Through the Seasons of Change: What Growth Really Looks Like

I’ve been listening to a lot of Leila Hormozi’s podcasts this month and have really enjoyed her approach — she’s honest, direct, and inspiring. One of my favourites is “Mindset Shifts to Make Lasting Change.”

Leila talks about how believing you need to feel ready to change is often what keeps us stuck. Around 80% of people feel motivated for a few days and then fall back into old habits, while only 20% keep going through discomfort and do the work it takes to truly change.

She shares five mindset shifts that can help create lasting transformation.

Real Change is About Letting Go, Not Adding More

Transformation isn’t about stacking more habits, more routines, or more discipline onto an already full life. It’s about defining what you’re willing to give up to get what you truly want. Real progress often requires releasing what no longer aligns — old habits, identities, or comforts that keep us anchored in the past.

For example, if your goal is to feel fit and healthy, eating nutritious food won’t make a difference if you continue patterns like late-night bingeing or sugar cravings. Your progress is often blocked not by a lack of motivation, but by the things you refuse to let go of.

Your Identity is Not Fixed

Thinking “this is just who I am” can quietly keep you stuck. The identity you hold today was shaped by past stories, habits, and emotions that once served you — but they may not serve who you’re becoming. Phrases like “I’m not a morning person,” “I’m not disciplined,” or “I’m not the type to run a business” aren’t facts; they’re protective stories that make discomfort feel optional.

If you want real change, get clear on the identity you want to embody — and become aware of the one you keep reinforcing that’s holding you back. Every time you tell yourself “this is just who I am” or “this is why I am the way I am,” you strengthen the old identity that no longer serves you. Let go of the beliefs you’ve held onto for comfort, and face the things you’ve been avoiding out of fear — because that’s where your growth begins.

Make Sure Your Habits & Patterns Align with Your Goals

Be honest about the goals you truly want to achieve. Care more about becoming the person you want to be than protecting the person you’ve been. When your habits and identity align with your goals, action starts to feel natural — not forced. The effort flows because there’s no longer a conflict between who you are and what you want.

So, get clear: define your goals, decide how you’ll operate to reach them, and just as importantly, decide what you’ll no longer do. Begin by identifying the habits and patterns that no longer serve the person you’re becoming — and let them go.

There is No Quick Fix

The idea of a quick fix is a fantasy — and that’s why self-help keeps selling it to you. Real change requires sacrifice, and there’s no shortcut for that. We dream of snapping our fingers and being where we want to be — without the fear, resistance, grind, or discomfort.

How many times have you written down all the changes you want, started on Monday, and by Wednesday slipped back into the same habits because it got hard? That’s not failure — that’s proof that change takes time. Real change takes at least 18–24 months. The first six months, you’re fighting your old patterns. The next six, you’re building new ones. And in the second year, it finally starts to feel natural — like the new version of you has taken root.

We love the idea of a quick fix because it promises transformation without sacrifice. It means you don’t have to let go of old parts of yourself or admit that the way you’ve been operating is holding you back. But here’s the truth: the time it takes to change might feel daunting — yet staying the same for the next five years is far scarier.

Change is Repetitive

Once you’ve removed the things keeping you stuck, real change comes down to one thing — repetition. If you write down three hard things you want to do each day and three things you want to stop doing, the key to transformation is simple: keep going. You don’t stop when it gets easier. The work never really stops — it just becomes part of you.

Change isn’t magical. It’s not a big, cinematic moment. It’s boring. It’s mundane. It’s showing up day after day until the new way becomes automatic — until there’s no going back. Growth happens quietly in the repetition, not in the rush of inspiration.

Now, imagine yourself one year from today. If you changed nothing — if you kept the same habits, patterns, and excuses — where would you be?

And now imagine the opposite: What if you did the work? What if you let go of what no longer serves you, dismantled limiting identities, and committed to the small, consistent actions that move you forward?

If that second version of you feels alive — you’re ready for change.