I’m taking an on-line course right now that’s all about leadership change. From the postings my classmates have been putting up, it’s clear that most of us have experienced more poorly executed changes than those which have turned out positively. That’s really unfortunate, since change is a part of life, and when done well, it can lead us to greater and better things.
Maybe so many of us avoid change because it more often than not involves risk. Given all the financial meltdowns we’ve just experienced, many of us might be falling into a pattern of risk aversion. That would be a shame.
As I continue reading from Dottie Billington’s book, Life Is An Attitude, I found something that corresponds well to my on-line course. Here’s a portion of her thoughts on taking risk,
Paul, my husband’s father, stayed in the same job throughout his working life, though it was never what he really wanted to do. After retiring, Paul confessed that he wished he had taken more risks.
Too many of us, when we reach a crossroads choose the secure path, the way of least resistance. We then spend the rest of our lives regretting that decision. Robert Frost said it well: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.
Every time you go forward, you venture into the unknown. Every time you try new ways of thinking and doing, you risk leaving your comfortable, familiar safe world- and that always takes courage!
Some points to ponder:
- Unless you accept a challenge, you can never feel the exhilaration of victory.
- After taking a few small risks and experiencing some successes and some stumbles, you’ll discover that stumbling doesn’t hurt that much and success feels wonderful, so you’ll become more confident-even excited-about risking again.
- Remember, growing means risking; the alternative leads to stagnation.
As I write these words, several people I know are dealing with situations which are causing them to feel trapped, stuck, and/or fearful. How sad it would be if they just accepted these situations and lived out their days feeling trapped, stuck, and/or fearful? That’s no way to live!
If any of this sounds familiar to you, use the weekend to begin dreaming about making some changes, taking some risks. Let’s start planning for a bright future, one full of hope. With good and well-thought out and planned changes, such a future can be possible for each of us.
