Every day I come across clients who are stuck and who are spinning their wheels trying to get unstuck. Oftentimes, the reason why they’re stuck is found in the reflection looking back at them every day in the mirror; yet, this is a tough truth to admit. Evolving as a business leader is a necessity to remain fresh, creative, and on the forefront of growth. Evolving sometimes requires change, the thing we resist most. But why do we resist it?
Why It’s So Hard To Change and Why You Have To
There isn’t a leadership guru out there who doesn’t at some point talk about the necessity of change. Change means growth and improvement. But why is change so uncomfortable sometimes? It’s especially hard when you’re looking inward at behaviors, beliefs, and motivations. There is science and clinical reasoning behind why change is so hard. And because you have to possess the ability to adapt and change, it’s important to understand what makes embracing a shift in normal such a difficult prospect.
Because What You’re Doing Served a Purpose
We work really hard to find our groove in business and life, in general. And once we feel we have perfected our process or our way, we feel rewarded and accomplished. So, why in the world would anyone want to deviate from that success? Change, in a way, can feel counterproductive as it challenges the goals you’ve reached in the past. Those goals and your paths forward before were necessary to bring you to where you are today. But that path may not be the way forward from here. And while you shouldn’t discount the experiences and accomplishments that have brought you success, the only way to grow into new success is with change.
Because Comfort Zones Are Comfortable
We are creatures of comfort. And in personal and career growth, comfort zones can often be the traps that weigh us down. We like to stay within our areas of expertise and look for ways to accurately predict every scenario around us. Change means challenging that concept and being open to uncertainty in exploration. Avoiding change is how some people spend 20+ years performing the same role, for the same company, without any personal or professional growth. Some of the most groundbreaking leaders and thinkers will tell you that most of their development and betterment is spent in search of change. It’s the only way to avoid a stagnant path in the comfort zone.
Because Familiarity Feels Better
People tend to gravitate to the familiar, and we certainly don’t like to be wrong. There is a sense of security when we do things we know how to do and tackle problems we already know how to solve. But change can be the doorway to greater learning if only we can operate within the unfamiliar. You’ll never learn to speak a new language if you always converse in English. Learning to familiarize how to move forward with new challenges, new environments, and new concepts will only help you advance and grow.
How to Develop Your Change Muscles
Being more open and receptive to change means changing your thinking and perceptions. Focus on positive outcomes whenever new challenges arise. Look for ways to embrace the problem as a way to learn a unique solution. Gracious relentlessness and positivity will carry you through almost any disruption in your life. Set a mental timeline for yourself to implement a new change to hold yourself accountable. Remind yourself often that change isn’t a destination and growth, with successes and failures, is a journey. As long as you continue to pursue a path forward, you’ll never fall victim to personal or professional stagnation.
Change is always going to be hard. There’s a reason not everyone can become a leader or experience exponential success. If embracing change, failures, and uncertainty were easy, everyone would be a guru. But change is a necessity in every arena of success. And while you can’t predict the outcomes, you can develop your own way forward by mentally embracing how change can make you better.
As we look to the future of your business, don’t resist change. Focus your attention on the necessary evolutions required to continue to push you further and further. If you have any questions, don’t ever hesitate to reach out, and as always THINK BIG.
THINK BIG!
Jon
