Endless transformation — what difference it can make for you
not just in the digital world
I am scanning through Medium to find out what others write about transformation, and find it is mostly about digital transformation. It surprises me. As a Swedish professional coach for +20 years, I would love to contribute with more clarity on how we as humans can transform ourselves and experience the benefits.
My CEO-clients have got many successful stories to share. It has made a tremendous difference for me as well. Almost all great things that have happened in my life, I trace back to my work with personal development. I would love for everyone to have the same experience.
Big changes like paradigm shifts in society force us to transform. The question is, how can we keep up the speed with such a fast-changing world? I believe personal transformation is vital for those of us who want to be relevant in our time.
What is transformation?
I distinguish transformation as a radical shift, happening out of a conscious choice to develop oneself in a certain area of life, to take on a challenge and walk over the gap. The result is a new way of perceiving the world that opens the way for possibilities we could not see before.
Phenomenon in the nature are often used to symbolize transformation. The larva that one day fly away as a beautiful butterfly. An egg becomes a bird. A seed grows into a flower. Energy transforms when the sun’s ray lights becomes heat. Heat that can melt ice. Water that becomes hail or snow. Electrical energy in cables and batteries transforms to create motion, light, and heat. The food we eat transforms into energy for our bodies to move and think.
Or the digital transformation in businesses: start selling on the web and taking advantage of all new technical, digital tools and robots that get developed.
We as humans also have an endless possibility to transform ourselves.
Let’s have a closer look at how.
Be, Do, Have — transform as a human
Transformation can happen in different areas.
The Doing is easy to understand. Every skill we learn will make a difference. The child that one day can stand up and walk, not only crawling. Big effort, many trial and errors before that happens. Continues with learning to balance on a bicycle, driving a car or skiing. And then a profession. You start out as a student to become more and more experienced until you one day master that area.
I have recently learnt freestyle swimming. It is an amazing experience! In just some months I have learnt something I have thought was too difficult for me. I made a plan to reach my goal, to front crawl 500 meters in six months. As it was so tough in the beginning with the breathing, I gave myself plenty of time. I also got exhausted and needed to rest often, as new muscles got used. Now, I have done 1000 meter twice, and it has gone only three months. It is so fulfilling!
Having is about all Materia — money, houses, cars, things, businesses. It will transform you as a human being to be the one that knows you can make it. To earn our living is a fundamental skill for all of us.
Who do we need to be fulfill those dreams? And what skills do we need to learn? Be, do and have goes hand in hand.
I remember how confronted I got by coaches from America focusing on wellness in all areas of life. As if life was about stuff. Who wants a bikini with jewels? I later realized it was not about the bikini, rather the energy and quality involved. Even in the material world, we can talk about transformation. The first attempt is a prototype who get’s refined and refined until it expresses excellence. The finest and biggest pearl have grown for years. It takes a master to create and recognize quality.
Being then — how do we transform ourselves as beings? How do we come back to the openness that a newborn baby expresses? Enlightenment is the highest state as a being, as Jesus or Buddha.
Long before that state of consciousness, we have to let go of our ego. It happens when we step up as leaders in our lives. Daring to be unique and brave enough to take the consequences of our own choices. In this state of beingness we no longer act as victims, blaming others or circumstances for what’s happening to us or not.
Another opening is to open up the spiritual channel. Recognizing ourselves as being part of a much bigger energy field. When we are open, we experience and feel with our senses. In this presence we easily make connections, are engaged, alive, saying yes and taking part in life. We are in touch with the fullness and richness of life, feeling whole. Celebration is becoming easy.
Culture, like art and music, is helping us to get emotional and strong experiences. A gospel choir, for example, easily brings us to a state of joy. Or the beauty in a smile, showing our souls. Nature is always a glorious reminder of this existential realm.
Transformation in coaching
I have been working as a professional coach for over twenty years. CEO’s, senior leaders and business owners are my target group. They are mostly very busy. With outer stuff. Like meeting the quarterly goals, selling more, finding new markets. Or finding out how to string along with the speed of the technical and digital transformation. Not to talk about the pandemic.
Many say they don’t have time for their own development. Or have the money for it. I hope they soon find out it is a must, in a positive sense.
The best part of transformation is that what seemed to be a problem on one level disappears when you raise your own consciousness.
I am taking my time right now to write about the inner challenges I have met when coaching CEO’s. So far I have found nine enormous challenges that relate to the being as a leader. I mention two of them above.
What is yours?
Welcome to comment, mail and follow me on this existing journey.
Enjoy, it is all there is!
Anna Eriksson, ICF Master Certified Coach with +30 years of experience in professional coaching and personal development.
