WING TIPS

My oldest daughter got married on Saturday night. It was an incredible ceremony, and almost everyone I spoke with at the event voiced that same opinion. I’ve been to a lot of weddings, and they are all generally lovely events. Yet this wedding was different, and I don’t make that statement because of the natural prejudice that comes from being the Father of the Bride.

Let me reflect for just a moment on my wedding. It was a traditional event in many respects. We got married in a church with a conventional minister and the classic text. The wedding party consisted of several of our friends, and they were all dressed the same in matching tuxedos and matching gowns. The run of show was standard with the ceremony, picture taking, reception, and dinner. My now ex-wife (a great lady, and we are still friends) was a beautiful bride, but I can’t say much else about the uniqueness of our wedding.

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Being True To Yourself

In contrast, my daughter and my new son-in-law’s wedding reflected the couple they are; artistically inclined, eclectic, intelligent, and with a strong sense of who they are. The ceremony was at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. The reverend was my daughter’s cousin, who prepared the ceremonial words specifically for the couple. The groom had no best man or groomsmen. My daughter’s Maid of Honor was her sister with no other bride’s maids. Their dress was their own and spectacular!

Almost everything about the wedding ceremony was different, unusual, and wildly appreciated by the guests. They reinvented the wedding to reflect their desires to the delight of their families and friends.

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Why Does It Matter?

So why should my daughter’s wedding be of interest to you? The wedding itself, maybe not so much. But the couples’ thought process and their execution could be a lesson for us all. The words reinvention and even transformation are often used, but the rhetoric seldom rises to meet the expectation. We generally take the predictable route because we believe that is what’s expected, and it satisfies our penchant to stay in our comfort zone.

Yet a brave new world is waiting our arrival. An opportunity to shake up the status quo and a bland environment is always an option if we choose to seize it. Reinventing ourselves can positively affect our psyche while simultaneously impressing customers, clients, and even family and friends.

Here is a fact. You can’t reinvent or transform your business if you can’t transform yourself. Are you the person you want to be? If not, what needs to change? Does your business or the work you do reflect the person you are? If not, then work to reflect that true person. When you have achieved that goal, then be consistent in your entire life with everything you do. It may shock some people while simultaneously impressing them too. That was the secret to my daughter and son-in-law’s wedding. And this is why I’m sharing their experience with you.

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A Quote To Consider!

“People who cannot invent and reinvent themselves must be content with borrowed postures, secondhand ideas, fitting in instead of standing out.”

—Warren Bennis