Change is truly inevitable. But do you know someone who may have resisted some of these changes? Have you ever found yourself fighting against a change that was occurring in your own life? We fight getting older. We fight changes in technology, in society, in our relationships, in the economy. But no matter how hard we fight… change still happens.

We often choose to become creatures of habit. Yes, I said choose. Many of us have allowed ourselves to become conditioned to seek the path of least resistance. It’s something that I call “default to familiar.” We are constantly looking to find the “easiest” way to get things done. And when we find a routine that we believe is the best, we stick with it. Even when it doesn’t serve us anymore.

But what about changes that will never revert back to the previous routine? Things like the loss of a job, the end of a relationship or a serious health issue? This is the kind of situation where most people go kicking and screaming in a new direction. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

What is the difference between someone who loses a limb in a car accident who becomes depressed and sits around the house and someone who has the same “change” happen but instead goes on to live a happy and productive life? What is the difference between someone who loses everything and ends up living a life of quiet desperation and someone else who uses that loss as fuel to help them become successful?

The world is filled with stories of both kinds. Tragedy and inspiration. Quite simply it is not what happens to you, it’s what you do with what happens. You have the option of allowing circumstances to define you, or for you to choose to define yourself based on those circumstances.

When change happens, we can allow it to “shape us” and therefore we grow. But Transformation is a choice. It is a conscious decision that you’re no longer going to settle for how things are. You make the choice that you are going to go from where you are now… to somewhere new. Somewhere better.

As I began to explore the idea that Transformation is a conscious choice, I realized that I needed to dig deeper. I asked myself:

1. Is there some sort of switch that gets flipped that allows one person to turn tragedy into a mission?

2. Why do some people seem to stay “stuck” while others totally redefine who they are?

As I continued asking these questions, I realized that I needed to learn more about why creating Transformation in my life was so important to me. I also needed to define the process I had been using without realizing it to turn around my life and succeed in my career. I knew if I could identify this process, I would also be able to learn how much of a role it played in the success of the clients I worked with.

When you understand these 7 Phases and apply them in your life, I promise you, that you are going to see quantum leaps in the growth of your business, of your personal life and any area in which you choose to apply them. I can make this promise because these primary principles are the core of an overarching system that you can implement in every area you are looking to make a Transformation, and has a proven track record of success.

1. Ignorance

2. Awareness

3. Take Responsibility

4. Immersion

5. Interdependence

6. Ownership

7. Influence

With every system, there are fundamental principles that, when applied to the Primary Principles, will improve its efficiency and effectiveness. These fundamental principles are what I refer to as The 3 Cornerstones of Change.

These 3 Cornerstones are integral to every Phase of Transformation. They are…

1. Honesty

2. Vulnerability

3. Open Mindedness

The final component of The Anatomy of Transformation is what I refer to as The 7 Keys for Success and Fulfillment. The 7 Keys for Success and Fulfillment are keys to a way of living that will continually feed the desire to grow and Transform.

I can’t take credit for developing or discovering them. Martha Creek had given a 7 week presentation called Discovering the Possibilities. I was so impressed that I asked her permission to create my own program around her principles and share her information with others.

As I listened to Martha speak, I was mesmerized. I had been intensely working on myself and my understanding of human behavior, psychology and why people do what they do for close to 13 years. And as I sat there listening, I was overwhelmed because it wasn’t “seven steps” to how to be successful and fulfilled. What I saw, were 7 key principles that were present in everyone who I knew and studied who were both successful and fulfilled.

They are…

1. New Dreams

2. Be Authentic

3. Participate

4. Trust Life

5. Be in Integrity

6. Exemplify Generosity

7. Step Up and Step Out