Our why is like our clothes
I think the relationship we have with our why can feel like the relationship we have with our clothes. We can wake up one day and our clothes may no longer fit. We may no longer like our clothes. The fashion trends may have shifted.
We are constantly changing, and so is the world around us. We have to make decisions:
Which clothes don't feel right anymore? Which clothes represent a past version of myself, my previous values and beliefs?
Which clothes still feel right? Which clothes make me feel truly like myself? Are they still perfect as they are, or do they need a bit of hemming?
How would I benefit from updating my wardrobe? Do I want to introduce new color palettes or styles? Do I want to update some of my clothes to match current trends?
The process of articulating your why can feel like eternally returning to the changing room to try on different clothes. It is an iterative process that takes tedious work. Once you find clothes that you like, it doesn't guarantee six months from now you'd still like them. You may find yourself back in that changing room trying on more clothes.
I found myself in the metaphorical changing room recently when I updated my "why" message for this blog (here).
I had to decide which clothes I wanted to discard, which to keep, and which to add. I had to reflect on how I have changed, what new thoughts I've adopted, what I care most about now, how my mission and message have crystallized, which words might be better and clearer, etc.
This process also felt like bringing clothes that no longer suit me to Goodwill. I'm not very good at this - with real clothes and these metaphorical ones.
It was painful to say goodbye to the previous language that I've spent hours crafting the last time I did this. I was really afraid of the change and the potential loss that comes with it. What if I lost the essence of my message? What if it doesn't hit the same way? Or worst - what if what I had was indeed better and I made it worse by updating?
I recognized that this fear is normal. I tried to shift my focus to what I might gain from updating my wardrobe, and I hit "delete".
Maybe I'm totally wrong. Maybe there is no gain ahead. That's a risk I feel confident in making because I trust the iterative process. It makes me feel like I'm evolving and growing, which is always a good thing.
When's the last time you updated your wardrobe? How about your why?
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