“You have to become before you’re believed.” — James Barbour®
There’s a truth I’ve come to learn, not from books or mentors—but from experience:
You have to become before you’re believed.
In every reinvention of my life—from stages to studios, from performance to purpose—I’ve had to hold the vision of who I was becoming long before anyone else could see it.
That’s hard. Because the world doesn’t usually cheer for what it doesn’t understand.
You may find yourself surrounded by people who only know your “former version.”
They expect you to play the same roles. Hit the same notes. Stay in the same lane.
But the moment you start shifting—evolving, dreaming, redefining—you challenge their perception of you.
And often, that means you’ll walk alone for a while. It can be difficult but that’s also where enlightenment comes from.
The internal journey, the introspection, the questions the uncertainty that lead to decisions.
Reinvention is a solo rehearsal before the public performance.
And most people never make it through that rehearsal.
Not because they lack talent, but because they crave approval too early.
But here’s the secret: Belief from others is often a delayed reaction to your consistency.
If you’re building something new—a business, a message, a brand, a better version of yourself—understand this:
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You will be doubted.
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You will feel invisible.
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You will second-guess yourself.