[MTM] Time to break up with your old story?

Shawn Ellis Keynote Speaker Demo Reel

February 4, 2025 | Issue Archive

Videos | Speaking | Blog | Course | Book


Excited to Share: 2025 SPEAKER DEMO REEL!

📊 84% of leaders say their organizations are ill-equipped to handle disruption. (World Economic Forum)
📉 Yet only 16% are investing in adaptability training. (McKinsey)

That gap? That’s the opportunity.
Organizations that commit to adaptability win—in leadership, in culture, in results. And I’m thrilled to help leaders and teams master this skill.

👇🏼 Watch Now & See How I Can Help Your Team Adapt & Thrive

Share this video with someone who needs a powerful speaker:


Lose Your Old Story—Soar to New Heights

What If Your Biggest Obstacle Is… You?

For most of my life, I didn’t realize it, but I was trapped. Not by external forces, not by bad luck, not even by circumstances—but by my own story.

That story kept me in a relationship long after it should have ended. It kept me clinging to a business model that was outdated. It made me hold onto an employee that I knew had to go.

Why? Because I had a story that said:

➡️ “I don’t quit on people.”
➡️ “I can make this work.”
➡️ “If I just try harder, I’ll turn it around.”

Sound familiar?

The truth is, our identity is the biggest factor in our decision-making. And when that identity is built on an outdated story—one that no longer serves us—it keeps us stuck in cycles of frustration, exhaustion, and regret.


The Neuroscience of Story

Neuroscience tells us that our brain craves consistency. Once we form an identity, the brain works overtime to keep us aligned with it—whether that identity is empowering or not.

🔹 If you believe you’re the “nice guy who never lets anyone down,” you’ll sacrifice your own needs to avoid disappointing others.
🔹 If you believe “success has to be hard,” you’ll turn down opportunities that seem too easy.
🔹 If you believe “change is risky,” you’ll resist the very shifts that could elevate your life and career.

Here’s the game-changer: You can rewrite the story.

The most adaptable, successful people in the world? They don’t just react to change—they rewrite their identity to align with where they’re going, not where they’ve been.


⚠️ THIS ENDS NOW ⚠️

Identify one habit, belief, or behavior that’s no longer serving you—and let it go.

What story have you been telling yourself that’s keeping you stuck?

🚫 Maybe it’s a belief like: "If I quit, I fail."
🚫 Maybe it’s "I have to prove my worth by working harder than everyone else."
🚫 Maybe it’s "If I step away, everything will fall apart."

Now, ask yourself:

👉 What has this story been costing you? Your time? Your energy? Your peace?
👉 What will it cost you in the future if you keep believing it?

Now, let’s flip the script.

If your story was: "If I quit, I fail," try:
"Letting go creates space for something better."

If it was: "I have to prove my worth by working harder than everyone else," try:
"My worth is not measured by exhaustion."

If it was: "If I step away, everything will fall apart," try:
"Things can thrive even when I take a step back."

Now, decide—right now—that this is the moment it ends.

Because if you want a breakthrough, it starts with a breakup—with your old identity.


🌟 THIS MOMENT MATTERS 🌟

One simple, actionable step to take to create a ripple effect of change in your life

Once you’ve ended the old story, you need to step into a new one. Just for a moment.

📝 Try this:

1️⃣ Write down the new identity you want to embrace. Confident. Decisive. Free.
2️⃣ Ask yourself: What would I do right now if this were already true?
3️⃣ Do it. One action—big or small—that aligns with the new story.

Moments create momentum. One moment of stepping into your new identity leads to another… and another… until it’s no longer just a story—it’s who you are.


Ready to Rewrite Your Story?

If you’re serious about breaking free from the old narratives that have been holding you back and stepping into a life that aligns with who you truly are, my course Rock the Reboot is for you.

Learn how to navigate change, release limiting beliefs, and create a future that fits—on your terms. Because the next chapter of your life? You get to write it.


Was This Email Forwarded to You?

Join our weekly community for exclusive insights, challenges, and strategies to thrive in moments of change. No spam—just valuable content.


The keys to your next breakthrough are already in your hands—it starts with ending the story that’s keeping you small and stepping into the identity of the leader, partner, and person you’re meant to be.

I’m cheering you on every step of the way.

Up we go—

P.S. Please add shawn@shawnellis.com to your contacts to ensure important updates and messages like this reach your primary inbox.


175 S Sandusky St, Suite 221, Delaware, OH 43015
Unsubscribe · Preferences

Mastering the Moments

Resilience Strategist, Keynote Speaker, and author of Mastering the Moments: A Journey of Endings, Beginnings, and the Space in Between, Shawn Ellis is guiding a new wave of resilient leaders to adapt, grow, and emerge stronger from challenges, creating a more fulfilling, human-centric work environment. Shawn is the creator of The Reboot Roadmap, a transformative framework that helps individuals and organizations not only survive challenges, but go Beyond Resilience to thrive and come back better than ever.