The Shift From “I Will” to “I Am”

Taking my dog for a walk this morning at 5am-ish because I couldn’t sleep, I realized that there’s this powerful moment I hope we all experience on our growth journey: the realization that what we once spoke about in the future tense...“I will”… could very well have already quietly transformed into the present reality of “I am.”

Think about it. How many times have we said:

• “I will get healthy.”

• “I will be more confident.”

• “I will start my business.”

• “I will write that book.”

“I will” feels good at first. It’s hopeful. It plants this seed. It acknowledges the possibility of change. But it also keeps us in a state of waiting. “I will” is out there somewhere… tomorrow, next week, next year. It doesn’t yet require us to step fully into action.

Then, one day, something shifts. We are at the gym for the third month in a row and suddenly it hits us: I am taking care of my body. We are waking up earlier to meditate and realize: I am someone who prioritizes peace. We publish our first article, launch our first product, or deliver our first keynote and think: I am the writer, I am the business owner, I am the speaker!

That shift from “I will” to “I am” is more than semantics (and you KNOW I love semantics, lol), it’s identity. It’s the moment the future we've been talking about becomes the present we are living.

Why This Shift Matters

1. Identity Shapes Action
   When we say “I will,” we’re describing an action we might take. When we say “I am,” we’re embodying who we are. Our identity always drives our actions. If I believe I am the athlete, I’ll make choices the athlete would make. If I think I will be the athlete someday, I might still act like someone waiting to get there.

2. Momentum Over Motivation
   “I will” relies on motivation, and motivation comes and goes. “I am” relies on momentum, and momentum builds with consistency. Once we embody I am, the work becomes natural, it’s simply what we do.

3. Present Power
   “I will” ties our growth to a future that hasn’t arrived. “I am” gives me power right now. I don’t have to wait to become someone different, I already am.

How to Switch Our Mindset

1. Catch Our Language
   Pay attention to when we say “I will.” Ask yourself: is there evidence right now that I already am this? Even small steps count. If you’ve written one page, you’re not “going to be a writer”, you are a writer.

2. Act As If
   Even if we don’t fully believe it yet, speak the identity into existence. Instead of “I will get better at public speaking,” say “I am learning and improving as the speaker I am becoming every time I practice.”

3. Celebrate the Evidence
   Every action we take that aligns with the “I am” version of ourself is proof. Recognize it. Record it. Build your confidence by noticing how often you’re already doing the work.

4. Live in Alignment
   Once you’ve made the switch, let your actions flow from your new identity. If you are someone who values health, what does that person choose to eat today? If you are the leader, how does that person show up in their next meeting today?

From “Someday” to “Today”

The future isn’t waiting… it’s being built right now with every choice we make. “I will” is the first step, and don’t stay there. Recognize the work we are already doing, the progress we have already made, and the identity we are already living.

Because it comes down to this: we don’t need to wait to become the person we've been talking about. We already are.