Why do people fear change? Is it because it can bring out their weaknesses, stop them from evolving if they fail or simply fear of the unknown?
All of us have already experienced fear of change at one time or another in our lives and some of us have already become more aware of our strengths, limits and instinctual behavior when facing new challenges. So we’ve been there, done that…
It is written in our genetic code to fear what is new at first, then rationalize what we are about to face and make a decision accordingly. Yet, some people may jump ahead into the new chapter of their life without necessarily knowing all the facts before. How come some can accept more risk than others and face challenges better?
Let’s see… The human psychic tells us to protect ourselves from whatever new event or element is coming our way, treating it as a bad thing first almost automatically. This way, any potential risk is minimized and response to the new challenge is controlled, well, at least to some extent. But we are rational beings, which means that some of us perform a more or less detailed analysis of this new challenge at first (not jumping head first), followed by the decision to go ahead or not according to what we believe is right or good for us.
Nowadays, we are more and more expected to jump the gun and speed up our decision making process while improving our capacity to evaluate risk and define the most adapted risk management strategies. Yet, it is not always a simple thing to do, depending on what we have to face. How can we better embrace the unknown and better adapt to change?
First, making the unknown “known” by learning the basisc about the challenge and the first risks we can identify, then focusing on the quick-wins to get fast results and secure a stable base to build on. Next, it helps to gather support around us to secure risk management solutions and resources. This in turn will translate into more openness to approach the next phases of the challenge knowing you have most of what it takes to make it, already available.
It is more important to be aware of each progress step and celebrate each victory because this is the only way to secure constant growth, do you agree?
Instead of fighting off the change, try to embrace it and focus on how you can start your evolution. This way, you are sure you will achieve, at least partially, what you aim for.
Keep it real, track your steps and celebrate your success, step by step.
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