Last week we talked about something in short supply—courage. Courage to dig into your business and go, to push forward when your “Greek Chorus” of well-meaning friends say “DON’T!” (or some other thing) to hold you back from what they believe will be pure doom.
Let’s talk about something associated, really required, to exercise your courage muscle. Something mandatory when you find yourself going (intentionally) where you’ve never been before…
The ability to change your mind. Easily.
Part of the reason it might be hard to step up and easily change your mind about heading down paths you’ve never traveled might rest in the very words used to describe folks who change their minds easily.
Words like “fickle, flighty, inconsistent, shallow, wishy-washy, indecisive, easily influenced, irrational, erratic”…and lots more.
Now on the other hand, take a look at the words people use to describe the opposite—someone who doesn’t change their minds easily.
“Steady as a rock, reliable, steadfast, consistent, solid, understandable, unfailing, dependable.”
Who would want to be described using the first list? Not me!!
Yet, that second list? Absolutely!! Please let everyone think of us that way!!! Those words make us feel powerful, confident and trustworthy.
But let’s be honest. The world we live in today demands leaders who can change their minds easily, be open-minded, and operate in ambiguity because something new happens every day. Or it seems like it.
In today’s world, a leader who can change their mind easily is really someone who is an inventive thinker, adaptable, open-minded, aware, curious, a troublemaker (in a good way), challenging, forward moving, insightful and more.
Change should become your favorite word. Change is no longer a dirty word. Change is mandatory for you to do what you want to do in your business, with your customers, and in your life.
Because if you don’t have the courage to change easily, you’ll become stubborn, closed-minded, narrow-minded, unyielding, trapped, righteous, and rigid.
And when you become stubborn, closed-minded, narrow-minded, unyielding, trapped, righteous, and rigid; you, your business, your family and your freedom become trapped, unyielding, entombed, fixed and immovable.
Have the courage to change. You have no idea how fast you’ll move.
Go forth and do great things.