Change is crucial.
Change is the way forward.
Leading change is very challenging.
But even more important is coming to terms with the reason for change.
These are two quotes posted consecutively on Facebook today.
“Be the change you want to see.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“Don’t complain. Change yourself. Its easier to wear slippers than carpet the whole Earth.” – Unknown
The images below represent the imagined impact of global warming on the world’s megacities. This is the Gateway of India monument at Mumbai, India, if there is a 2˚C and 4˚C increase in temperature due to global warming.
Changing yourself to adapt to situations is not change; it is camouflage. It wont last long; facades never do. To change, there must be belief, necessity and desire. But above all, to change, the most intrinsic ingredient is dissatisfaction.
Dissatisfied workers quit their jobs. Disgruntled relationships head for break-ups. Discontentment with the government brings about a coup. Change is always triggered by dissatisfaction with the existent status quo. It may be for better or worse, but change is inevitable.
”Dissatisfaction drives dissonance, causing disruptive change to the current state”
Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, prime examples of common people intensely dissatisfied with the then current situations, transformed their thinking and became leaders of disruptive change. Likewise, in the business world, Steve Jobs, Tony Hsieh and Jeff Bezos, to name a few, changed business equations by simply being dissatisfied with the way things were and taking disruptive actions that have permanently altered the way we communicate and shop.
But none of this is possible if people change in isolation. It needs the participation of others. And this requires inducing the change in them, manifesting thoughts into actions. People participation adds credence to your thought as they buy into your belief and make it their own. The more people that are involved, the stronger the change.
Change is exponential once it catches on. But the first change begins with you. Don’t be afraid to change. Don’t camouflage your thinking by adapting to conventional norms. Whether you like it or not, change is inevitable. It’s your call to lead it, participate in it or just flow with the tide.
“Change is the only constant”. – Heraclitus, Greek philosopher.
