“After you’ve done a thing the same way for two years, look it over carefully. After five years, look at it with suspicion. And after ten years, throw it away and start all over.”
-Alfred Edward Perlman, American railroad executive.
Change is inevitable. Change is to be feared. You must change your life. Why change what works?
There are many cliches about change, and change has many names. Growth. Innovation. Progress. Disruption.
I thought I’d set aside some time this week to survey two thought-provoking and inspiring perspectives on change.
First, I was impressed by this piece by Bree Groff on “How Understanding Loss Helps You Manage through Change.” If you’ve ever been in a leadership position, or you’ve ever been on a team facing major organizational change, you know the placid river can quickly turn into terrifying rapids. Groff suggests we can better understand why people resist change if we understand that change is about six forms of loss: Loss of control, loss of pride, loss of narrative, loss of time, loss of competence, and loss of familiarity.
Second, I wanted to highlight how people can cultivate change in their own lives. This piece by Trent Hamm of The Simple Dollar discusses the essentials of “Creating Motivation and Discipline for Change.” He offers a systematic approach for going “from idea to motivation” and subsequently “from motivation to discipline.” To achieve what we dream about, we must make change work for us, and Hamm has practical, tactical advice.
You may be hoping for great changes in your life, or you may find yourself in the midst of surprising change. Hopefully you’ll pull a little wisdom from these pieces to help you navigate the bad and the good.
