Recently, I met a friend of mine in one of our
family functions. He was looking happy, a smile on his face, greeting and
talking to every one jovially; he was well dressed and radiating with joy. He
was full of life…I saw a tremendous change in him. The same person, a few years
back, was a much disturbed man because of marital discord and divorce
proceedings; he went through a horrible time …..He had to fight two years of
court case and harassment by in-laws to unsettle him and his parents. He was completely beaten down to the ground,
lost interest in life. He used to dress shabbily, stopped socializing because
of the stigma. After a series of setbacks, he fought bravely and got over his
past and now settled in the US happily……. Breeze of change ……
Mohammed Ali, a Heavyweight boxer, a
social activist, a philanthropist and the most celebrated sports person of the
20th century, won a lot of awards and accolades, he is known for power,
tenacity and strength. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a
degenerative neurological condition; during his last days he was not able to
lift a glass of water. What an unfortunate change, the person known for
his qualities had just died opposite of it.
Change is an inevitable part of life and we all
go through the phase, it may be from small change (like….change in interior of
house, buying new dress) to the most significant (new Job, Promotion, Marriage
….and getting afflicted with disease). Some are imposed on us, some are caused
by, and few are transformative and mundane.
Physically, mentally and emotionally we all go
through change. Isn’t it true that nothing is permanent in life, whether its
pain or pleasure, success or failure, win or lose, everything is subject to
change and it’s transitory. Change is the only constant in life and everything
else is transitory.
When we talk about change, often we relate to
technology change and impact on the Individual and the society at large.
Globalization is the starting point of the
massive change that we are witnessing today. It integrated the world and the
business expanded globally. Many multinationals started operating out of
India and enabled technology transfer. The Internet has opened a whole new
world of information with the press of a button. Life has become so convenient
(Changed) that you can do all transactions with mobile or laptop, like...
you can book a train or Air ticket, order food from your favorite hotel, and pay the bills...etc
Technology has brought massive and welcome
change to the healthcare industry, advanced diagnostic equipment enabled
precision and fast diagnosis. Patients have access to best diagnostic tools and
treatments. Minimal-invasive treatment reduces pain and enables quick healing.
Mobile apps and digitization of records has made life simple and easy.
Advanced technology has changed the way
transportation, automotive, aerospace, defense, space technology works.
Artificial intelligence, machine learning and
IOT are the game changers.
The list endless and we can go on writing about
how technology is changing society and the individual. While technology is changing at
the blink of an eye, in the midst of rapid change, how are we equipping
ourselves to adapt to the changing scenario. Do we have the right mindset to
accept, adapt and move forward?
"Progress is impossible
without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change
anything." - George Bernard Shaw
We are well informed about the need for change
and are also aware of the importance and the host of positivity it presents.
Somehow, with all the necessary knowledge, we are reluctant to embrace and
accept the change.
Different people react differently based on the
situation, personality type and motivating factor. Some guys happily accept the
change and learn new things. But for many it is threatening and
unsettling.
The question lingers in our mind, why we fail to
embrace wholeheartedly when change comes in our life, be it professional,
personal or in any sphere of activities.
Dr.Spencer Johnson’s light-hearted parable about
change “Who moved my cheese” It elaborates the physical and emotional
journeys of four characters-Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw, in search of cheese, they
find, lose and rediscover in the maze. Highly acclaimed book and he gives very
good insights and phases one goes through in the process of change anticipate, approach,
adapt & manage change.
 |
| Process of transformation |
We resist change due to the
following reasons
- Lack
of confidence
- Fear
of unknown
- Lethargy
- Indifference
- Lack
of self-confidence: 60 % to
70% don’t make the decision due to lack of self confidence and they
worry about failure. This lack of self-confidence is not genetic, it
is triggered due to some incidence in your life or unconsciously you have
fallen into the pit without being aware of it.
Ex: A boy was very brilliant in academics in his
school and college days and was very confident. When he joined a job, his boss
once remarked in front of everyone that “You are not as smart as you think
you are” this triggered the reaction and he lost
Self-confidence
You can enhance self-confidence by not relying
on others' endorsement, but by working on your personality. Be confident
in what you do. Couple of points below, will help you enhance
self-confidence.
a.
Groom yourself well
b.
Develop good habit
c.
Develop skill and
knowledge
d.
Be in the company of
positive people
e.
Think positive about
yourself
2. Fear of unknown: Fear of unknown stops
us from accepting the change, mind plays the trick, it deters us from taking action
by feeding negative outcomes. You will have to break the wall of unknown
fear and come out on the other side.
You can manage the fear of the unknown
by adopting simple steps below.
a.
Understanding: Thorough understanding
of the subject matter/ situation is the best way to deal with fear of the
unknown, you get to the root cause, and if you have a deeper understanding of
the situation, you will be better equipped to deal with fear.
b.
To be in the present:
Better way to deal with fear of unknown is to be in the present and do reality check. Reality check will help you
dispel misunderstanding of the situation and bring clarity.
2.
Lethargy:
By definition it is lack
of energy and enthusiasm. The worst enemy of progress is lethargy. People have
lost precious things because of lethargy. It is essential to identify reason
for lethargy and take corrective action.
a)
Develop passion
b)
Connect socially
c)
Follow proper diet, eat
nutrient-rich food
d)
Follow sleep hygiene
4) Indifference: Lack of interest and motivation in something
you do is the major constraint to accept the change
Develop passion and understand what drives you,
enhance motivational level, you will come out of indifference.
a) Do introspection
b) Daily write your aspirations. You get clarity on
what you want to do.
c)
Read motivational books
to inspire you.
d)
Talk to your friends or
mentor.
Change is possible, it takes lot of conviction and
perseverance……….be optimistic and you will ……
