How To Create Change

Often times we arrive at a place of dissatisfaction and discomfort. We look at certain aspects of our lives and are unhappy at the state they're in.

There is both a wrong and right way to channel this dissatisfaction.

You can either direct dissatisfaction outward into the world and be resentful for the rest of your life, or you can channel it inward and transmute it into motivation to become a better, more successful, and happier person.

And the starting point of channelling your discomfort towards improvement is by making changes.

Here's how you go about creating change:

1 Identify where improvement is needed: At any point in time, everyone of us has aspects of our lives, businesses and operations that could be improved. Identifying what particular aspects need improvement is the first step to creating change.

2. Recognize that improvement requires change: The reason why you haven't been having optimal results in certain areas may be due to the way you've been going about things. If you're going to improve, then you should understand that you are going to have to change your approaches, attitudes, actions, etc.

3 Recognize that the responsibility to make changes that bring improvement is yours: Once you identify where improvement is needed and you recognize that you have to make changes to do so, your next step is to assume full responsibility. Doing so empowers you to take action.

Your pastor, parents, government, spouse or friend won't give you the improvements you're after no matter how much you want them to. By relying on any of these, you are extremely unlikely to succeed in actually improving your own life, and you will likely waste a lot of your time.

But if you shift your focus and efforts inwards, accept responsibility for the improvements you're after, while this will still take a few years of work, it will take far less time to achieve real results, and the likelihood of actually achieving these results is extremely high.

External factors may help a little, but it’s mainly up to you. No one cares more about your success than you do.

4. Be aware of comfort zones and general reluctance to embrace change: Even though, deep down, you know that change is needed if you're going to improve, you should understand that humans generally are reluctant to change.

This is both due to security in our comfort zones, however bad that is and the fear of the unknown that change brings.

To overcome this, you must be aware of it.

5 Identify the actions that need to be changed or taken towards improvement: You should next identify everything that should be done or changed to get the improvement you're after.

This should be sorted out in a precise and logical manner that guarantees gradual progress in the direction you want.

6 Understand that creating change that leads to improvement is a gradual process: It is a basic of human psychology that we all want instant gratification. We want results and improvements right now. As such, many of us are unwilling to put in the steady efforts that are needed for long term improvement.

While some changes can lead to big improvements in a short period, others take a little longer, like a few weeks, months or years. Whatever it is, don’t delude yourself into thinking you can achieve improvements faster than you actually can.

Change often takes time. Be proactive but also be realistic. Being unrealistic now will cause discouragement later.

7 Get your mindset straight: In order to make any change in your life, you need to have the right mindset. Your mindset will likely be the determining factor as to if you can have the discipline to handle the initial discomforts that making changes cause.

One of the easiest ways to get your subconscious on your side is by visualizing how much better you will be after the improvements achieved through change are made.

If you need health related improvements and have started exercising regularly, you can visualise how much healthier, fitter, and stronger you will be after a year of consistent exercise.

If you've started your business to improve finances, you can visualise the freedom, happiness and peace you will have a few years down the road when your businesses are fully up and running.

Creating change is sometimes a really stressful process, so you’re going to need the right mindset and motivation to make it work.

8 Take action: Get to work on your action plan. In doing this, understand that it can be overwhelming to tackle so many things at once. So the key is to take a bite sized approach.

Try to do something every day, seven days a week, even if it’s something little you do for a few minutes at a time.

Any time you feel stressed, upset, defeated, or lazy, go back to step 8. Keep going. Don’t stop.

9 Anticipate and take setbacks in stride: Creating change that leads to improvement is mostly a gradual process.

As such you’re likely going to encounter setbacks along the way. Understand that this is fine as long as you keep moving forward. Don’t get discouraged. Always keep going.

At the end of the day, regular and consistent action is what creates change. By taking action, you put the law of motion to work for you.

Taking that first step no matter how small, or making an easy change that has a result is the key to success, because these little actions and changes pile up fast into big changes that are sustainable.

It is all about building momentum and that's what taking action does. One small change in one area spreads and influences others.

You have a decision to make. You can cross your arms and frown at the world about how unfair everything is, or you can put in the work, make the necessary changes to better your condition and be happy.

I hope you make the right decision.