Change Is A Good Thing: 3 Reasons Why

Growth is the only evidence of life.  ~John Henry Newman, Apologia pro vita sua, 1864

For many people change is not good. In fact it is a very scary prospect. The idea of modifying or creating a new routine, getting to know new individuals, or simply trying to add one more thing to your day, can seem quite daunting. On the other hand, for those — like myself — that like change, we have to be careful not to be unproductive. Changing things frequently can signal to some an inability to commit or an unwillingness to follow through. Clearly there are two sides to this coin.  Since you know where I stand on change. So, this post is for people wondering why Change Is A Good Thing.

1. New Perspective: Whether you conducting an annual assessment or rearranging the furniture in your living room — a new perspective can provide additional insight that frequently doesn’t come about if you aren’t looking for it. Frequently companies, organizations, colleges, and boards do this with an outside consultant. Because this outsider brings with them related — yet different experience, background, and training they are likely to understand a situation, process, or organization with an insight that is difficult to maintain for those existing within that setting are unable to see.

For those that are reluctant to change, consider what happens when you visit the home of a friend or the office of a co-worker. Often the structural arrangement may be familiar, yet the different spatial arrangement of artifacts, furniture, or other simple adjustments give you ideas about what you can do in your own space to make it better for you. The same is true for work place processes, social media, networking and the like.

2. Forward Movement: For those of us that like or embrace change, it often serves as a strategy for forward movement. In other words, changing a process, situation, or setting can signal improvement. Movement forward can also mean taking some steps backwards in order to facilitate progress and productivity. Often times, people become adverse to change, because their experiences are marked by an ineffective or unproductive changes.

Remember behavorial changes are the most difficult for people to do, but if the change agent can illustrate how this new thing can be productive than you are more likely to get people invested and on board with your proposal. For those struggling with change, consider how this change can somehow improve your life, position, earning potential, personal or professional development. Those are the thoughts you want to embrace when you find yourself resisting the change.

3. Challenge By Choice: If you know you are adverse to change, don’t make big life altering ones. Take is slow, movement that is small or incremental is still movement! For those that like to make big changes right away, consider the opposite. Why not scale back and see what happens when you make smaller adjustments.

Whatever your position on change: Challenge by Choice means venture out of your comfort zone some, because some in ways that you can fully commit to. It’s amazing how a small change can ultimately save money, time, and other resources.

My most recent change has been professional. As someone who values education — it was difficult to make the decision to leave Denison University; however, I am confident that leaving was the best change for me. What was your most recent change? What are you doing to ensure it is making your life productive or more effective? Is it moving your forward in your professional or personal goals?