Pivot Profile: Kimanzi Constable
Kimanzi Constable is an accomplished author who has sold over 100,000 books. He is also a consultant, coach, and featured contributor on sites like Entrepreneur, The Huffington Post, and The Good Men Project. He made his pivot at the end of 2012.
Prior to this, Kimanzi was a bread truck delivery driver in Milwaukee, Wisconson. He has since moved his family to Hawaii!
Kimanzi, most people that hear your story are blown away by both the speed and shift of your pivot. What started it all?
I hated what I did. I woke up at midnight, which meant I was sleeping three hours a night for the 12 years I drove a bread truck. I hated every part of what I did. I knew that my life was destined for more, I just didn’t know what.
What were the first steps you took?
I had to believe pivots were possible, and I had to believe it was possible for myself. Dan Miller’s book, 48 Days to the Work You Love, helped me see that possibility.
I also spent time researching what it would take to pivot. I started an emergency fund just in case, and surrounded myself with supportive people. That last part is really important. I was surprised at how many people in my immediate circles would try to discourage me, all while acting like they meant well! There were more people against me making changes than there were supporters.
Wow, that’s really unfortunate, yet you pressed through! What would you have missed out on had you not persevered?
I would have never experienced a life of true freedom. Today I write, speak all over the world, and consult for great companies. I do all of this from my home base on Maui, Hawaii. Every day I wake up to fresh ocean breezes!
No slam on Milwaukee, but Maui sounds a lot better. What’s the most important thing you would say to others thinking of making a change?
Failure is not the end of your journey. I’ve had some cool wins, but I’ve also had just as many (if not more) losses and lessons.
For example, I was rejected 36 times by various publications in 2015, even some that I was already a contributor to. I lost two coaching clients (they got a refund). I lost the opportunity to speak at four different events in some amazing countries because we couldn’t agree on terms. I lost focus more times than I can count, and I let envy sidetrack me for months.
The wins are glorious, but the “losses” are what help us grow. They teach us to be grateful and help us develop thick skin and determination.
Success is a constant journey to be the best version of yourself and make a positive impact on those in your life and this world. Success isn’t about money, or speaking gigs, or viral articles. It’s about what impact those opportunities have, and how they help someone’s life as you share your truth.
[clickToTweet tweet=”The wins are glorious, but the losses are what help us grow. @KimanziC” quote=”The wins are glorious, but the losses are what help us grow. @KimanziC”]Introducing The Pivot Profiles, a ‘magazine’ featuring 18 real-life pivot success stories, just like Kimanzi’s. It’s yours, absolutely free.
The singular goal of this magazine is to give you a wide array of people, personalities, and pivots for you to identify with. This is a powerhouse group. The folks inside hail from a variety of industries: huge corporations, small business, radio, military, ministry, government, academia; the list goes on. We even have a former park ranger!
Some of them launched into solopreneur ventures; others started companies. One left business to enter the ministry, while others left the ministry to go into business. It’s all here.