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Resistance: Stepping into the Unknown

Yesterday I explained that there were many real reasons why people resist Change. I thought it might be interesting to explore these in a little more detail. So today, “Why standing still is never an option”.

If you think about it, the idea we can avoid Change is ludicrous. It is happening all around us all the time. Look in the mirror and you will probably notice the odd change or two; look in your wallet next time you fill up your car; turn on the TV and see what kind of shows are on today. Change really is a fact of Life and is avoidable.

However, and here is a key element, in order to feel safe, we need to feel in control. Control equals choice. So if I am able to choose not to do something, I must be in control and the world is a safe place!

When Cortes landed in South America, to claim it for Spain, he burnt his fleet of boats to ensure the men were ‘motivated’ to go forwards. Interestingly, if you ever need to lead a horse from a burning stable, you have to blindfold it to get it to move to safety. Burning platforms can work, but they have to be relevant and compelling for the individual concerned.

The Flight / Fight mechanism will keep us locked up and static, till our fear threshold is lowered enough that we can respond rationally to what is being asked of us, so quoting logical facts and figures before the emotional baggage is ditched is doomed to failure.

So step 1 in Change, is deal with the emotions, help people to feel safe.

“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” Marie Curie
“Fear is a darkroom where negatives develop.” Usman B. Asif

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This entry was posted on Thursday, June 5th, 2008 at 09:51 and is filed under Business Change, Communication, Flight / Fight, Personal Change. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “Resistance: Stepping into the Unknown”

  1. Sotiris says:
    6 June , 2008 at 13:29

    Change is a wonderful thing. In all our lives everything is in constant change.
    See the nature …the weather is in constant change, the trees are growing, the water is flowing, the sun is moving, our bodies, habits, loves is constantly change and as Heracletus said: Τα Παντα Ρειν (Everything is flowing).

    So Change is very important in our life as an experience and is a way of Living.
    Change Means Life.
    When you afraid of change you go against the Law of Life…you are actually dead.

    Afraid is another key word…people are afraid they stop have faith and connection of what they really are and their purpose here which is evolution, learning and creating.

    There are many ways of not to have fear but this is not the case to mention it now.

    I have seen many people having dreams when they are young, be open in every change, be creative and imaginative and when they grow up they loose the ability to dream and live…they stop changing … they are dead.

    I understand that people need to feel secure before any change but if we look even deeper to this,….people need to Be free and to understand the challenge in this beautiful small big Life…the challenge of Learning, Creating and Changing as this is Life.

    Sotiris Zafeiris – http://www.immersive360.com

  2. richardderwentcooke says:
    6 June , 2008 at 13:43

    Sotiris

    Thanks that is absolutely perfect… Great! Love it!

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