ToddLay

January 6, 2021

How do you address change?
Are you taking on change by leaning in on your front foot or are you affected by change on your back foot? 

It’s best to embrace the idea of change and being a change agent. And what I mean by that is, think about looking at changing before you have to. It is because the problem is, and I’ve experienced this many times in the past, is that if you fail to change before you have to, you often become the victim of change.

Areas of Change 
The first area is “the now“. We are talking about this year 2021 and the next 12 months. You need to look at where you are now and where you’ve come from. 

2020, was for many of us, highly unpredicted. But to look at over this new year, is that, are you going to go ahead and set up a plan for your future as much as you can? Or are you going to let this 2021 come to you?

Are you going to let it be the case? The now I stated means change before you have to. It’s not always just about money, obviously. But also to go ahead and look at it as is, look at where are you right now with your health, your diet, so many times people may only make that change after the heart attack.

There are many things you can be looking at and be reminded to go ahead and make that change now. Whether it’s to say no more wine, no more beer. Or maybe it’s no more meat or changing to a different diet for a different but better outcome, you need to start now. 

Maybe you actually literally need to move with your feet and pick up and move out of your environment. I heard recently a great example of this is that sometimes you need to change the water. When I first heard that I thought, “What do you mean by changing the water?” Well, if you’re a fish in a fishbowl, your environment is the water, and sometimes you need to change the water. Change your environment. 

This is where the second area comes in. If you want different results of what it is you’re trying to achieve, sometimes you just have to pick and leave. Whether it’s temporary or not like long-term over the next 24 to 36 months.

One great example of this is toxic relationships. In some relationships, you just need to look at it distance yourself. For instance, the people who you regularly hang out with, look at what you always talk about. And are you looking to participate in a higher level, higher value conversation on a regular basis? It’s because sometimes, you need to. We all have 168 hours a week, there are times we like to revel into the details. Small talk usually doesn’t generate what we want.

The third area is “the opportunity”. What kind of opportunities do you have coming up? Alan Kay once said that the best way to tell a future is to go ahead and create the future yourself. One of the ways you can actually look at doing that is setting up this new year. Do more of what you want and put some of those priorities in place. Whether it’s work, family, church, making sure that those are the rocks, the boulders that go in place in your life. 

Planning ahead so you can see the opportunities in your future is very important. You can even plan for 2022 up to 2023. Making a list or filling out a calendar is useful. 

The last area of change is looking at your strengths and your strengths only. A lot of times, many of us might either take them for granted. So you need to actually inventory those strengths and literally write them down. You will look at everything and ask yourself if there is a thing or two that you need to cut.

You also need to list things that you think need improvement on. Improvement of the skills that I’m going to take into this next year. Not just skills but relationships and all the little details that add up to your life. 

I would like to hear from you all. Do you have any New Year plans? If there are things I can help you with, don’t hesitate to message me here. Also, if there are any structures that you like to go through to set up your new year for success? Just email me at support@simplebackoffice.com

TODD LAY
Chief Experience Officer
SimpleBackOffice

“Know Your Numbers, Know Your Business”
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