The Art of Changing Course

Introduction

There's an old saying that goes, “Be like the wind and change with ease and without contempt.”

The only problem is that you're not wind, and change is not that easy.

Philosophically, change is the only constant in life, so you'd think it would be relatively easy to master over time. Yet, change remains one of the most difficult recurrences in life.

From growing up and no longer being able to eat chicken nuggets every day to navigating corporate mergers and everything in between, change is constant.

And it can be exhausting at times.

Twelve‐year‐old me wanted nothing more than to be a veterinarian.

Seventeen‐year‐old me would have joined the military if he didn't have diabetes.

Nineteen‐year‐old me knew he would become a lawyer.

Twenty‐two‐year‐old me graduated with an exercise science degree.

Twenty‐seven‐year‐old me stopped hiding his disability.

Thirty‐year‐old me built a professional speaking business on change.

Thirty‐three‐year‐old me still loves chicken nuggets.

You could say changing course is my forte, but to be honest, I've been forced to change course many times—positive changes and negative changes, internal changes and external changes—and it took me a long time to learn how to navigate change effectively.

Unless you're dead, you've also experienced change. And if you're living, you will continue to experience change.

While change is constant, there is an art to it. I believe that our ability to adapt (or not) to our evolving needs determines our quality ...