disposal. Find opportunities to expand your knowledge, whether it’s by reading or attending a webinar. It will help you improve both emotionally and professionally – a way to reinvent yourself as a more knowledgeable and well-rounded individual.
Consider what options exist to learn practical new skills from online courses. Naturally, the course we most recommend is the Blue Ocean Sprint, which will introduce you to a fantastic set of tools and frameworks to help you think creatively and in a systematic way, whether in business or life. Check it out here.
With the right skills and knowledge at hand, you can navigate the difficult moments in life more strategically and with a higher success rate, without making unrealistic demands of yourself or others. Only then can you chart a course towards meaningfully reinventing yourself.
Reinvent yourself quotes – Blue Ocean inspired
Let’s finish with some inspiring quotes to get you started on reinventing yourself. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne’s Blue Ocean Strategy has inspired millions around the world. Let it inspire you! Here are some blue ocean quotes to help you recreate yourself.
“Don’t compete. Create.”
“A creative strategy stands apart.”
“If we look at history, whom do we admire most? Those who out-compete and beat others? Yes, we admire winners. But even more we admire those who create new paradigms in art, music, thought; new businesses that open up new market spaces, create new demand, and improve our lives. That is what expands the pie of economic, intellectual and creative wealth.”
“To stand apart in overcrowded markets, you need to be creative through value innovation.”
“Think for yourself. Stop copying a rival.”
“Raise frame-breaking questions.”
