There is something I’ve come to appreciate over the years. Becoming rarely happens all at once. Neither does drifting.
Most people know who they want to become. Patient. Courageous. Generous. Trustworthy.
That isn’t the question. The question is: What is your life rehearsing?
Every conversation is rehearsal. Every reaction is rehearsal. Every excuse is rehearsal. Every promise kept is rehearsal. Every promise broken is rehearsal. Your life is always practicing something.
The same is true in the other direction. No one decides they want to become impatient, cynical, or disconnected. It happens a little at a time. One conversation. One reaction. One choice. Then another. Eventually those moments become familiar, and what was once a choice begins to feel like part of who you are.
That is why I don’t spend much time asking people who they want to become. Most people already have an answer to that question. I’m more interested in asking what their life is rehearsing.
If someone spends every day proving they’re right, they’ll become very good at being right. If they spend every day protecting themselves from disappointment, they’ll become very good at keeping people at a distance. If they spend every day waiting for someone else to change before they move, they’ll get very good at standing still.
Powerful creation works the same way. A single conversation where someone chooses curiosity over certainty may not seem significant. One moment of honoring their word may not feel life-changing. One difficult conversation they have been avoiding may not transform a relationship overnight.
But lives are rarely changed by one dramatic moment. More often, they are shaped by the conversations people are willing to keep having and the ways of being they continue to choose.
Don’t tell me who you’re becoming. Show me your calendar. Show me your conversations. Show me what you repeatedly practice. Show me the experience you are creating for others. Now I’ll tell you.
If someone watched your life… what would they see, feel, and experience?
Our next Create Powerful Course runs September 8–12. Some of you have attended once. Others have returned several times. Each experience offers a different conversation, because each time you walk into the room, you’re bringing a different life with you. If it feels like it’s time to step back into the work, or to share it with someone who matters to you, we’d love to see you in September. Learn more and register at ontocore.com/createpowerful.