The New ABC: Always Be Changing

Any sales person or Mamet apostle will tell you that ABC stands for "Always Be Closing." It is a now parodied mantra of the motivated sales person. "'A' is for Always. 'B' is for Be. 'C' is for Closing. Always Be Closing"

But as the end of the year is a natural time for reflection and review, the new ABC should be Always Be Changing. Always be growing. Always be evolving.

We are unique in our ability to learn and to do it at scale. Most of us just tend to not do it that often. Ben Franklin's quote says it best "Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until 75." We don't tend to change unless something forces us to do so. We stay static and many of us are not really living, evolving, changing, growing. As you think about your life, right now, what would you change.

Often the idea of change comes to something really big, really grand, in your life. Job, relationship, location. Something that blows-up some part of your world. But meaningful change can come from smaller, micro changes that over time send your path in a new direction. 

Change can be hard and it can be disruptive to you and to those around you. But no one is going to make those changes but you. Wishing it will just happen isn't enough. 

Change Drives Change

If you need to get in better shape, the idea of going for a run or joining a gym is maybe so far from your reach that you forgo change. Take a walk instead. You may - or may not - follow that into running. But once that change takes hold, other changes are made easier. Or they are easier to spot the best path for a change. Change will drive new changes. It is all about starting that first one.

You don't need 1,000 words to tell you to make a change in your life. Sometimes just the idea and the focus on some one small thing is enough to give you the confidence to add one more change, then another. 

Always Be Changing

Originally published on www.toddwilms.com