Posted on August 29, 2011 by Dan Weigold

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”  Victor Frankl

It is not surprising that the world we live in today is vastly different than the one we lived in just a mere ten years ago. We have survived a vicious attack that left two buildings in ruins. We have seen an economy that was geared for success, collapse in the midst of greed. We have seen big companies tumble and fall, and we’ve seen small companies disappear all together. We have seen a housing market implode with nothing to fill that vacuum. The world has changed…and so have you.

For many people, change is a dreaded idea.”Change, why change, yesterday was so good, and I really liked it back then”, are the words that some people to use to retreat, rather than embrace today. Where are you? What are your feelings about personal change?

Change happens when you actively participate in the process. It happens when you jump out of bed in the morning ready to take on new challenges. Change doesn’t happen when you pull back the covers and push the snooze button. It takes energy to move forward, a lot of energy. The real winners in life make those changes.

If you have ever noticed that some people seem to have all the luck and fortune, and have wondered how that same success didn’t happen to you, then think about how you approach each day. Do you jump out of bed or retreat under the covers? Do you have a fixed goal in mind, a real powerful goal, that you have shared with your friends, family, and others?    Do you have the desire to do something better for you?

How you answered those questions is a reflection of the attitudes needed to break out of your routine and develop new and more powerful routines. The world is indeed changing at a pace faster than it ever has before. The routines that were useful just a decade ago are quickly disappearing. Are you doing what is necessary to capitalize on the change, or are you going to be left behind?

Many people are now realizing that if they don’t start changing, the world is going to leave them behind, and that is more scary than not doing anything at all. Our education system is changing so that people can be in a constant mode of learning. Every day, something new is being developed, produced, and delivered. This requires learning new things and doing new things. It means changing.

How does coaching fit into this picture? One of the things that people are realizing is that in many cases what they are doing right now, isn’t doing anything for them. However, they want to do things that are meaningful and valuable. What stops people is “fear”. It could be the fear of change, or the fear of not being good enough, or the fear of it being too hard to learn. There is a long list of things that stop people in their tracks…and that stops them from living a better life.

The way to move forward is to take ACTION, immediate action. If there is a great idea percolating in your mind, then take action, don’t wait, take action today. If you believe that you want to work with someone to create powerful goals for your life, take ACTION, and take action now. Waiting is the brain’s way of delaying change, and it is very powerful in convincing you that you shouldn’t make any changes. Test yourself, come up with something you really want to do, and see how long you really do it. For most people, that idea, that surge of energy, is gone in a couple of weeks. The energy is gone. Look at the number of people who walk out of a conference energized and ready to change. How long does that last? Usually, three or four days before that energy disappears. The brain doesn’t want you to change. It is very powerful in thwarting change.

When you are ready to take action, have someone that can hold you accountable for the changes you want to make. Have them ask you the tough questions, and press you for the hard answers. Are you working towards your goals? If you aren’t…what is stopping you?