How do you know when you need to make a change?

Sometimes change is easy. A major life event often precedes swift and “seemingly easy” change. Choices are limited and the path is clear.

Your company is struggling financially and you are laid off, a partner or family member dies, or you receive an unexpected medical diagnosis. In extreme and traumatic situations, change is forced upon you, and you must act. There is no time to think about whether you want to change, or whether the situation warrants responding differently, you must simply pivot and adapt.

At other times, change is not linear nor seemingly easy. There is not a single event that propels clear action. In most situations, change is a series of efforts that look more like a pattern of waves rather than a simple, straightforward upward trajectory. Up and down, back and forth, curvy and windy, that’s the path that most change processes take. In spite of that, we often judge ourselves for not making change quickly in a neat linear fashion, because we may believe that change should be fast, progressive, and linear. But change is hard, and sometimes painful, and we typically need to put forward multiple efforts before sustaining lasting change. Most of the time we need to collect data in the form of experiences, relationships, and conversations. Sometimes it takes a while to understand that we need to change or that we even want to change.

Approach Change Like a Scientist

It’s helpful to step back from our problems and think like a scientist when we start to consider making a change. To approach the change process like a scientist, follow the steps below:

• The first thing to do when you observe a problem is nothing. Just notice. Clearly define the concern, issue, or problem. Then just watch and observe, capturing as much information as possible.
• Next, track and record the data. What are the patterns that you notice? What are the associated thoughts and feelings? Write it down. Visualize your inner scientist, get out your clipboard, and write your observations down in a journal or some other record keeping system.
• Review your observations and assess next steps. You may need to pause here. Recording the observations may be all that you can do right now, and that’s okay. But maybe you feel motivated to take the next step, and that’s okay too.
• If you feel motivated to proceed, make a plan for change. Create a vision or a map for how you will move, slowly and methodically, toward your end goal. Recognize that you may not execute your plan exactly as you envisioned and that’s okay. As explained above, change often looks like a series of waves rather than a simple straightforward line. Just notice when you veer off course and come back. Treat the “missteps” as data and see what you can learn from that experience, revise your plan, and begin again.
• Finally, enlist support. We all need supportive partners when making big life changes. Who can you rely on for support, coaching, and accountability as you embark on your change journey?

Ready to make a change? Reach out for support.