MONDAY MINDSET: CHANGE REQUIRES CHANGE

WEEK OF 7/22/24

 

Change requires change.

Obvious statement there, of course.  If we want things to be different, then things will need to be different.

Yet this seemingly simple idea is incredibly difficult to implement into our lives and habits.

As a martial arts coach, I am constantly inspecting, evaluating, and adjusting form.  I’m giving cues, analogies, drills, and different perspectives to a diverse group of students — all of which are intended to drive change in movement, mindset, and behavior.

But the human spirit is stubborn.  We resist change.  We want the world to change around us without having to make any changes ourselves.

The person you are today is not the person who is going to be, for example, throwing the perfect body kick.  They are different people.  Change is required.  Because if you were that person, then you would already be throwing the perfect body kick.  Understand?

That other person maybe has better balance, or maybe thinks about training in a different way.  That person may be more consistent, may have lost some weight, and may have significantly improved their core stability.  That person has also let go of the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that may have been holding them back from improving their skill.  If your body kick isn’t where you want it to be, then doing what you’re doing isn’t going to make it any different.  Change requires change.

Now, replace “perfect body kick” with “living a happier and more fulfilling life.”

The person who is happier and more fulfilled is, by definition, someone different than who you are now.

It requires change.

Change is tough — we avoid it because it’s often easier to stick with what we know and be “good enough” than to stake out in search of something better.

And, to be fair, not everything has to be perfect.  Not everything has to improve.  But if you desire improvement, if you want to approach perfection, then you will have to leave yourself behind and embrace the change in front of you.