They say that if you keep doing the same things, you’ll keep getting the same results. Makes sense doesn’t it? Then why do we avoid change so much?
Whatever the reasons are, the fact remains that successful people and organisations all know that being able to accept and take avantage of change is crucial. So here are 3 techniques you can use to adapt to change more easily.
1. Make Intuitive Decisions
Trust yourself to make the right decisions. Look at the right data first, but then just allow yourself to make your own decision. Armed with the right knowledge, we usually take the best course of action. Self-doubt is our greatest enemy at any time, but particularly during times of change. When things are in a state of flux, familiar patterns of behaviour can mislead you.
So, start by examining the new situation clearly and without emotion until you understand the the new lay of the land. Then, after that you can make decisions quickly and, if you trust yourself, they’re more likely to be the right ones.
2. Visualise the Effects
Actively empower the imaginative parts of your brain by using visualisation to rehearse your actions and their potential effects. This will help you decide how best to work out which decision to make and when.
This step-by-step approach is perfect in times of change. In a changing environment, using outdated modes of behaviour can lead to disastrous consequences.
Clear visualisation is an extremely powerful technique for creating successful outcomes. The world’s top-performing athletes, entrepreneurs and actors rely on this technique. It works, try it.
3. Keep on Beginning
In his incredibly thought-provoking book “Poke the Box” Seth Godin identifies a really interesting technique for completing projects. When faced with a daunting task, you can sometimes become paralysed by worrying about the scale of it. The sheer scale of it can prevent you from beginning, so starting the project gets put off. And if you do that once, it becomes a pattern that you tend to repeat. The fear that you won’t complete it prevents you from starting.
So that’s the best place to fix things. Instead of worrying, just start fast with no expectation of completion. Just focus on starting. Then, the next day begin again (from where you left off). Keep beginning and eventually the job will be completed without the stress.
The Next Step
Change can sometimes be daunting but it doesn’t need to be an obstacle. It can be a source of tremendous opportunity, after all. Treat potential change as a simple challenge and you could open yourself to incredible possibility. The next time you feel anxious about potential changes, apply the 3 tactics I outlined in this post, and let me know how you get on.