Peter Drucker once said, “Wherever you see a successful business, someone has made a courageous decision.†The same is true with people who are managing their lives, their careers, and their challenges. Many people don’t see their dreams fulfilled, their vision become a reality, because their thinking has become restricted. As my colleague, Tanya Williams says, “You can’t expect change without changing.†Following are questions that can help open your mind to a pathway of possibilities:
How receptive are you to change? Do you embrace change, or do you resist it at all costs? How calcified or fluid are you? How much energy do you lose in resisting the inevitable? Change is possible if you want it badly enough.
Do you thrive on routine? Do you drive the same way to work each day? Do you always listen to the same station and eat at the same place for lunch? What would you be willing to do each day to bring change into your routine? Try small steps, like putting your toothbrush on the other side of the sink and trying some new food you’ve never experienced. Notice how these small changes make you more open-minded overall.
Are you willing to grow? Abraham Lincoln said, “Nothing in this world is impossible to a willing heart.†Growth is a lot of work. It is much easier to stay on the “safe†path and keep doing what you’ve always done. So, what would you like to see happen in your life? What is stopping you from approaching that dream? Are you really willing to do what it takes to make positive changes happen? Whether it is losing weight, controlling your anger, or being more involved in your child’s interests, you’ll need to commit to change.
Are you able to answer the tough questions? What would you do if you had a year to live? What would you do if you couldn’t fail? What would you do if money weren’t an issue? What would you do if you could do anything, no holds barred? What is missing in your career? Your life? Your work? What do you want more of? What are you willing to sacrifice to get what you really want?
Can you maintain faith in the face of the unknown? Count the times each day in which you act courageously, moving beyond your fears, in the face of the unknown. Recently I went mountain biking on the Kokepelli Trail in Colorado. Since this was my first time, I greatly appreciated the signs posted along the way that gave tips to bikers. One of the signs read: Keep a loose, but positive grip. This advice can also apply to our ability to grow; we need to stay open and positive. The only constant is change. The more flexible you become, the more effective you will be.
