Cause change & lead. Accept change & survive. Resist change & die.
Ray Norda
This inspiring quote puts a spin on the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. The question is, how do YOU handle change? Which of the above categories do you fit into?
Some people choose to handle change by creating it. These are the proactive visionaries who aren’t afraid of change, who aren’t afraid of the challenges that leaders face. Not everyone can participate in this category, and that’s alright. Where would the leaders be without followers?
Many of us have learned to accept change and just hang on…survive. Hunker down and weather the storm. This is a healthy place to be knowing that "the one constant is change". People in this middle category usually find that the door that closed led to another door opening, and they begin to see the positive awaiting them through this new door.
Finally, there are those who choose to participate in the final category – the negative reactionaries who suffer from ulcers, chronic fatigue, and headaches that result from banging their heads against the wall. While there is value in questioning the changes around you, there is little value in resisting the inevitable. There is little value in having short-sighted vision. There is little value in stagnation.
Some of us have the courage to cause change. Most of us find a way to accept change. A few of us always fight it, ultimately finding ourselves on the short end of the stick. Ally yourself with those successful people in the first two groups. Change is hard, change is challenging, change is the only thing that you can always count on to build your strengths and improve your understanding.
Take control of change and convince yourself that nothing grows without it. Repeat Ray Norda’s words like a mantra every morning to remind yourself just how much power you have.
I much prefer the Serenity Prayer !