The Two Sides of Reinvention

We have been talking about the art of reinvention. In the last Leading Thoughts, I explained how we have to look at our resumes, our work experience, from a different perspective. Now, I want to talk about the target of your reinvention.

A reinvention is a two-sided thing. There is first the change in the way you see yourself—your experience, your gifts, your interests, your skills. The second part, though, is the way you see opportunities in the wider world.

There was a famous television preacher of the last generation who often said this: “Find a hurt and heal it, find a need and fill it.” He said that this was the key to making a difference in the world and the key to growing a meaningful church or ministry.

The thinking of someone in the midst of a reinvention has to be much the same. Their unique gifts, experience, and skills cause them to see needs and opportunities that they can fill and fill well. In other words, they see a chance to marry who they are to a need in the market and thus in society as a whole.

We live in a self-absorbed age. We are constantly encouraged to be preoccupied with ourselves in every way, from our looks to our difficulties to our dreams. This works against us in many important ways, but certainly in this matter of a reinvention. The reason is that a reinvention is not just a personal upgrade. It is the applying of all we are to some need “out there” in society. This is not just charity. It is good business.

Most of the successful reinventions I know of match the reinvention narrative of a given leader’s life to needs in markets and society that they perceived keenly. When they set themselves to meet those needs and opportunities, they thrived.

I know of an accountant who worked largely with high level female executives. She admired these women and did all she could as an accountant to help them rise. Yet she discovered that these executives weren’t hampered primarily by financial matters, but by overall lifestyle “how do I cover all my responsibilities” problems.

This accountant had experience as both an au pair and a caterer. So after much research and preparation, she started a company that provides highly-trained personal assistants for high level female leaders. This former accountant is changing lives, employing hundreds, prospering, and happier than ever. She is also now seen in her country as a leader among women.

She achieved a reinvention because she was careful about both sides of what a reinvention is: the personal skills and interests, combined with a need she could effectively fill. What I love is that my friend’s reinvention engaged all that she is, can do, and cares about. In other words, the reinvention drew on all of her, making her more fulfilled, more effective, and, ultimately, wealthy.

She will sell her firm one day, and I suspect there will be yet another reinvention before she is done. Notice what this first reinvention took. A different way of seeing herself and her experience. Taking note of a need in the lives of other people. Crafting a bridge from where she was to where she wanted to be. Courage. Patience. Devotion.

This is the art of reinvention. So as you are pondering your resume in a new light, start also pondering what needs you see “out there” that you are uniquely attuned to and that you could uniquely fill. These are the two seminal issues of a successful reinvention.