Identity Shifts & Next Level Goals: What to do when your Goals become your New Normal
Jul 11, 2023
I realised I was playing small and I was not living in alignment with my goals.
This happened to me recently during a luxurious holiday in Venice, where I had everything I desired. I’ve achieved a level of success I once dreamed, but now, I am living it everyday and it feels like the norm.
My next level goals of a thriving business and freedom to travel for 7 entire weeks while my business continues to bring in income - was now my new NORMAL! And I got complacent for a second there.
Sometimes, when we achieve our big dreams or goals, we can feel a sense of restlessness calling us to step up once again. It's important to acknowledge these feelings and use them as an opportunity for next level growth.
It’s a balance between being so grateful for the success you have created but also balancing it with the part of you that is an ambitious entrepreneur who has big goals & dreams.
Recognise Discomfort as a Catalyst for Change
I realised I was playing small and sitting on my potential. It’s a huge responsibility, but I didn’t know what my next level looked like yet.
For so long, I had desired to make a massive impact doing what I love, earning more than ever and doing it all with a tonne of freedom. I was on holiday in Venice that I made happen, paid over $60k for a luxe holiday for me and my fiancé for 7 weeks, money was flowing in, and I’ve never felt more grounded and grateful.
But something was off - it’s not about being ungrateful but when you are super driven and ambitious and making BIG moves that is just part of who I am - I wasn’t living in alignment.
Maybe you once had a big dream to:
- Quit your job, and now you’re living that dream and totally forgot how awesome that is.
- Maybe it was to make enough money to cover your bills and now you’re making way more.
- Maybe it was to change 1 person’s life, now you’ve changed hundreds and it’s just the norm, it’s what you do.
This is a similar feeling I had around the same time last year - and I took that discomfort, and ran with it! I didn’t try avoiding it or simply just “feel better”.
These moments always push me back into alignment, so you don’t want to avoid them but lean IN, take the lessons they are sharing and embrace the discomfort, because the more you do, the more you build your resilience and muscles to transcend it every time.
Reconnect with Your Ambitious Self
Take a moment to reflect on your deepest desires and ambitions. Are you playing small or settling for less than you deserve or are capable of? When you bring awareness to this, you then have the power to shift it and come back into alignment.
Update Your Identity and Self-Perception
Whenever I go through major growth, I do the inner work first because when I step into WHO I am becoming, the strategy and actions become so clear. We can’t have next level goals if we leave ourselves and our inner world in the past - it has to come with us.
I actually believe we need to update our identity, who we see ourselves as, how we lead ourselves and the type of person we are FIRST before the external things will even matter.
Think about it: if you start trying to market your business in a bigger way, show more leadership, craft a message, and make bigger bolder moves, yet at a subconscious level you still see yourself as someone who doesn’t do what they want, plays a little smaller to keep safe and is not yet a leader even though you really want to be. How do you think it’s going to show up in your external world?
The way we are wired and how we make EVERY DECISION is based on that concept of self. It’s going to feel like an uphill battle to merge your inner and outer worlds if you don’t begin with updating your concept of self and identity.
Future Self JOURNAL PROMPTS to unlock your next level:
I do this work every single time I go through a major level up.
- What is the legacy I am here to make on this world?
- Who do I perceive myself as currently?
- What are you needing to let go of at that next level?
- Habits you need to stop?
- What are some things you're doing? Maybe even programs you're running, clients you're working with.
- What are the things that are not coming with you at that next level?
- Who am I stepping into? How can I update my identity to match my next level goals?
- How am I leading myself at that next level?
- How do I show up for myself every single day?
- How do I want to feel every single day at that next level?
- How do I want to feel, and how can I shift my vision of who I am?
- What are the fears come with the next level you want?
- What does my next level require me to hold? How can I create safety and normalize these moments and feelings?
Take Aligned Action and Pursue Your Ambitions:
Once I had clarity on who I was stepping into and why I felt the discomfort, I took bold action!
On the train from Venice to Florence, I then mapped out an entire next level business plan, huge dreamy goals, and action plan - this literally took me 20mins. And I felt the biggest weight lifted off my shoulders in that moment, I felt grounded, content and so sure of who I am and where I am going.
Things get to move fast but first it really takes getting to the bottom of why things feel off - once I had clarity around this, I was able to launch into fast action and moving in a way that felt like home for me. Once you have gained clarity and embraced discomfort, it's time to take action.
Develop a clear plan of action that aligns with your rediscovered ambitions. Break down your goals into manageable steps and start moving toward them with purpose.
Regularly Update Your Vision and Self-Perception:
As you grow and evolve, remember that personal growth is an ongoing process. Regularly revisit and update your vision of who you are becoming. Adapt your self-perception to align with your growth journey and aspirations.
Discomfort can serve as a powerful catalyst for personal growth and rediscovering your ambitions. By recognizing discomfort as an opportunity, seeking outside perspectives, and realigning your identity and self-perception, you can reignite your ambitious spirit and propel yourself toward success. Embrace the discomfort, lean into its lessons, and take purposeful action to pursue your ambitions with renewed determination. Remember, growth is a continuous journey, so regularly update your vision and self-perception to stay aligned with your ever-evolving self. Embrace the discomfort, embrace your ambitious self, and step into the life you've always envisioned.
CONNECT WITH ME
- Join Business for Life
- Check out my Courses & Masterclasses
- Apply for 1:1 Business Coaching
- Check out my FREE Resources
- Send me a DM on Instagram