We’re all resistant to change – even when we know that we need a major upheaval. Fear of the unknown can take over us – fear that things might actually get worse, not better, and that the price for change might be just too big.
But the fear that holds us back is often nothing more than an imaginary barrier that we’ve created in our mind. To overcome this barrier, we need to massively outweigh the negative obstacles we’re envisioning, by replacing them with even bigger reasons to move forward.
Look at this mathematical formula for change: D x V + F is gerater than R …namely… Dissatisfaction x Vision + First Steps is greater than Resistance to Change.
We have to make our reasons for doing something greater than our resistance to change. When we’re looking to make changes, it’s usually because we’ve got sick and tired of putting up with the circumstances of our current existence. Whether it’s our job, relationships, career, lack of money – whatever we’re dissatisfied with, we have to analyse the problem and make it a motivating force for action. In other words, we need to get down and dirty and really be honest with ourselves; life has much more to offer than the scraps we’re getting, and we’re not going to miss out any longer.
We can multiply the power of this dissatisfaction by visioning how positive things will be once we’ve made the changes. It’s a great feeling to mentally focus on a life of plenty, where we’re in control of our destiny because we took responsibility for change. The more we can visualise our success, the stronger our resolve becomes.
It’s impossible for our minds to hold positive and negative thoughts at the same time, so by actively pushing out the negative thoughts with positive ones, we weaken the power those downbeat feelings had over us, and strengthen our will.
When we’ve mentally prepared ourselves, we can take the first steps towards change. We build confidence with small, encouraging moves, and start to generate a positive feedback loop. This pushes us to more action and correspondingly more self-esteem and confidence. Our resistance to change gets broken down eventually by building on these areas.
A member of the Scottish Himalayan Expedition, W N Murray wrote:
“…Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: That truth is, the moment one commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events occur once the decision is made, raising in ones favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.”
In the same manner Goethe said, “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”
“Who Moved My Cheese” by noted author Spencer Johnson comments on the different ways we respond when there’s a need for change. It’s too simple to think that those who achieve in life are lucky, that somehow things were easier for them – they had all the breaks. In truth we make our own luck, by making the decision when to move, and then committing to its execution wholeheartedly.
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