Change Isn’t Always A Bad Thing

I was talking to my boyfriend this morning about all the changes we’ve been making recently, which led to a brief conversation about how people in general don’t like changes.

I used to be one of those people… Sometimes, I still am. For the most part though, I’ve become very comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Years ago when I started my first business, I found out quickly that nearly everything I did or tried to do or came in contact with was something new and different… Change became the only constant.

That brought to mind the memory of when my mom used to yell for us to get us to come home. Some of you may not be old enough to remember because you’ve had cell phones for most of your lives but, believe it or not, our parents used to actually “holler” for us to come home.

That’s right. we would be outside playing (we didn’t have video games either) with my neighborhood friends and when my mom wanted us home, she would step out onto the porch and YELL my name…Deeeeeeeee-biiiiiiiiiii. Then she would be quiet and wait. If she didn’t hear me yell back…Coooooooooo-miiiiiiiiiing… she would yell my name again.

Once she knew that we were coming, she would know that we weren’t that far away from home. If we didn’t show up within a certain amount of time, she would go back out on the porch and yell for us again. Yes, moms were smart enough to know that as kids we would go back to playing and forget that we’d been hollered for. Of course that also came with the consequence of showing up at the doorstep after mom yelled the second or third time and having a very angry parent waiting for you (and I would always be the one in more trouble because I was the oldest… I was the one who was supposed to remember while my little brother was just expected to tag along with me)!

Needless to say, I’m thinking that even as frustrated as my mom was during the time she was learning how to use the computer (no, we didn’t have those way back when either) she might’ve really enjoyed having a mobile phone that she can call us on… Maybe.

I think it’s like that in our businesses too. Initially, when something has to change, you’re not always sure whether or not you want without make the change. But I think that comes from having so many “unknowns”.

Is it going to work right? Is it going to take a long time to learn? Will it take a long time to set up? Will I get used to it? Is it going to get easier as we go along? Will it help or hinder my business?

A lot of times even small changes can come with a lot of unknowns. But the bottom line is that you won’t know the answers until you actually implement the change (or find someone else who has implemented it EXACTLY the way you’re going to). One thing is for sure though. If you DON’T make changes, it’s almost guaranteed that your business is gonna stay right where it is this second.

So I guess the real question becomes, which is going to be more uncomfortable, making the change or keeping the status quo?” I guess you’ll know once you’ve implemented the change! It goes along with that whole definition of insanity thing… You can’t expect things to change if you keep doing what you’ve been doing… you’re only gonna keep getting what you’ve been getting.

I’d love to hear about what changes you may have made, which ones you were most afraid to do, and which ones you were really glad you did in spite of the fear.

Until then…