{"id":5476,"date":"2020-05-04T08:00:20","date_gmt":"2020-05-04T13:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/?p=5476"},"modified":"2026-02-08T15:57:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T21:57:39","slug":"reinvent-yourself-for-a-brighter-future-in-4-steps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.steveblaising.com\/content\/reinvent-yourself-for-a-brighter-future-in-4-steps\/","title":{"rendered":"Reinvent You for a Brighter Future in 4 Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Businesses and charities are desperate to reinvent themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all, dogs do that every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you’re not a dog and need to uncover a bright new direction, check out these four steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1:<\/mark>Move from\u201cclosed\u201d <\/strong>to\u201copen\u201d<\/strong><\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Frustrated by closed doors? They’re actually clues for a new direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his great work, Masks of Love and Life<\/em>, Hanns Sachs includes a chapter called \u201cLocked in a Room with Open Doors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He talks about two brothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of them could never tolerate an open door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He’d jump up and shut anything standing open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other brother was annoyed by this and told him, \u201cone of these days I\u2019m going to lock you in a room with open doors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did he say this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because his brother could only see closed doors.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Reinvent
Choose the open door\/Federico Diliberto<\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Restaurants, for example, that only see traditional dine-in are closing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, Panera Bread is looking in another direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of choking on traditional dining-room traffic, the CEO, Niren Chaudhary, is searching for open doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He recently shared that his executive team noticed the struggles people face when buying groceries at the store.  So, they started selling groceries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe had the infrastructure, the e-commerce plumbing, the operating system.  In 48 hours, the team said, \u2018Yes we are going to do it.\u2019\u201d <\/strong> Niren Chaudhary, WSJ, 4\/24\/20<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Never stop imagining a new application for yourself, your family, or your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2:<\/mark>Move from\u201cmaterial\u201d <\/strong>to\u201cpeople\u201d<\/strong><\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I believe a brighter future begins with a desire to make a difference in the world<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most folks I know want to do more than just occupy space, consume goods, or make and spend money.  They don\u2019t want to merely occupy space, but as the philosopher said, \u201cwe want to plant a tree under which we may never sit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William Manchester, in his book about Winston Churchill, said that Churchill delighted in having guests for dinner both at noon and at evening.  He liked to host people who were doing something with their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a tendency to sit back after you\u2019ve made a certain amount of money, raised a family, paid off a house, or sold a business and say, \u201cThat\u2019s it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, it\u2019s not it.  Money doesn\u2019t mark the end of work.  Property doesn\u2019t either.  People mark the measure of our contribution.  What makes a difference in life is you and other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 3:<\/mark>Move from\u201cdead-end\u201d<\/strong> to\u201cu-turn\u201d<\/strong><\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How did people like Winston Churchill or the Apostle Paul become so productive?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were sensitive and open to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the doors closed, they U-turned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe God wants to move you in a new direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n