One of the most irritating things working for the FBI was their transfer policy—it was always changing and it was always dictated by the needs of the Bureau. When you received an assignment you didn’t like, you could either accept it or quit. There was very little room for negotiation or discussion.
As a new agent, I worked on two different squads in six months. It is also the FBI’s policy to rotate agents to various parts of the country. In the first three years, I was transferred to three different cities.
It was not easy to pull up roots, disrupt relationships, and start over with each new transfer or assignment. The anxiety level went up because there was nothing but tension and uncertainty ahead of me.
When we don’t know what the future holds, it doesn’t matter whether we’re starting a new job or being transferred across the country—the fear of change is there.
The only ones who like change are babies with wet diapers—and that’s because they know what to expect. The rest of us are left trying to understand how to cope with the unexpected in life and the fear that change produces.
Our resistance to change finds its roots in fear of the unknown.
Change means moving into our discomfort zone. Psychologists explain that victims of domestic violence are often so afraid of changing the status quo that they stay in abusive relationships rather than risk the unknown. For those who experience continual physical or emotional abuse, the abuse has become their comfort zone.
This is why it is so hard for them to move out—it has become familiar, predictable and known. Ironically, moving in the direction of “safety” is actually moving into their discomfort zone.
The truth of the matter is that you will never be able to control everything. You need to have faith that things will work out because sometimes what you can’t change, ends up changing you and in the process helps you grow as a person.
Leaders who successfully navigate change know they are empowered because they have resilience, an important component of mental toughness. They are capable of getting through anything.
Here are 9 tough truths about change. It:
1. Places You Where You Should Be
As crazy as it sounds, every situation teaches you important lessons about yourself and your reaction to your situation. Often, when things are falling apart, they are actually falling into place.
2. Allows You To Leave The Life You Don't Want
Making a big life change is scary. The only thing scarier is not making it and staying in the rut in which you now find yourself.
3. Brings Out True Friends
Talk is cheap so pay attention to which people stick with you during the changes you experience in life. Change brings out the true quality of your relationship in the long term.
4. Exists To Teach You Lessons
Life is full of mystery and every time you experience change, you are better prepared to embrace the adventure of living.
5. Reminds You That You Are Not Always In Control
Surrender can be difficult, but change reminds you that sometimes it’s OK to let go.
6. Empowers You To Grow Into Your Full Potential
While you’d rather not admit it, the deepest pain you’ve experienced in your life has produced the greatest growth. It’s the tough and painful choices that end up being the most worthwhile. Just remember that while pain can teach you a lesson, it must also be released.
7. Nudeges You Forward
While you’d rather not admit it, the deepest pain you’ve experienced in your life has produced the greatest growth. It’s the tough and painful choices that end up being the most worthwhile. Just remember that while pain can teach you a lesson, it must also be released.
8. Keeps You From Getting Stuck In The Past
Nostalgia can be a good thing at times, but if it keeps you chained to visions of what you used to be, it’s time to embrace who you can become . You risk an empty state of mind if you cannot move beyond a fabled past. By living in the past, you construct self-limiting beliefs about what you can do in the future.
9. Helps You Find Your Higher Self
The deepest part of you will never change. You are created by God to be the person you are. Life’s unpredictability becomes easier when you connect with that part of yourself.
Change can empower you to lead with your personal strengths and a strong mind.
What have you learned change in your life?