I have a book on my shelf at home entitled "Change is Inevitable, Growth is Optional." For a long time I didn't really understand what that meant. Change is hard! I probably try to avoid change as much as possible. But think about it: How many times have you moved and had to learn your way around a new place or get used to a new routine? You may have learned a lot about yourself and how you can adapt to new situations. You grew through the experience into the person you are now. These opportunities appear in our business lives, too. Our Multiple Listing Service was upgraded a few months ago, and boy was that a change! Now my company is changing to a new method of setting showings on our listings. One of our agents just commented to me that along with the MLS changes, this is really too much change in a year! And the year isn't even half over yet!
Every day brings new challenges and change to the ways we are used to doing things. I think many people look on change as a negative because they don't want to change themselves or their habits. Changes will occur around us, but we have a choice whether we will grow as a result of the change. This is the improvement part. Take the MLS upgrade, for example. We still have agents who refuse to learn how to utilize the system. They complain that it's too hard, or they don't have time, or they don't think it's necessary. What they are missing is the opportunity to work on their business by being able to take advantage of the many tools available through the MLS system to provide information to potential clients. Change is inevitable. We live in a world that relies on multiple means of communication and information transfer. Growth is optional. We can choose to stick with the way we've always done it or embrance the options that change bring and improve our business. It's really up to each individual to decide.
Don't get me wrong--not all change is positive. But any change brings with it the opportunity for growth and/or improvement. Think about it: What changes have you faced in the past year or so in your business and how have you reacted to them? Do you embrace change and look for growth opportunities or do you react negatively to change? Are you getting the support you need to achieve growth in your business when faced with change?
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