At some point, everyone wants to make changes in their life and career. However, not many people know how to go about doing it. One sure way to create change is to embrace new perspectives and ways of thinking about how you start and successfully continue the process of change. This week we are sharing (5) five questions to ask yourself about how to approach embracing something new. These ideas will help you re-frame and re-focus your perspective on creating the change you hope to see in your life.
1. Do you rely heavily on other people’s opinions and input when doing something new? You can and should get input and feedback. However, you should not constantly ask others what they think YOU should do. Next time you’re thinking about trying something new, gather the information and then take action - without having others weigh in or walk you through the process.
2. When things go wrong, is the first person on your list who is responsible – someone else? The first person you should look to for reasons why something has not worked out as it should is yourself. Next time you find yourself wondering why something is the way it is – challenge yourself to by taking a hard look at the role that you had to play.
3. Do you hold onto people, places, and things longer than you should? If you are the type to hold onto bad relationships or even clothing that is no longer useful – chances are you are holding onto a job (and life) that you need to release. If you really want to change your life and career – start by changing yourself followed by the people, places, and things in it.
4. Do you look to other people for a roadmap on how to live your life? You can gain inspiration from other people, but their life is not a roadmap on how to live your own. Next time you are tempted to make a life choice based solely on how it worked out for someone else – STOP! Remind yourself that no two people travel the same life path and make a decision that is right for you.
5. Do you say you don’t have the time or money to make career and life changes yet find yourself spending time and money on things that really don’t matter or help you achieve your goals? We all need downtime, but we also need to spend the majority of our free hours on things that will actually create the change we want. It’s tempting to say that you can be a cheerleader for others but not for yourself. When in fact, the real reason you don’t put yourself out there or first is because you are afraid of taking risks and making changes.
This week, take the first step of change as embracing an alternative way of thinking. If you want different results, you must first adopt a different way of doing things.