Skip to main content

Change

The cliché is that nothing is more frightening than public speaking.  But I contend that change scares us even more.  Don’t get me wrong, public speaking is palms-sweating, heart-thumping scary, but we can plan, practice and prepare for it.  Change is all about The Great Unknown – and what’s scarier than that?

Of course, the cliché that most reasonably follows is: "the only constant is change."  Here’s the thing – it’s not just that change is inevitable, it’s also that it’s accelerating, and thanks to big-brained, opposable-thumb-wielding, upright-walking humans, probably always has been. 

I’m not physically agile:  gravity and I have never been friends and I’ve learned not to tempt it.  I’m also not particularly intellectually agile:  give me a minute (or 10) to figure out what’s going on around me.  If I can’t get there on my own, I can always spend some quality time with my best friend, Google, and hitch a ride.  What does have to be agile, though, is my attitude:  at the very least, I need to embrace the concept of change, whether I like it or not. 

This need is growing exponentially.  Each generation stands on the shoulders of the innovators of those that came before.  The taller that tower of innovation gets, the more powerful it becomes.  So we have to be adaptable.  When business isn’t working “the way we’ve always done it,” how do we make it work?  The simple answer is:  differently.

Personal change, political change, climate change, professional change, economic change – how do we cope?  With a significant birthday on my immediate horizon (and facing our own mortality is one of the scariest changes of all), I have actually spent the past year consciously seeking out change.  I got a new job in a completely different industry, joined a gym, started eating better, lost weight, made a trip that was three years in the planning, even tried Jello shots and falafel.  I also have plans to get a tattoo and confront my fear of heights (any tips on zip lining?).  I even got my gallbladder removed, and while that’s certainly not a change I planned or sought, it was a change to be dealt with just the same.  One of the changes I did plan on was to not be so opposed to change.  So bring on The Cloud and Artificial Intelligence and Katy Perry’s latest hair color and undeniable middle age.  I’ll try not to panic.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What motivates you?

My intention for this post was to wax rhapsodic about the motivational powers of music.  I would then elaborate on this theory by talking about the scientific evidence that our brains tell our hearts to beat at the same tempo as the music we’re listening to.  So for a really effective workout, we should listen to upbeat (120-130 bpm) music, whereas for concentration, we should listen to music that calms and focuses (about 60 bpm).  At this point I would segue brilliantly into the superior quality of Plantronics headsets that maximize the delivery of the right music for the occasion.  Finally, I would effectively come full circle and encourage you to turn up the music and get to work. I got distracted, though.  I polled co-workers, friends and family to see if I could find a common thread for motivation.  The answers ranged from the obvious (cash, survival), to the inspirational (excellence, curiosity), to the amusing (looking for lost keys, pickled bee...
Post a Comment
Read more

Can I Quote You?

I find people to be remarkably clever, and I’m often struck by their wit, wisdom, and ability to inspire.  But as much as I’m determined to commit their sagacity to memory, there’s just too much bouncing around up there for me to keep it all straight.  I’ll read or hear something that strikes me as profound and memorable, but if I don’t write it down, the best I can do is think, “There was this thing, that someone said one time, that seemed relevant, or important, or valuable.  I sure do wish I could remember what it was.”  So I started a list.  Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite things that other people have said: “All you need is love.  But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”  Charles Schulz “Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.”  George Washington “I don’t know much about being a millionaire, but I bet I’d be darling at it.”  Dorothy Parker “When you reach the end of your rope...
Post a Comment
Read more

The New Plantronics Voyager 8200 UC

When kids feel slighted or jealous, they’re likely to accuse their parents of favoritism.  I’ve let my children know, from the get-go, that I probably do have a favorite, but don’t panic.  My bias is fluid and easily won.  This is a carefully thought-out and tested philosophy intended to keep the young’uns on their toes and kissing up, which is right where I like them.  Now that I have access to the latest and greatest Plantronics’ offerings, it turns out that my choice of headsets can also be swayed.  But I’ve never denied being fickle. Not long ago, I waxed rhapsodic about the Voyager Focus, its superior noise cancelling, comfort, and the way it helped me concentrate and get work done.  Recently, though, I started using the new Voyager 8200 UC, and, well, be still my beating heart. The 8200 is Plantronics’ latest offering in the Bluetooth enterprise headset market.  It’s modeled on the amazing BackBeat Pro 2, and looks more like a cons...
Post a Comment
Read more