"Nothing endures but change" - Heraclitus (Ancient Greek Philosopher)Above are several famous quotes, each touching upon a different characteristic of change. Change is described by Wikipedia as "the transition that occurs between one state to another". Heraclitus was very insightful when he observed 2500 years ago that the world is ever changing. To this day, people, society, languages, television shows, etc. are constantly changing. This happens because change not only provides an escape of the mundane but is necessary for innovation and growth. Jack Welch's words of wisdom, in addition to echoing Heraclitus' observation of the perdurability of change, also insinuates that change has an internal and external component. People can choose to change or be forced by the external environment to change. Churchill touches upon the "direction" of change, which can be good or bad. A person's value system will determine how they view change and whether they will support or fight it. Machiavelli states eloquently the common experience that change is hard. Change is so difficult because it requires you to step out of your comfort zone with no promise of desired results.
"Change before you have to" - Jack Welch (Corporate CEO)
"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction" - Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister during World War II)
"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things." - Niccolo Machiavelli (Italian Diplomat and Political Philosopher)
Change is one of those amorphous topics that is difficult to study because it is far easier to focus on the result of change rather than on the process of change. It is important to understand how the process of change works so one can effectively initiate change or recognize when change is occurring around or to them. Interestingly, a study of chemistry has provided me with some insights into the process of change.
In chemistry, an important recurring concept is dynamic equilibrium which occurs when two opposing processes proceed at the same rate. The word "dynamic" is used to emphasize the constant motion during equilibrium even though it may seem to be at a standstill. The main principle associated with predicting effects of a change during equilibrium was one founded by Henry Louis Le Chatelier. Le Chatelier's principle basically states that if any system at equilibrium is disturbed by a change, then the equilibrium shifts to partially counter-act the imposed change. A common example would be in a chemical reaction at dynamic equilibrium and if more reactants are added, then the equilibrium would shift to reduce the reactants by producing more products. The reverse also holds true so if more products are added to the equilibrium, then the equilibrium would shift to reduce products by producing more reactants.
This idea of dynamic equilibrium occurs often outside the world of chemistry. The stock market, like all free markets, is governed by the economic law of supply and demand. Stock prices rise when demand exceeds supply and drops when supply exceeds demand. When the supply (people selling) is equal to demand (people buying), dynamic equilibrium exists as the stock price enters into a tight range and seemingly stops moving. Homeostasis, the body's stable and constant condition is maintained by using several dynamic equilibrium adjustments and mechanisms. Muscle strength, unless you are actively exercising, is usually in a state dynamic equilibrium. When using your muscles for everyday activities, muscle mass is neither gained nor lost. It is not until you vary your daily muscle usage that this equilibrium begins to shift.Many people live their lives trapped in dynamic equilibrium. Things are moving (everyday routines and even busy lifestyles) but they aren't really going anywhere, they feel bored or they don't make self improvements (mind, body or soul). From my observations and experiences, I believe that the reason why this occurs is because changing is uncomfortable. Having to leave the shelter of one's "security blanket" can foster feelings of vulnerability and uncertainty. The magnitude of change is directly proportional to the discomfort experienced. Just think about the chaos, violence and uncertainty during the French Revolution (Reign of Terror) or how you felt when you were going through puberty.
In addition to being uncomfortable, breaking out of dynamic equilibrium/consolidation, as any trader or investor will attest, requires significant energy. This is due to the natural tendency for things to gravitate towards the mean. Stock prices, during consolidation (people buying = people selling), will always regress towards the mean unless there is considerable momentum one way or the other to break out of the range. During this breakout, there is a period of volatility and uncertainty as investors cannot yet discern if this is a false breakout or not. Like stock breakouts, people implementing changes (career change, relocating to a new city, starting or ending a relationship) in their life will always feel a degree of uncertainty and doubt until they are again able to establish a dynamic equilibrium in their lives.
If it is so difficult to change, why bother? Because change is inevitable and if you know change is coming, it is always better to preempt it by choosing to change rather than being forced to change. Change is also the conduit for people to grow and improve themselves. If you want to be stronger, smarter and less bored, then you need to shift your dynamic equilibrium to the next level. Change, as aforementioned, is directional. It can be good or bad. For future examples, assume that an upward shift in equilibrium is a desirable change and a downward shift is an undesirable change.
Keeping in mind Le Chatelier's principle and that change can be initiated internally or caused externally (out of your control), here are some ways to help you change for the better:
- Challenge Yourself: A challenge is the disturbance that will shift your equilibrium in the direction to make the challenge less of a challenge (Le Chatelier's principle). Imagine lifting weights, if you increase the amount of weight you normally use, your body will automatically grow your muscles so as to make that weight seem lighter the next time you try to lift it. The harder the challenge (greater the disturbance) the greater the shift in equilibrium. Since breaking out of equilibrium already requires significant energy, it is possible to "over-challenge" yourself and not have the required energy to break out of the equilibrium (lifting weights that are too heavy).
- Discomfort is a State of Mind: How you view discomfort will go a long way in terms of how you change. Sticking with the weight training analogy, those who adopt a "No Pain, No Gain" mentality will usually fare better than those who complain about muscle soreness and fatigue. Stepping out of your comfort zone risks failure (thoughts on failure discussed in the Chemistry of Learning article) since you are entering a realm of uncertainty. The only way to be comfortable with discomfort is to practice stepping out of your comfort zone (Le Chatelier's principle). Learn a new sport, language, musical instrument, dance, etc. and go out and do things you would not normally do (safe and legal things like singing karaoke in front of strangers).
- Change is a Two Way Street: Be wary that Le Chatelier's principle also applies to the reverse direction of change. If a musician or athlete stops practicing, the dynamic equilibrium will shift to a state where the musician or athlete will need more practice to achieve the same results thus the musician becomes rusty and the athlete becomes slow and less skillful. So it is not only important to shift your dynamic equilibrium up but also to prevent it from shifting down.
Remember the words of Robert C. Gallagher: "Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine." --> So Embrace It and Use Exact Change!
Recommended Reading: Leading Change by John P. Kotter The Dance of Change: Challenges to Sustaining Momentum in Learning Organizations by Peter M. Senge
1 comment:
People are afraid of change because they do not know what the future holds and would rather hang tight to the present or the past even if they hate it because at least it is certain. People need to realize that change is indeed inevitable and that sometimes (many times) change is good. Do not be afraid to change!
AK
Post a Comment