Celebrate Change

Few are born bold. Even Napoleon had to cultivate the habit on the battlefield, where he knew it was a matter of life and death.
- Robert Greene

There are changes we can make to our surroundings and daily habits, and another set of changes we can make to our personality and spirit. To move from timidity to boldness is different than deciding to eat peaches for breakfast or take 10,000 steps each day.

ROCKET Goals should be inherently bold, and will pull us along a path of change and transformation even if we ourselves are not feeling particularly brave or adventuresome. Tolkien fans know the story of how Bilbo was transformed by the role he was given in the quest as “the burglar” - a daring and experienced character who could supposedly slay dragons. Of course as Bilbo sat in the Shire nothing was further from the truth, but over the course of many adventures he grew into his bold new persona.

To act “as if” is a simple but powerful way that many athletes and performers use to assume a bold, alter ego. Performance coach Todd Herman writes in detail about how to create this “alter ego” - a persona that can be deliberately created to meet particular challenges, on and off the playing field.

1. Forge a powerful alter ego: Develop a secret identity that embodies the traits and behaviors you need to achieve your ROCKET Goal. This alter ego allows you to intentionally choose which of your existing strengths to draw upon in challenging situations, helping you transition from timid to bold.

2. Identify your inner nemesis: Recognize the negative thoughts and beliefs (such as imposter syndrome or self-limiting stories) that hold you back from performing at your best. By understanding the obstacles holding you down, you can better address them through your alter ego.

3. Build your alter ego strategically: Your alter ego should be built to address the specific challenges surrounding your ONE Thing. This structured approach helps you create an alter ego that maps to your need to become bolder.

4. Use triggers and switches: Develop specific actions or rituals that help you transition into your ROCKET Goal alter ego. For example, a baseball player might use the act of grabbing dirt from the field as a trigger to activate his confident, bold alter ego before stepping up to bat.

5. Embrace the emotional power of storytelling: Recognize that the bridge between thought and action is emotion. By Remembering Your Future Self and internalizing the story of your alter ego, you create a vivid emotional response that allows you to act and react differently, moving from timid to bold in crucial moments.

Don’t be afraid to make the bold changes needed to reach your ROCKET Goals. Crafting a ROCKET faring, dragon slaying persona is a way to quickly learn the skills of boldness necessary for even the most audacious of ROCKET Goals.