How do you decide when is the best time to make a change / do something different? If you have been following my blog for a while you may already know that I’m an advocate of continuous improvement & looking to make small changes all along the way – in both work & personal life.
Whether the change you’re making is big or small, the first part of change is deciding to change. Have you ever had any of these things holding you back from doing something – “I’ll wait for when I have more time; I’ll wait until the kids go to school; I’ll wait until I have more money; I’ll wait until I am fitter / healthier.” We all have a number of different reasons to not do things. Can you turn this around & focus on the reasons to do something?
There never is a perfect time for change. All the variables will never align 100% to give you the perfect circumstances. Check with yourself whether your reasons for not changing are valid by asking yourself: Is this 100% true? Is this a valid reason or something that is aiming to protect me from being slightly uncomfortable?
You can start to make a change now by focusing on the following:
- Focus on the positive reasons to do something & start to make changes now: Really understand your own motivation for changing something. What will making the change give you? How could it benefit you? What could you start doing now?
- Enjoy the process: Don’t wait for everything to be perfect – start now and continuously look at how you can enjoy the process along the way. Can you have that business meeting at your favourite coffee shop & enjoy a great cup of coffee at the same time? Can you combine work travel with a night away for your holiday to enjoy a mini-break?
- Focus on how you are developing & what are you learning: When we learn & develop our confidence grows as well. Understand what skills you are developing & what you are learning as you change.
- Recognise the opportunities & the frustrations: As you are making changes, somethings will go well & somethings will go wrong. Recognise & acknowledge both of these. Then always look to see what is within your control to change about the situation.
