We would have definitely noticed that
the moment we not only make an effort to change towards progress, but also when
we merely express a desire to change, that we find advice to the contrary from
all possible quarters. It’s just because it is the natural tendency, of not
only the human beings but all living things to resist change. In case of us,
where we can make use of our brains better than the others, this occurrence is
more pronounced and evident.
Majority of people don’t like change.
Change can be very precarious. The change business can be intense, challenging,
uncomfortable, and can even threaten the status quo in ways many people either
don’t want, or just don’t like. They hate having to adapt to change. The bottom
line is – change is seen as bad. And since the majority feels so, they feel
it’s their birth right to impose it on those who want to break away from the
line.
How many of us can honestly admit
that we embrace change and are comfortable with it? Change means we may have to
leave our comfort zone, think outside the box or modify our standard way of
thinking. Easier said than done, for most of us.
We need not feel that we must forever
be what we presently are. There is a tendency to think of change as the enemy.
Many of us are suspect of change and will often fight and resist it before we
have even discovered what the actual effects will be. When change is thought through
carefully, it can produce the most rewarding and profound experiences in life.
The scale of change can be almost
infinite. It can manifest itself in so many ways. Every single one of us will
have experienced different changes, the ones we did want as well as the ones we
did not want. And the changes we made no matter how painful they were for us or
others.
Change can be our teacher. We can
learn from it. A key to change is in learning. Sending our children to school,
just as we were sent to school as children ourselves is something we almost
take for granted. But yet we put children into a massive new situation where
total change occurs, and we can imagine the seismic shift that follows as they
discover all these amazing new things. New knowledge, new ways of
understanding, new rules to learn. And learning new disciplines. Growth is
associated with change. We learn to change. Growth is a by-product of change.
When a plant became root bound and
began to deteriorate, a young boy decided to transplant it to a larger
container. Carefully he lifted the greenery from its small pot and put it into
its larger home, trying to disturb the roots and soil as little as possible.
The novice gardener watched and waited. To his dismay, the plant still
struggled. He then expressed his frustration to an experienced gardener who
offered his services. When the plant was placed in the gardener’s hands, he
turned the pot upside down, pulled out the plant, shook the soil from the
roots, and clipped and pulled all the stragglers from the root system.
Replacing the plant into the pot, he vigorously pushed the soil tightly around
the plant. Soon the plant took on new life and grew.
How often in life do we set our own
roots into the soil of life and become root bound? We may treat ourselves too
gently and defy anyone to disturb the soil or trim back our root system. Under
these conditions we too must struggle to make progress. Oh, change is hard!
Change can be rough. However, we need to realize that finally, change WILL BE
rewarding.
Yes, there is pain in change, but
there is also great satisfaction in recognizing that progress is being
achieved. Life is a series of hills and valleys and often the best growth comes
in the valleys.
First, we must understand the need
for change. An unexamined life is not worth living. Being aware of the fault
and the need to change is a most important step. The recognition of the need
to change has to be a greater force than the luxury of staying the same.
Second, the facts must be authentic.
We need to know how, what, where, and why to change.
Third, a system for change must be
established. Our change must be planned and orderly. After our system for
change is established, it must be followed through to completion, even though
it may disturb our very root system.
Fourth, we must be totally committed
to our plan for change.
A Chinese proverb says, “Great souls have wills; feeble souls have only wishes.” Unless we have the will to improve, all the other steps to change will be wasted. This last step separates the winners from the losers.
