Change is tough and the thought of change is scary in itself! But change for good is almost always a better way to be. This is a familiar mantra that one hears on every now and then. Individuals need change to better their acts and their lots; organizations require change in their strategy to remain profitable and relevant in their industry; employees need change in level of competence and attitude to help organizations achieve their objective within set timelines; managers need to change to optimize all resources - human and inhuman and achieve set targets; parents need to change and be more responsive to children' needs; children need to change and become more obedient and exemplary; wives need to change and have more trust and regard for their husband; husbands need to change and be more loving, helpful and faithful to their wives; the good-willed and kind-hearted needs to get better in doing good; the wicked needs to change from their wicked ways and embrace love for mankind; our national leaders need to change and be more responsible and accountable to their oaths; followers need to change and become more agreeable and supportive to authorities; the world needs to change and be more conscious of changes in our climate and go green; the globe needs to change and know that it's content has gotten so mixed together that there is no longer boundaries and the world has gradually become a smaller entity due to accessibility. Change itself needs to know that it is tough and it pricks at every attempt to embrace.
While change is universal, it's not a one-size fits all. It varies in content, dimension, intensity and scope. It can be a tough hurdle but just like a 400 meters hurdle, it requires focusing a target with end in view, lifting of the body with strength and determination and consistent, progressive speed towards the marked line.
I remember my experience teaching Change models to a professional class of adults, it wasn't much ado teaching the Kurt Lewin's Freezing & Unfreezing Change Model but it took a lot of effort describing the Kotter's Eight steps to Successful Change despite the various simulations and scenarios played for them to readily remember the eight steps, it was some hurdle! My conclusion- if teaching change could be that engaging how much more the process of change itself!
In my personal change drive, I've realized that change is not a final destination! It's a drive towards continuos improvement. Just as you achieve one step and you think it's a feat, there is a demand for a higher change! A Zig Ziglar's book titled How to Stay Up, Up, Up in a Down, Down, Down World. The sure way is to keep changing! Having a sharp change might be desirable since one will achieve the desirable end within a shorter time but then is it sustainable? Doing a 360 degrees turn in a wink is tough enough and attempt to make another turn can be too tiring but taking a 1 degree turn over 360 hours or 360 days might be more consistent and sustainable. For consistent and sustainable change ~ Draw a target: picture a desirable end; have an activity plan; break activity down in bits; chart a periodic schedule of activity; do a self-talk write up to reinforce and motivate the change drive; keep doing; allow failures, don't celebrate or stay on the down times; just keep moving and keep moving until moving becomes progressively feasible and visible. Take change "poco a poco", little by little, one step at a time. Take change for good by the horn and ride it "poco a poco"
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