💎 Heart of Glass – Next Level Growth Demands a New You

Life often feels like carrying a heart of glass — fragile, reflective, and easily shattered if we cling too tightly to what’s familiar. Growth is delicate in the same way. The habits, mindsets, and excuses that once carried us forward eventually crack under the weight of new challenges.

Think about something simple: resetting a password. The system won’t let you reuse the old one. Why? Because it no longer secures the future. Life — and business — work the same way. Progress locks the door behind you.

Every mistake you’ve endured, every challenge you’ve survived, every lesson you’ve paid for has already reshaped you. You can’t go back to the version of yourself that fit those old cycles. What worked before doesn’t always work now. Growth demands a new password — new habits, new standards, new boundaries.

Lessons from the Global Market

I was reminded of this recently during my participation in Invest Nova Scotia’s Products & Services for a Global Market course with FITT (Forum for International Trade Training).

In group discussions, a few striking points came up:

• Some businesses in Atlantic Canada feel insulated from change, hesitant to adopt new opportunities.
• Others are so fixated on the US market that they’ve admitted: if the US ceased to exist as their primary market, they’d rather shut down than diversify.
• Several members spoke about the challenges of proposing services to product companies whose main customer base is in the US — hitting walls of resistance when suggesting alternative approaches.

These reflections stuck with me. Why do companies — even when faced with obvious risks — resist adapting to new market dynamics?

I covered more on the trade dilemmas on the following link: https://iamgrt.com/smart-play-global-trade-dilemmas-fast/

A Stagnant vs. Flowing Mindset

This reminded me of a story I once wrote about the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Both are fed by the Jordan River. Yet one is alive with fish, plants, and diversity, while the other is lifeless. The difference? Galilee has an outflow, water moving through it. The Dead Sea holds everything in — and stagnates.

People and businesses are no different.

• When we share, explore, and adapt, we thrive.
• When we cling, resist, and close off, we stagnate.

Read more on the topic: https://iamgrt.com/kindness-habit/

Personal Reflection

Even with years of experience, I still struggle to make the best decisions. I still make mistakes. But I’ve realized that holding on to what worked before doesn’t guarantee it will work tomorrow. Just like creating a new password, we need to build habits that match the future we’re stepping into.

For individuals, that may mean:

✔️ Letting go of old excuses

✔️ Building resilience through new habits

✔️ Creating stronger personal boundaries

For businesses, that may mean:

✔️ Exploring new international markets beyond a single dependency

✔️ Adopting digital transformation to modernize operations

✔️ Building tariff and market resilience by diversifying strategies

The Next Level

Whether we’re talking about personal growth or business expansion, the principle is the same: yesterday’s success won’t unlock tomorrow’s opportunities.

✨ Your heart of glass can either shatter under old cycles or refract light in new directions.

The next level — for both people and companies — won’t accept the old password.

It requires a new version of you.

👉 What do you think? Why do so many individuals — and companies — resist change even when the risks are obvious?

🌍 Strategic Reflection

In 2025, the question isn’t if change is needed — it’s how fast we’re willing to embrace it.

The opportunities are clear:
⚡ Building new habits that match tomorrow’s challenges
🎨 Creating new standards instead of recycling old ones
🔑 Developing resilient strategies that thrive in shifting markets

Growth blocks old doors, and the next level won’t accept yesterday’s password. Where do you need a “new password” today — in your personal habits or in your business strategy?

🤝 Let’s Collaborate

I’m an entrepreneur and business growth consultant based in Canada. Alongside experimenting with AI in animation, I help media, animation studios, and technology-driven businesses grow through:

• 📺 FAST channel distribution & media partnerships
• 💻 Digital transformation & platform adoption
• 🌍 International market expansion (Canada, US, Asia, LATAM)
• 🤝 Strategic partnerships & growth consulting

If your studio or business is exploring how to adapt, diversify, or scale globally, I’d be glad to connect.

👉 Subscribe to my newsletter on entrepreneurship, media, AI, and creative growth: iamgrt.kit.com