As the story goes, some people make things happen, some people have things happen to them, and some people just say ‘What happened?’
But when things happen, changes follow. There are probably three main drivers behind most of the changes we face in business and much of life: choice, opportunity, and crisis.
Choice:
Some people and organizations choose to change in a way and at a time of their own making. These people or organizations have prepared for the change, explored all of their options, and probably even created the climate in which the intended change is most likely to succeed. They choose to change.
Luck:
For others, luck has more to do with their decision to change something. Perhaps an unusual event, chance encounter, or someone else’s decision created the circumstances that encouraged a change. An opportunity has fallen into their lap, but at least they recognized it and capitalized on it.
Crisis:
For a third group, the impending crisis is the only thing that will cause any change. Your change experience is rarely a good one because of your reluctance to recognize risks or opportunities early enough to prepare for and make the most of a situation. By the time this group considers change, they have few alternatives and few options.
Think about whether you tend to change by choice, chance, or crisis. Are you waiting for a crisis before making inevitable changes? Are you actively looking for opportunities? Are you exploring all of your options and planning and preparing to change by choice?
As Louise L. Hay said: “The change is usually what we want the other person to do.“
Change quick tips
- Practice ‘change by choice’ in some of the little things in your life. Choose something different for breakfast, commute to work in a different way, or listen to a different style of music for a week.
- Think about how you felt when your thing changed. Were you more willing to experiment? Did you put in the effort to make the right decision? Did it help you to know that you can always choose to change again?
- Make some serious changes. Think about what you are tolerating in your life. What planning and preparation can you do to help you successfully change?