Shift Your Mind

photo by apesara

Change is happening all around us.  It could be the weather, a good friend moving away, or a project that comes up at work which will require new effort.  We have a gift in our ability to quickly adapt to a change in our environment.  If it’s cold outside, we know to put on a coat.  If the speed limit changes on the road we drive on, we quickly learn to slow down.  Why?  We see the benefit, or sometimes penalty, if we fail to change.

But what about those annoying habits we tend to have?  Or how we interact with peers?  Or becoming more productive?

Personal change is something most people fail to spend enough time thinking about.  We have too many inputs coming at us (TV, internet, email, etc.) throughout the day which steals our attention.  We see no value from making a change.   We often don’t see the reason why we should make a change.  We think the change might be too painful or difficult to make.

There is a section in one of my favorite books on change (Thinking for a Change, by John Maxwell) which discusses what motivates a person to change.  He states, a person is motivated to change when they recognize:

Change is Personal — I need to change

Change is Possible — I’m able to change

Change is Profitable — I’ll be rewarded by change

I have seen change broken down this way in numerous books, blogs, and articles which I believe shows the validity of these statements.

Take a moment today and think about the obstacles and barriers in your life.  Pick one and ask yourself “what change do I need to make to remove this barrier?” Answer why do I need to make this change, what will I need to do so I am able to make this change, and what are the rewards for me by making this change.

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