Life is all about change. Lots of change. When we’ve had just about enough change, life sends us some more. Let’s be honest, if life would just sit still for a moment, things would go a lot smoother, and we could get a better grip. Unfortunately, that’s not how this works. Life is about change. Constant change. Hurtling through the Cosmos change. It’s the new normal.
I coach CEOs, Executives, Emerging Leaders, and Business Owners for a living. It’s great and rewarding work, and I am fortunate to be able to do it. As I talk to my clients, they often lament that they are sick of change, afraid of change, overdosing on change, etc. I get that a lot, to be frank. The world is a very large and complicated place. In the last several hundred years, the pace of change has begun to accelerate, and I have figured out that any of us who expect the pace of change to slow down are going to be sorely disappointed. It’s not going to happen.
So what can be done when you’re losing your grip and getting overwhelmed by a sea of constant change? I’m not going to try to kid you. It’s not going to be easy, but I think the recipe for relief involves starting with your attitude. First, get comfortable with the idea that you’re going to have to learn to live with, and embrace, being uncomfortable. You’re going to have to accept that changes, boatloads of change, are becoming normal. The new normal. You are going to have to accept that your attitude towards change has got to adapt so that you can think of change as something other than a constant sorrow or a constant threat to your well-being. Consider this. Where would we be today without computers and software? Where would we be today without antibiotics? Where would we be today without water purification technology? Face it, we’d be screwed, right? Each of these changes made life safer, and enjoyable. But at one point, I’m sure people believed that when they were sick, penicillin was nowhere near as good for you as another bloodletting. So, I’m saying get over yourself, and get on with it. Accept that most change is, in fact, positive, VERY positive. Embrace it, and begin to look forward to developing some skills to allow you to MASTER change and turn the negatives into positives.
When I’m coaching, I encourage people to develop a simple plan first. Next, I encourage them to take action, positive action. Then I encourage them to change. If you keep doing the same thing every day, you’re going to get the same results. If you want something different to happen, then you’re going to have to roll up your sleeves and change and take an action you’ve never taken before. I’m willing to bet that many of your actions will be positive, and soon you’ll develop a healthy appreciation for becoming a master of change.
Yes, life is all about change. It’s not going to slow down, and it’s never going to stop. Given that, your best option is to wade boldly into the water and get wet aggressively. Don’t dip your toe in the water, jump in, preferably from the “high dive” and make a big splash and some major waves. Enjoy the plunge!
