As usual, Greg Nathan‘s latest tip is thought-provoking…from crumbs to cataracts and then on to the connection between change and loss…and on to seeing the positive. Read on…

“I’ve always been a messy desk person. Actually, if I’m honest, I’m just messy. Crumbs on floors, scuffs on shoes, smudges on windows — these things don’t bother me. And for years I have lived in peace with my mess. Then two weeks ago my wife had the cataracts removed from her eyes.

At first I was delighted when I heard her comment enthusiastically “Look at that!” But now I cringe, because I no longer get away with coffee grinds on the bench or finger marks on the bathroom mirror. Even the dog has had to stop leaving his bits of rope and old socks lying around. Leo and I initially looked at each other in dismay, but we are now reconciled to the fact that our lives have changed forever under the mistress’s watchful new eyes.

The case of our newly enlightened household is a reminder that the gift of seeing things in a fresh way always comes with a cost. The price we pay is the realisation that things are going to have to change. And if we choose to deny what we have learned or seen, the price goes through the roof. Because people who hold on to the past, or ignore what they know needs to change, often end up losing the very thing they value.

This occurs not just in business, but also at the personal level. Perhaps it is realising that our bad habits are turning others against us, or that our business is losing its relevance to our customers. Yes, new knowledge and fresh insights always come at a cost, and that cost is the pain of change. Change hurts because it involves effort. We have to give up those easy old habits and learn new ways of thinking and doing things. We also have to let go of our attachment to our past successes and the way things were. In other words, we have to come to terms with loss.

Loss comes in many guises. There can be loss of certainty if we shift from an environment that was stable and predictable. A loss of status, or valued relationships, if we move from a position where we were well recognised and respected. Or a loss of convenience or money if we decide to change our business systems. A simple but powerful way to come to terms with change, is to acknowledge the loss that is linked to the change. Ask yourself, “What do I now have less of that I previously valued?” Naming and facing up to this loss reminds us that we have a choice on how we deal with the situation. This gets our brains working more creatively and is likely to produce the mental breakthrough we need to accept and adjust to our new circumstances.

Is there something you have recently learned about yourself, your business, or your life that has signalled a need for change? Have you admitted to yourself what you feel uncomfortable about, or what you are hanging onto? Are you able to name what you will now have less of? And most importantly, are you willing to put in the work to adjust to your new circumstances?

Back to my home situation, there’s been an interesting twist. The very same day my wife acquired her super vision, I lost my driver’s license, a result of numerous small speeding fines over the past 12 months. Ann had been warning me of these fines and that I needed to pay more attention to my driving, as the speed limit in our local neighbourhood had gone from 60kph to 40kph. But I was in denial about the risk and clearly hadn’t learned my lesson.

So I have lost the privilege of driving for the next six months. Now while she gets to tell me what needs to be done to clean up the house, I get to back seat drive as she chauffeurs me around. And because I can’t do those small errands anymore, the dog and I get to hang out together a bit more. It’s a cool reminder that while change hurts, it often also has its positives.

Speaking of positives, the Franchise Relationships Institute has just released its 2018 Positive Franchising Educational Program, which contains 10 strategies to practise positive franchising. If you haven’t received the brochure you can download a free copy here.”

Thanks, Greg, crossing our fingers that your time in the back seat yields more and more creative ideas and tips for us to enjoy! 😊

More soon…

Katrina

P.S. If you’re unfamiliar or would like to purchase copies of Greg’s transformational books, here’s more information.