How to Succeed in Changing Times
By Jay Forte
We have access to so much information that change happens at an epic pace. Change is here. Change is now. Change is our new normal.
So how do we (as creatures of habit) succeed in changing times? Develop your ARC: Adaptability, Resilience and Curiosity.
Adaptability. Our limbic brains are generally on high alert in periods of change since “change” is often associated with “danger.” However, we can train this part of the brain to see change as a positive event by teaching ourselves how to roll with it. Stop and notice your level of adaptability. Ask yourself these questions:
- How do I learn to give myself several different endings to each of my stories?
- What’s my plan B for something I am working on now?
- How can I remind myself that when the world zigs, I may need to zag?
See what new things show up and how that could make your work, relationships and life more interesting.
Resilience. Get back up and keep going. This is likely the most important skill we can both learn and teach our kids, friends and fellow employees. When things change, we often approach them in old and outdated ways, which can often lead to the same, tired results. So when things don’t work out, how do we develop the stamina, the fortitude and the resilience to try something different instead of giving up? Stop and notice your level of resilience. Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I get back up and keep going, or do I check out when things don’t work?
- What encourages me?
- What stops me?
- What is one thing I can do today to be more resilient?
- Who do I know to be resilient and how can I learn this trait from them?
Curiosity. Being curious about what’s coming next can help you look forward to change. Think of the opportunities. Think of the potential. Think of what can make where you are, or what you are doing, better. Developing a sense of curiosity helps you see the world from a possibilities perspective instead of from one of anxiety or fear. Stop and notice your level of curiosity. Ask yourself these questions:
- How often do I ask “how about?” to expand my thinking?
- How often do I make time to wonder, dream and imagine?
- Who do I know to be curious and open to change, possibilities and options and how can I learn from them?
In a world that constantly changes, how will you be ready to play big, handle whatever life sends your way and show up doing what it is you are best at and called to do? Think ARC – Adaptability, Resilience and Curiosity.
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