INTENTIONAL RENEWAL:
DO IT ON PURPOSE
3-Minute Read
In the late 1990s, an ancient Japanese temple faced a crisis. The massive wooden pillars supporting it for centuries had begun to rot, threatening collapse. Preservationists faced an impossible choice: replace the wood and lose the original structure or leave it and let nature take its course. Then they made a startling discovery—when the temple was first built, the architects had planted a forest of the exact same trees nearby, knowing that centuries later, the structure would need renewal. The future had been seeded in the past.
Renewal isn’t an emergency fix—it’s an inevitable cycle. But unlike a temple, we don’t always see it coming. We want growth, but we resist the pruning. We crave reinvention, but we hesitate at what must die. Renewal isn’t just an idea; it’s a lived process, and if you’re in it right now, it might feel more like destruction than transformation. But there’s a way to move through it with mastery—one that requires embracing its paradoxes instead of fighting them.
Let’s dive in!
The Reality Of Renewal
Renewal as a concept is a popular notion; renewal as a lived experience is a whole other beast; one that takes many leaders by surprise. As Alan Watt’s so powerfully articulated, “The menu is not the meal.” We all love the idea of being renewed, but the process of getting there—the becoming—is often painful and *spoiler alert* literally requires death.
Look at virtually all restoration projects; there is a ripping and stripping away of the old to make way for the new. The military dismantles new recruits before building them up as soldiers. In the world of plants, this year’s growth dies back to make way for next year’s production. Caterpillars disintegrate into a puddle of goo before reconstituting as butterflies.
Renewal is a journey through death to new life. You don’t get to skip the death part. No death, no new life. There is always something to give up and let go.
To be alive is to cycle through renewal constantly. Every cell of your physical body is doing it right now. But when you’re on a mission to grow and serve, a personal or professional season of renewal can be excruciating, especially if you’re not prepared to navigate it.
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The Paradox Of Renewal
One of the most powerful ways to journey through renewal is to get in step with it’s paradoxical nature:
Slow down to speed up.
Decrease to increase.
Yield to advance.
Scale back to produce more.
Detach to connect.
Lose to win.
Break down to rebuild stronger.
Embrace pain to find peace.
Surrender control to gain mastery.
Humble yourself to gain authority.
Rest to grow.
Let go to take hold.
Accept uncertainty to find clarity.
Die to be reborn.
Here’s the good news about paradox: you don’t need to understand it to step into it. In fact, you won’t even begin to understand it UNTIL you step into it. And at that point, understanding paradox will be inconsequential because you’ll be living the benefit of it in your direct experience.
Pick one or two paradoxes of renewal to step into this week and pay attention to the material impact it makes on your life.
“Renewal is a journey through death to new life. You don’t get to skip the death part. No death, no new life. ”
Navigating Renewal
In addition to renewal being a paradox, it’s also a certainty. You will have many renewal opportunities throughout your life. Rather than it taking you by surprise, you have the capacity to architect for renewal intentionally.
We’ve put together two sets of questions to help you navigate renewal regularly—use them annually, quarterly, or more often if desired.
Reckoning with the Past: What’s Brought Me Here?
How have the events of this past year reshaped me?
What forces—internal or external—have influenced my trajectory the most?
What breakthroughs, progress, or victories have I created? What made them possible?
What trials or painful experiences have I faced? What hidden advantage did they offer me?
Where have I fallen short of my goals? Was it due to lack of effort, clarity, or something else?
Where have I clung to something that no longer serves me? Why?
What have I been most grateful for—and have I truly acknowledged it?
Creating the Future: What’s Next?
If an outsider were to observe my current choices and actions, what is the future they’d see me building? Is that the future I want?
What am I making space for—and what will it take to clear the way?
What perspectives, practices, or relationships have served me well but now limit my growth?
How do I need to look at letting go so that it’s easy for me?
What experiences do I crave next? What’s stopping me from creating them?
What’s next for my mission? What needs to increase? What needs to decrease?
What’s the one courageous decision I’m avoiding?
Renewal isn’t something completely out of your control—it’s something you can create. The most successful leaders don’t just endure seasons of transition; they architect them. They let go, prune, and pivot before life forces their hand.
This week don’t think about renewal—step into it. Choose one paradox to embody, one question to answer with action. The more you resist the cycle, the harder it becomes. But when you embrace it? You access all the resources renewal brings and leverage them in service of your purpose.
Keep creating!
May you prosper in every way!
Becky & TPL Team
52 Maxims of Conscious Choosing To Create the Deeply Satisfying Life You Desire.