A Portfolio Approach to Reinvention
Yuval Noah Harari argued that it is essential to constantly reinvent oneself in today's fast-changing world. However, the relentless pace of the 21st century can make a whole transformation appear impossible. What if we adopted a more fluid approach instead of constantly trying to improve in the same way?
The portfolio method provides this answer by suggesting we treat our personal lives the same way we treat our financial holdings. Instead of a complete metamorphosis, it advocates a strategic reorganization of one's life in light of new realities.
Jenny Blake's 'Pivot' notion further supports this asymmetrical viewpoint. She argues that instead of starting from scratch, we should take small, steady steps forward. Instead of discarding our previous identities, we are piecing together the best parts to become a new, improved one.
Bruce Feiler's "Life is in the Transitions" takes a similar tack, describing life's journey as not linear but rather a complex web of pivotal moments. To make it through these shifts, we need to be adaptable and able to reshape our lives to fit the new circumstances we're facing.
Indeed, the 21st century does not call for the linear, absolute type of reinvention so characteristic of our parents. The world moves too fast for that. Instead, it demands a dynamic 'portfolio' approach that reflects life's nonlinear nature.
My vote goes to "strategic re-arrangement," a more aligned approach to change, transition, and uncertainty that allows us to stay in step with the ebb and flow of our ever-changing world. We remove those parts of our lives that don't work for us, and replace those with fresh new life material.
Let some destruction happen, alongside the construction.
While "reinvention" is still highly valuable, it's outdated. Instead, I favor a more modern, practical, and compelling strategy for realizing our potential in which our anxieties and emotional baggage from the past don't weigh us down amidst the turbulence of change.
