From Birthdays to Breakthroughs: How Perception-Shifts Change Everything

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Celebrating the end of 64—and the beginning of 65
On September 30, I celebrate what most people call my 64th birthday.  Friends will wish me a happy one, my family will sing to me, and I’ll likely enjoy some cake.  But recently, while watching a video (below) featuring Dot Fisher-Smith, a 96-year-old artist and activist, I realized something powerful:  I’m not just celebrating my 64th birthday, I’m marking the completion of my 64th year and the beginning of my 65th.

Think about it:  When a baby turns "one year old," it's the completion of that first year of life.  But, it's also the beginning of the second year.  Maybe I'm just really  slow, but maybe you haven't quite thought of it this way either.

It’s a subtle shift in perspective, but it really struck me.

This tiny reframing—birthday as “completion day” rather than simply “age marker”—stopped me in my tracks.  I felt both a sense of awe and a deeper appreciation for the years I’ve lived and the possibilities that lie ahead.  And it reminded me:  So much of leadership, growth, and life itself is about perception shifts.

The Power of Perception Shifts
Throughout my life, I’ve experienced dozens of shifts in perception.  Some were sudden and life-altering, like divorce, career changes, or becoming a father again.  Others were gradual, born of research, reflection, or conversations that nudged me to see the world differently.  Still others came through feedback and the sometimes uncomfortable mirror others hold up for us.

These shifts reshaped how I viewed myself, others, beliefs and belief systems, and what was possible.  They were invitations to grow.

Leaders experience this too.  Consider the executive who, after years of doing most of the talking in meetings, suddenly recognizes the power of listening.  Or the manager who, after receiving candid feedback, realizes their “helpfulness” sometimes undermines the autonomy of their team.  Or the professional who sees that the very strength that helped them succeed early in their career is now the barrier to their next level of effectiveness.

In each case, nothing in the external world changed overnight, but their perception did.  And with that shift, behavior and results followed.

Seeking Awe in the Ordinary
Dot and the video’s narrator both speak about “awe” and that's something that really resonates deeply with me.  Awe and wonder are bundled together as one of my core values.  

Awe is that complexity of feelings such as admiration, amazement, astonishment, awakening, bewilderment, feeling small or insignificant, lost in thought, meditative and/or contemplative, or reverence—sometimes all at once—often triggered by the vast and the mysterious.

Wonder is a consequence of awe—when you’re trying to figure out what produced the awe.  It adds a a state of curiosity and a desire to understand.

What’s fascinating is that awe often arises not from extraordinary events, but from ordinary ones seen in a new way, like a birthday.  Think of a sunrise you’ve seen countless times, until one day you pause long enough to notice its colors and textures, and you feel a surge of awe and wonder.  Or the moment you look at a familiar relationship differently and recognize the gift it truly is.

In leadership, awe can come when you realize your influence has rippled farther than you imagined, or when you witness someone you’ve coached achieve a breakthrough.  Sometimes, it arrives when you see your own journey differently, like reframing a birthday as the completion of a year rather than simply the start of another.

Awe, in other words, can be born of perception shifts.

Leading with Perception Shifts
Leaders who actively pursue new information, feedback, and developmental opportunities, position themselves for these kinds of breakthroughs.  They invite shifts in perspective rather than resisting them.  

• Feedback becomes less about criticism and more about clarity.
• Development is not remedial but catalytic.
• Curiosity becomes a superpower, opening doors to perspectives they didn’t know existed.

And when leaders model perception shifts openly, their teams are encouraged to do the same.  Cultures of learning, adaptability, and resilience often grow from leaders willing to say, “I used to see it this way... and now I see it differently.”

The Gift of 65
So, on my birthday, I’ll celebrate more than just 64 candles.  I’ll celebrate the awe that comes from completing another trip around the sun.  I’ll celebrate the perception shifts that got me here.  And I’ll celebrate the invitation to lean into the 65th year of life with wonder, curiosity, and a healthy sense of humor about the whole thing.

Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned in six and a half decades, it’s this:  Life doesn’t stop shifting our perceptions.  And life and leadership doesn’t stop asking us to grow.

Here’s to awe, wonder, and the courage to keep seeing differently.

Watch the video that shifted my perception, 96 Years of WISDOM: The 3 Lessons That Will Make You Feel Awe, here:

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Have an amazing journey today!

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Alan Mikolaj is a seasoned coach and leadership development consultant with over 20 years of experience.  He is passionate about helping leaders transform their leadership, their teams, and their organizations.  He has an impactful, professional approach driven by a passion for meaning and purpose, a growth mindset, and a commitment to excellence and service in order to drive change and results.
Alan holds his Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology and Associate Certified Coach credential with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and maintains their ethics and standards of behavior, including the standards regarding confidentiality.  You can learn more about them on the ICF website.
Transformational change starts with a conversation!
Schedule your free, one-hour session by clicking here: Discovery Conversation with Alan
Or call or email: Contact Page

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