Change in business is inevitable. In fact it is essential, without change there can be no growth. So if we all want change, in fact need change to build our business, why is change so difficult?
The spark for change comes either from the desire for something better, or the fear of staying where we are at. We are either running toward something or running away from something. Either way, change requires letting go of something.
For something to change, first something must change. To have something different, first we must do something different. If it is your intent to have something different there is something you must release to make the change happen.
Loss is a part of every change. We logically know that what we are moving toward is better, more valuable, more enjoyable than what we are leaving behind. Yet the comfort of the known vs the unknown is strong. Letting go of something less than ideal can still be difficult, especially if it has been a longtime pattern.
How clear is your vision of what things will be like when you reach the other side of this change? If you are unsure of how the change in front of you will impact your life it may feel less risky to just stay right where you are. But if for something to change, first something must change, staying where you are is not an option
5 Components of Change
1. Making the choice for change. Sometimes change happens by chance and we are left to respond to it. The most effective changes happen by choice. Making smart choices regarding which changes to make and when is essential to building a business ready for the future
2. Envisioning the future there is something better on the other side of this change. How clear is that for you? Can you imagine what it would feel like to be in that space? Really tap into the emotions you will experience on the other side.
3. Letting Go to move to something new you have to let go of something old. In business this can be actually eliminating an aspect of your business or a process as you have always done it. It can also be a way of thinking. If you have always seen your business as a retail store and you decide to add an online option, you are letting go of the mindset that you’re totally reliant on the retail site of things. While in most cases this is a positive change that you can embrace, it is still letting go of a pattern of habit
4. Transition. Often there is a sense of relief when step number one, the choice, is made. Reality is that is just the beginning. The period of transition is where the work gets done. Once you know you are moving in a new direction now you have to actually do the work to getting different results. The bigger the change, the more impact on the status quo, the more pieces to implement, the bigger the chaos
5. CHAOS Every change will result in some chaos. The bigger the change the bigger the chaos. Learn to expect it, embrace it, and get through the chaos as quickly as possible. Because with the next change there will be more chaos. When change lingers too long chaos becomes a way of being and that will leave you stuck.
Change is inevitable, even essential in a growing business. Don’t avoid change, chase it down! It is the only way to create growth for your self personally, your business, and your quality of life
Got questions about change in your business?