The Four Benefits of Embracing Change

Change can be uncomfortable, difficult and challenging for each of us. Ironically, one of the hallmarks of the age we live in is constant change. As a result, embracing change is critical for our personal happiness and our professional success. The first step towards becoming more adaptable is acknowledging that change is in fact beneficial. If we aren’t willing to first recognize the benefits of change, we’re far less likely to grow into the version of ourselves willing to embrace it. With this week’s story on Platinum Rules for Success, Anne Bachrach writes about the four benefits of change she believes are universal and how they impact our daily professional lives.

The Four Benefits of Embracing Change

by Anne Bachrach

You don’t need anyone to tell you the world is undergoing many changes right now, that’s pretty obvious. What may not be so obvious is your ability to adapt to the changes that are necessary for your business to survive and thrive in the changing market. How do you set yourself up for success when global changes are affecting the future of your business? You find out where the change is headed and adapt to meet the demand.

Hypothetically, you could resist changes in the market and stand stubbornly in your comfort zone. The major drawback to that would be that you would probably be sinking in quicksand – and taking your business with you. Embracing change is important for everyone. The ability to adapt to change, and even welcome it, is absolutely essential to the success of your business and life. What happens when you fight change? That’s pretty simple; instead of embracing change and adapting to it, you spend hours of energy fighting it – only to surrender to it in the end. The fight didn’t make it any easier, nor did it prevent the change from occurring. So why waste all the time and emotional energy to fight something that is inevitable? Let’s take a look at what happens when you embrace change.

1.  You may uncover a problem you didn’t know existed It’s easy to become complacent when things seem to be going well, and put the blinders on when everything around you is stuck in a rut. When you deal with the same pattern, over and over again, you lose perspective of what is working and what isn’t working. Continually having a healthy perspective and a finger on the pulse of your business is very valuable and important. As an entrepreneur, it is essential that you are running your business with the greatest efficiency and profit. If you don’t know what your big money maker is or if you’re marketing plan doesn’t have a successful ROI, you’ve got a problem. Research what drives other successful businesses and accomplishes the goals you have in sight. Identify what works and then copy that model to your own business. Change and improve what isn’t working and you’ll be setting your business up for success. In addition, take a forward-thinking approach to your industry to anticipate changes that can affect you, and be willing to change or adjust quickly if needed.

2. The easy part is integration and adaptation Many people resist change for the simple fact they are fearful of pain or the outcome. The truth is that once you get past the resistance, integration and adaptation are easy. As humans, we are inherently creative and that allows us to adapt much more easily than we presume upon first perception. Remind yourself that you will have a much tougher go at change if you choose to fight it. Embracing it merely employs your inherent ability to adapt to a changing environment. Apply that creativity to your business, and you’ll find that it is much more flexible than you initially thought. As an entrepreneur, you have an enormous advantage over larger organizations in your industry, simple because it is more difficult for them to change or adapt quickly. While large organizations are struggling to adjust quickly to meet unexpected change, you can use their lag time to your advantage, and make changes quickly, to increase revenue and gain positive exposure.

3. Make room for more success Your success only expands as far as you expand. Change allows you to grow and expand your perceptions, beliefs and performance – and that’s what you want because your success will come in direct proportion. In order to make room for the new, you must do away with the old. Look at embracing change as your opportunity to embrace the success you have always desired. Of course, you could also look at it another way. For every piece of resistance that you put up against change, you are also resisting a piece of your success. Don’t let limiting beliefs hold you back or fear of the unknown. Think – what’s the worst that can happen? More times than not change will have a very positive outcome in your business. Now what do you think about embracing change?

4. You may get more of what you want and release what you don’t want “Here’s a popular quote that sums it all up, “If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got.” – W.L. Bateman This could not have been more accurate when applied to your business and life. If you want different results, you are going to have to do things differently – even if they’re a little uncomfortable. If you don’t like what you’ve been getting, then change what you’re doing. Living this principle is one of the greatest opportunities to learn what happens when you embrace change by welcoming what you want and releasing what you don’t want. Change can sometimes be scary, but it really is the key to ultimate success both in life and in business. What are you really afraid of anyway? It may not always feel comfortable, but the more willing you are to embrace change, the less painful it usually is and the more success you will experience. There is no single key to overcoming the anxiety you may feel when embracing change. The important thing to remember is that there are very exciting results waiting for you on the other side, you just need to embrace change with a welcome mat. In the words of one of my clients, “Put your big girl/boy pants on, and suck it up and deal with it.” “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer

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Anne M. Bachrach is known as The Accountability Coach™. She has 23 years of experience training and coaching. Business owners and entrepreneurs who utilize Anne’s proven systems and processes work less, make more money, and have a more balanced and successful life. Anne is the author of the books, Excuses Don’t Count, Results Rule!, Live Life with No Regrets, How the Choices We Make Impact Our Lives, No Excuses, and the co-author of Roadmap To Success with Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard. Go here to download your free e-book, 10 Power Tips for Getting Focused, Organized, and Achieving Your Goals Now.