Change: What can we learn from David Bowie?

Some of you may recognize the lyrics from David Bowie’s song, Change.   Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes (Turn and face the strain). 

If your goal is to be the best you can be then your personal growth will be dependent upon your ability to incorporate positive behavioral change in your life.   Yet, so many people do not grow because they are reluctant to change.  There are three main reasons behind this resistance to change: uncertainty, avoidance of the discomfort sometimes associated with conflict, and lack of purpose.

Uncertainty: The fear of the unknown is a biggie.  There is a certain risk factor with all change and most of us are not risk junkies.   We prefer our old habits even if they are counterproductive.   We will do almost anything not to change ourselves (i.e., change jobs, friends, etc.) In the long run this is a bust.   We are still holding on to the same attitudes.  What we need to do is identify and confront our fears and work towards overcoming them.

Discomfort and Conflict:  These feelings came from within ourselves or others around us.  When we make the decision to change our habits and attitudes it may have an impact on others in our sphere of influence.  These changes we are trying to incorporate for our own self- development may not be readily received from the get go and may cause conflict or discomfort.  Similarly, as we move forward with our positive behavioral change we may encounter some personal discomfort.  After all, the habits we are trying to change have been with us for a while.

Lack of purpose: Change for the sake of change is not the goal we are striving for.  We want to have a clear vision of where we are going before we start to make any changes.

Take the time to define your purpose and the goals that you want to achieve.  From there you can identify the positive behavioral changes you would like to implement and be on the path to realizing your dreams.