Change? What? Are you kidding!

Incremental or Significant Change? Why is change so hard?

Contrary to what you might think, incremental change is often more difficult to execute than significant change. A little change fosters a little better, or a little different. The problem we face with small change is that we are wired to choose short-term comfort over long-term pleasurable results -- and since change is usually uncomfortable, even small changes can cause us to struggle. When a change is incremental, it doesn't require us to get outside of our current paradigms -- our autopilot isn't challenged, and we don't change. This is the lesson: Incremental change delivers most of the pain of change and few of the benefits.

When you choose to create a significant change -- get a new job, increase your business by 100%, get married, go to college, retire, change the way you operate, pursue new markets, you then are faced with changes in all aspects of your life. Ironically, the pain of change may be less because you're expecting it, and at the same time, results kick in quicker and you are rewarded for your effort. None of your routines and unconscious behaviors are left untouched. When you undergo a significant change, you expect things to be different, and you anticipate that you will have to significantly change how you do things. This expectation and acceptance of big change eliminates any thoughts you may have that the changes are optional. You embrace the changes and your results reflect that. So don't go for small changes that don't challenge you -- pick a significant change that will dramatically improve your business or your life -- then commit to it.