Metamorphosis: How We Transform Ourselves

One day, a caterpillar simply stops eating and spins a cocoon around itself forming a chrysalis. Eventually, after an intense process of the caterpillar breaking down its own body via digestive enzymes and rearranging its cells within the chrysalis, a beautiful butterfly emerges. This process is known as a metamorphosis, a transformation from one distinct form to another.

When we go through a metamorphosis, it is less messy and usually does not involve digestive enzymes. Yet, when we go through changes in our life, we inevitably create a shift in our identity. From year to year, whether we are intentional or not, we are also going through changes in who we are. Our cells change on a daily basis, and we get older by the day, the month and the year and so physiologically, we change and become a different version of us without intentionally thinking about it.

Types of Transformation

Culturally, there are formal rituals that mark the transition from adolescence to adulthood such as bar/bat mitzvah and sweet sixteen celebrations. In most countries however, the more common transitional ceremonies are things like school graduations, marriages and milestone birthday celebrations. However, these are things external to the self and does not necessarily reflect the transformations within us. For example, many of us can feel like we are not adults even after going through certain rites of passage such as marriage and parenthood. Of course, we are adults with responsibilities but inside, we may not feel like one.

Another type of change, however, requires our intentional efforts. This change is a metamorphosis or a change in our nature, who we are from one version to the other. This is an internal change and although there may be external influences that may have triggered this change, externally we may not look different, at least not at first.

The Hero’s Journey

This transformation, when viewed from the lens of the author, Joseph Campbell, requires the individual to undergo a hero’s journey. We see this journey in movies all the time, Frodo in Lord of The Rings who went from being a hobbit unsure of himself to the hero who eventually conquers his own fears and real demons to destroy the ring and set Middle-earth free. Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games went from a young lady who just wanted to protect her little sister to being the reluctant icon for the revolution that would change their lives.

What about our own transformation? Often when we embark on a transformational journey, it is triggered by unexpected events such as divorce, accidents or illnesses. In many cases however, we are also motivated to change because of an uneasy feeling within us, that we can be more than this version of us.

Change of Setting

To transform ourselves, there are three factors at play: Setting, self and society. To start the transformation, we need to change our settings. For example, moving out from one’s childhood home or moving to another country, essentially moving out from somewhere comfortable and familiar to unfamiliar, more challenging environments. It does not mean that you need to move from one end of the globe to another to precipitate change, you can also change your environment by changing whom you hang out with and your workplace. Another way we change our environment is by enrolling into a new academic program such as going back to university to finish up your degree. Or, if you are a budding entrepreneur, you could join an accelerator program for startups.

Change of Self

When we get out of our familiar environment, we are challenging ourselves by taking on new experiences. For example, when you move into your first home, everything is new. Buying your furniture, paying bills and getting stuff fixed. You won’t know everything at first but you learn over time. When we want to learn more, by enrolling into a program designed to challenge your way of thinking such as a graduate program, you are being challenged to approach a subject differently than if you were on your own. If you wanted to cook professionally, you might try getting yourself into an unfamiliar yet challenging environment such as enrolling in a culinary school or getting an apprenticeship in a restaurant. By taking action, engaging in these new challenges and successfully conquering them, you will then emerge as a different person, a new self.

Changing Others in Society

Thirdly, when we emerge a different person, we can help to change the world through what we have learned and become. For example, Frodo released the world from the grip of Sauron by destroying the ring and he only got there because he became more courageous and resilient and wiser about the world as he went on his journey. The Frodo from the start of the journey would not have been able to do that but the Frodo who had overcome the challenges along the way did. Suppose you transformed yourself physically and became a professional bodybuilder, you might then take those new skills such as the actual work of building a physique and the mental skills required to stay consistent and teach that to others and encourage them to undergo a similar transformation. You couldn’t do that at the beginning of your journey but the you at the end of that journey can.

Self-transcendence

In Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, most of us are familiar with the concept of self-actualization at the top of the pyramid. However, in his later work, Maslow proposed the idea of self-transcendence at the top of the hierarchy which means going beyond self-actualization or realizing our own potential. He suggested that for us to achieve meaning in our lives, at some point in our lives, we needed to look outwards by providing service to others, connecting with others and seeking a path beyond reaching our own potential.

Similarly, the heroic transformation is not complete without that service to others. Imagine if Frodo had conquered his own fears and demons but his journey simply ended there. Middle Earth would have perished, and he would not have transformed himself completely. He might have been a hobbit who travelled beyond The Shire but there is no transformation. This might be why there are many wealthy entrepreneurs or celebrities who have reached the peak of their success and amassed vast amounts of wealth and yet remain empty and unhappy. They have not gone beyond self-actualization; they have remained focused on themselves and not found a higher purpose bigger than themselves. They have walked the path but failed to complete the journey and thus remained a shadow of their former selves and not a fully fledged version of their transformed selves.

How We Transform Ourselves

In our own lives, we witness many who had overcome challenges in their lives only to re-emerge as the same person just more bitter and jaded than before. Yet, we have also witnessed many who overcame their challenges and underwent a complete metamorphosis and became a better version of themselves. However, transformation does not occur simply because circumstance have changed.

Transformation requires first that we are self-aware and secondly, it requires that we have an internal locus of control. We need to be aware of our current limitations to know what we can become and we need to believe that we have the power to influence our life outcomes.

Transformation occurs only when we have the courage to walk the path that we didn’t dare to before. It only occurs when we take the risks required and when we embrace uncertainty and choose to be honest with ourselves. Only then can we transcend our current selves and transform into the next version of ourselves.