I had to look for the “add new post” button for a minute, that’s how long it’s been since I started a post here.
Hello, dear reader. Welcome back. This year I am consumed (in a good way) by the Fresh Start energy of January. The rate of change in the world is accelerating, and the same – it seems – goes for us. I’m going to summarize here three practical tools to inspire positive changes in work and life. I hope they help you as much as they have helped my clients and me.
Change takes energy
Intentional change often requires major investments of mental, emotional, and physical energy, sometimes all at once. Think about “becoming a runner” – a goal I planned to tackle in 2024 and, most definitely, did not. I literally went on zero runs. In the end, I simply did not have the mental, emotional, or physical energy to do it.
When my clients approach change, we discuss the energy investment that will be required. We evaluate the amount and quality of energy that is available for the change they’re looking to make. Lateral job changes, promotions, career shifts (in and out of industries or functional specialties; in and out of paid/unpaid work), and even retirement are all examples of changes that take significant energy. So, before you even plan for the change, I plan for the energy the change will require.
What habits and behaviours are proven to help you expand the type of energy you’ll need for this change? How can you prioritize those habits and behaviours now?
Nothing changes until something changes
Oh, humans. Of course we yearn for change. We do not always put ourselves in the path of change though, do we? That would involve leaving the comfort zone that we love so much. But if we build the energy resources needed to make one change, it’s almost guaranteed to multiply. One positive change can become magnified into many positive changes.
Here’s a fun, non-career-related example: I wanted help keeping my house clean. Eventually, I hired a regular cleaner. The first half year that they came, I would dread it. I hated the three day period before they came, and I hated the day that they were cleaning. Everything would need to be tidied away so they could clean! “What have I done?” I would lament, “Is all this stress even worth it?” And then I got smart. I realized that if my house was always cleaner-ready, then having the cleaners come would not be a burden. And so, I started putting more effort, every day, into keeping my house tidy. I found homes for things that needed homes. I donated things that created more clutter than joy. In hiring the cleaner, I solved for one pain (cleaning) and created a new pain (3 days of hell). Then I solved the new pain with a second change, and that’s where the magic really happened. Nothing changes until something changes. And change is a multiplier.
Where in your life have you been yearning for change, but the status quo persists? What is something manageable that you can do today to catalyze more change in that area?
Removing is just as powerful as adding, and often more
Everyone’s always talking about adding stuff, as if we needed more things to manage. How many people do you know who need more things in their lives? You might know a few. But I’m guessing – if you’re reading this – that you know more people who would benefit from less. I’m talking about fewer possessions, fewer commitments, fewer projects, fewer obligations, fewer extra-curricular activities, fewer meetings.
Last year a client had a daily meeting that wasn’t working; and by that I mean, it was truly a waste of time. No one would admit that, because it had been implemented as part of a broader change project that hadn’t really worked. So, it was complicated. My client technically had the authority to eliminate the meetings, she just didn’t want to rock the boat. Then we discussed it. We uncovered numerous excellent reasons to cut these meetings, and a few far less excellent reasons to keep them. She decided to give herself a twenty-four hour window in which to decide. The next day, she cancelled the daily meetings. Now her whole team is happier and more productive.
What commitment in your schedule is consistently stealing more value from your life than it’s adding? Can you eliminate it? What else can be removed from your world to create more space?
Change is good for you. In today’s rapidly changing world, it’s more inevitable than ever. What practical tools would you add to this list? Comment below or DM me over here and let me know.
I’m cheering you on.
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