The Work of Change

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A mentor once told me, “Everyone wants change. Almost nobody wants to change.”?

Those words have stuck with me since. They resonate because they reflect a fundamental human truth: change is hard. And yet, change we must. As people and as professionals, we evolve and grow. Some of that change happens organically, outside our intentional control. However, some of it occurs when we decide that something has to change. It’s in that moment that the words above carry the most meaning. We tend to look first at the outcome we want, the change we desire. We don’t always focus on the road between here and there – specifically, what we have to change about ourselves to realize the broader change we want.

In my experience, the most effective change flows from a five-step process I’ll outline below.

Set realistic growth goals

Any successful journey needs a destination. The first step is to link the outcome you’re seeking to specific growth goals for yourself. This can be difficult because the external change you want doesn’t always seem related to your actions and behaviors. And while it’s not always entirely about you, I promise you that any change you want to see can always start with changes inside yourself. Find that change, and set realistic and measurable goals, including a timeline for evaluation. (I suggest at least 30 days.)

Distill your goals down into habits

Once you’ve determined your goals for growth, the next step is to identify specific daily actions – let’s call them habits – that will act as the focal points for the more significant changes. This is key because a larger growth goal is only achievable as the total of a series of habits. A musician may set a goal to become a more accomplished player of their instrument. Unless that musician creates daily practice habits, perhaps even specifying techniques and rudiments, it’s unlikely the goal of improvement will be reached.

?Anticipate discomfort

When was the last time you used the phrase ‘comfort zone’? I’d be surprised if it wasn’t sometime within the last few weeks. It’s ubiquitous, yet the reality of discomfort can still take us off guard. In the process of growth and change, forming new habits, we will experience growing pains. The first few times you intentionally do something differently than you might have, that discomfort can be significant. The key to moving through it is being ready for it.

?Course-correct as necessary

Picture an airplane on a transcontinental route, flying on autopilot. Does the autopilot chart a straight line between points A and B and hold the plane fast to that course? Of course not. Advanced AI software makes minute course corrections every moment in flight, accommodating for unforeseeable changes in pressure, wind, and more. As we develop new habits, we’re bound to slip. After all, we’re human, and the world around us isn’t predictable. When those slip-ups happen, some people abandon the change altogether, but you don’t have to. Instead, acknowledge that you’re still developing the habit, think ‘course correction,’ and stay the course.

Evaluate, refine, repeat

At the interval you’ve set for yourself, evaluate the change in progress. I’m being deliberately careful with my words here: it’s unlikely that after 30 days, you’ll see a sweeping, meaningful change – the ‘destination,’ in other words. The focus of the evaluation is the journey. What are you noticing in yourself? Are some of the habits still taking work? Have some of them become second nature? Why might that be? What are some changes in the world around you that might result from your changing habits? Are some people responding differently to you, and are some situations unfolding differently than they might have before? At this evaluation point, you may want to change some of the habits you’re working on, add some new ones, or even lower the priority of some practices that don’t seem to be creating the change you want.

Growth is an iterative process. This process is the way to harness the power of evolution, putting more intention into creating the change you want to see in the world around you... beginning with the changes you create in yourself. Yes, change is difficult, and it takes work. And I know you’re up to the task.