Change is difficult because well, our future is uncertain. We get overwhelmed because we have what I call “Clarity of the Current”. We know the problems we face. Change in our job. Loss of customers. More competition. A sudden shock or surprise. We know our current situation really well.
But we don’t know what the future will bring.
This is what scares us about learning to deal and adapt to change.
I believe what we have to do is to Create Certainty of our Future.
We have to re-imagine our future. We have to get quiet and really really specific about what we want our future to look like.
In times of change and uncertainty, we have to move away from the ‘clarity of the current’, which can be overwhelming and move towards ‘clarity of the future’ by following this powerful technique to grow.
I’m in Las Vegas this week as a keynote speaker on the topic of embracing change at a company’s year beginning meeting. In my session I share 7 powerful principles of “Embracing Change”.
One of those key principles that I want to share with you is this:
Re-Imagine Your Future
When we’re going through change and uncertainty, it feels difficult because all we see are the problems with change. By creating a Clear and Specific vision of our goal – as an OUTCOME, we give ourselves #certainty we crave as human beings.
So instead of saying, I need to make $XX in 2019, we have to visualize what that success looks like.
What will that success look like? What will that success feel like?
Is it you on stage in front of your company meeting getting an award? Is it Thanksgiving dinner where you see your family and smile deeply because you feel grateful for a good year? Or is it the 10 high fives you get when you walk into a board meeting where everyone congratulates you?
One example I provide in the video is on how most of us try to lose weight. We put a goal into our head of losing 15 lbs for example by say the end of the year.
How exciting is that goal?
How much will it pull you forward?
Not much right?
What I propose and the research and science show us the way – is that we focus our visualization on the Outcome we wish to achieve. Not the goal.
The Goal: lose 15 lbs
The Outcome: An image of me putting my favorite pair of jeans on on Thanksgiving day in my bedroom. Looking at myself in the mirror and feeling great. Going downstairs and over Thanksgiving dinner, all my family members and friends at Thanksgiving Dinner complementing me on how good I look.
Now that’s an outcome we can work towards. That will pull us out of bed in the morning.
Being clear on the Outcome of our Goal is a powerful way to move forward in times of change and uncertainty.
I believe that we need to adapt to change in this world and it begins with moving away from the clarity of the current to clarity of the future.
What does your future look like to you?
With love and respect,
Bob
