Change is an inevitable part of our life and most often people resist change to avoid losing their comfort zones, especially because of the fear of failure. But that’s really not effective.
Mathematically, the chances are quite equal, as everyone in life succeeds as much as they fail, but failure should not prevent effort, and get you down. I always endorse trying new things and recommend that instead of being rigid towards change, it’s better to make space for new opportunities and be prepared for what change may come.
Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.” So, welcome change enthusiastically and create a healthy atmosphere with acceptance in your heart. After all, going with the flow is the easiest path to survival. The trees that bend down against the storm survive while those that try to stand erect get uprooted or worse, break. So be brave and get comfortable with getting in uncomfortable situations, as that’s the best way to grow.
In organizations, change is especially crucial to allow employees to acquire new skills, explore new possibilities and strengthen their creativity in ways that ultimately benefit them through new ideas and increased productivity. What’s important is to prepare employees to deal with these changes by showcasing the benefits and motivating them with the potential.
Every situation colors our memory in some way, and this eventually becomes the basis of our reactions on a situation. You would have often noticed some people are able to handle a situation better and some inadequately. Within life we play various roles and everyday life throws a different situation at us. Mahatma Gandhi noted that adaptability represents the power of resistance and assimilation.
We need to recognize when a situation is in our “Circle of No-Influence” – a situation about which we are concerned, but over which we have no direct control. For example, you may be concerned about weather, but no matter how hard you try, it would not influence the weather. In contrast, there is the “Circle of Influence”- where a situation can be changed based on our behavior as a function of our decisions, not dictated by circumstances, like a reaction which may lead to an argument.
In his 2014 at the commencement address of the University of Texas in Austin, Admiral William H. McRaven had one piece of advice to give new graduates, “Make your bed.” McRaven is credited with overseeing, organizing and executing Operation Neptune Spear, the special ops raid on Osama Bin Laden on May 2, 2011. And it is with that simple task that he begins his day, from when he was in basic SEAL training, to the present. In his explanation:
“If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.
If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right. And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made — and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.”
You see, 10% of life is made up of what happens to you, 90% of life is decided by how you react on it.
Suggested Read: The secret shtuff is in ourseleves
“Focus on what you can control, and don’t waste your energy on that things you cannot”.
In my business and with my leadership position, I have often found that most people and organizations know where they currently are and where they want to ultimately be, however, they lack the process or knowledge on what they need to do to get there.
The first step is often simply accepting the fact that a change is necessary in your life, or in your organization. Let us start from there to the next one…
