Change

No matter where you are in your career or in your personal life, one thing is certain...To be successful you need to be able to adapt to change. Methods and techniques that worked in the past may not be effective today. Technological advances are occurring at such a rapid rate that methods, materials, and even tools that worked well in the past are becoming obsolete before they’ve had a chance to get worn out.

The word “change” technically doesn’t even make any sense, because nothing ever stays the same, it’s always changing. But if you’re not adapting, and not changing, isn’t that the same thing as being not teachable? And if you’re not teachable, that means you’ve learned everything there is to learn. Then, guess what? You’re obsolete.

For me to be successful, Mike Holt Enterprises needs to be aware of the newest technology, the latest way of delivering information, and state-of-the-art ways of making graphics and videos. I’ve been in business for over 40 years, and it doesn’t mean a thing. It’s what I’m doing today for tomorrow that matters.

So how do you deal with change? Be open and willing to learn...

• Embrace it. Either you’re going to fight it, or you’re going to say, “You know what? Change is my friend.” Do your research and find out what kind of technology is available. You don’t just do everything—you evaluate first. Everything I do is calculated. I’m not just going to use it, I’m going to find out how I can use it for my application.
• Expect failure if you oppose it. It’s just not a scenario. All progress requires change.
• See the opportunity for growth. If somebody else is not changing, guess what? You just moved yourself up the ladder of success, because you started changing and adapting. Conversely, if you don’t change, you may lose opportunities because others will decide to go with someone who is current and flexible for change.
• Use it as a competitive tool. Not every change means progress, but if you don’t know if it will work, you have to try it, or you’ll never know. If you try it and it doesn’t work, you’ll know not to do it again! I’m not saying that this will necessarily work for everybody—that’s my model. My assumption is that I’ve already evaluated it and I’ve calculated the risks involved, and if it’s an acceptable risk, then it’s worth it for me to do.
  

It’s natural to resist change because it’s easier to do things the same way you’ve always done them. Everyone has his or her own level of resistance to new things, but if you embrace change and consider it an opportunity to learn and grow, you’ll find it much easier. Making necessary changes might be nothing more than practicing a new technique or learning a new way of using a familiar tool.

Be aware of what’s coming, and what’s shifting so you can be proactive and make smart decisions, instead of being surprised by the inevitable changes that life brings.