Introducing The Reinvention Experiment

Have you ever struggled to find direction in life?

One day you were full of motivation and faith. You would set new goals and write down what you need to do to achieve them.

For two weeks, you would feel super productive. You finally nail one task after the other. You’re on a roll.

Then, after some more days, the original excitement starts to wear off. You hit first challenges. Doubts creep in. You don’t feel like you are making any progress.

In the end, you just stop. Your goals don’t make sense to you anymore. You feel hopeless. You are tired of running in circles, without any outcome.

The Reinvention Experiment is for those in that phase.

Stuck in the Loop

Experiencing lows in life is normal. But doing so constantly isn’t.

I had been there, and it took me years to finally acknowledge this:

My life sucked because I let life happen to me instead of taking the necessary actions to turn it around.

I didn’t invest the time and effort to understand myself better. I didn’t change the approach on how to reach my goals. I didn’t connect with potential mentors and collaborators.

All I did was complain about not being good, skilled, and supported enough. Focusing on the things that weren’t in my control made me blind to all the opportunities in life.

In short, my victim mindset kept me stuck.

While researching on how to get myself out of the loop, I came across the term “Reinvention.”

What is Reinvention?

“[Reinvention is] the act of producing something new based on something that already exists.”

The Cambridge Dictionary

What does that mean in regard to people?

Personal reinvention is transformative. By that, I don’t mean you getting a haircut or buying a new pair of shoes. Although this can definitely be part of it. When I say transformative, I am talking about a radical shift in various aspects of your life. This might include your mindset, habits, career goals, and relationships.

Basically: A holistic transformation.

“Well Zoe, that sounds great. But you know what, I have already tried that countless times. I got myself books on self-improvement, set New Year’s resolutions, and so on. Nothing worked. Why would it now?”

Glad you ask.

When you try to change something in your life, it often comes with a lot of pressure. The fear of failure can leave you overwhelmed and even cause procrastination. Especially when you follow others’ advice without considering your own personality and interests.

Some self-help tips just don’t work for everyone.

That’s why I would like to introduce you to a better approach to personal reinvention. One that worked for me. One that will also work for you if you take the time to adapt it until it aligns with your unique goals and values.

Let’s replace our victim mindset with a “Scientist mindset”.

See Life as a Science Project

Imagine your life as a laboratory. You are a Scientist who is conducting experiments in different parts of your life. Each day presents an opportunity to test your hypotheses, observe results, and refine your approach.

Becoming a successful Scientist involves three key steps:

1. Reprogram Your Robot Assistant

Just as you are entering the lab, your robot assistant catches your intention. It is running in circles again, bumping into machines and shattering test tubes.

This robot represents your mind.

When programmed correctly, it becomes a valuable ally who helps you navigate your various experiments. However, the wrong code might lead the robot into chaos, keeping you from making progress.

In the past, your talkative robot assistant has often misdirected you when you spend too much time alone with its chatter. Sometimes you even found yourself identifying with its thoughts and narratives.

That’s why the most important step is to reprogram your robot – in other words, shifting your mindset – to ensure that it serves as a helpful assistant rather than a destructive force.

2. Document Insights and Solutions

When your robot assistant has finally calmed down, you have the chance to take a closer look around.

Your lab is full of all kinds of modern machines, tools, and materials.

There’s one machine that transforms your body. A funny-looking helmet that makes your brain save information in an instant. Glasses that boost your ability to understand and connect with others on a deeper level. And even a high-tech device that generates passive income.

You are in awe.

In front of you is everything you need to turn your life around.

But there is one problem.

You have no fucking clue how the machines work.

Although you had access to the lab your entire life, you haven’t spent too much time here. At least not since your childhood when curiosity often led you to play around with different tools and materials.

Now standing in front of the dusty machines, you remember the guiding principle of every Scientist:

“Pursue your curiosities, solve problems on the way, and help other people.”

The next key step is to start experimenting again. What machines trigger your curiosity? Figure out how they work and document your insights.

As with many experiments, it often takes different approaches until a Scientist succeeds. Don’t lose faith but treat each experience as a valuable data point. Regular inspection of results and adaptation are key for solving complex problems.

The more persistence you build up to setbacks, the better of a Scientist you will become.

Once an experiment has succeeded, you can write an instruction manual or invent gadgets for other Scientists. They meet the same hurdles you met and are willing to pay for a solution. That’s how you maintain your life as a Scientist.

3. Collaborate with Fellow Scientists

You and your robot assistant finally dusted off the machines and started experimenting again.

For the first time, you document your steps, analyze the results, and adapt your approach. This led you to make progress quicker than ever before.

One day, however, you meet a problem that you can’t wrap your head around. Every possible solution you can think of fails. Slowly you realize that you are stuck, and you are on the verge of giving up again.

What should you do now?

Luckily, the world is full of Scientists. Many of them are either working on the same projects as you or have already built their expertise. If you can’t find any good instruction manual online, you should connect with them and ask for advice.

Never forget that Scientists don’t work in isolation. It’s essential for you to surround yourself with like-minded individuals who encourage your experimentation, provide feedback, and offer help when needed.

Building a support network in real life should be one of your top priorities. Not only does it hold you accountable in hard times, but also opens opportunities for collaboration on bigger projects.

When you look at successful companies, you will see that most of them have several co-founders. Imagine they hadn’t left their own lab, exchanged insights, and experimented together. Their companies wouldn’t exist today.

The Reinvention Experiment in a Nutshell

I created The Reinvention Experiment to help you become a successful Scientist. These are the three main objectives:

1. Be in control of your thoughts.
2. Pursue your interests and sell the solutions to your problems.
3. Build a support network of like-minded individuals.

Every week I will share insights and actionable advice I would have given my past self. From a Scientist’s perspective, my newsletters are instructions for small experiments you can conduct in your own life.

The ideas and concepts I talk about might confuse you at first or mess with beliefs you adopted years ago. Just keep in mind that everything I am sharing is 100% valid based on my own personal experience.

That said, you don’t need any knowledge about self development. All that is required is an open mind and some curiosity.

#1 Become a Scientist

“Words may inspire but only action creates change.”

Simon Sinek

By approaching life as a Scientist, you turn each day into an opportunity for growth, discovery, and continuous improvement.

Ready to take the first step?