Change
Change is gonna come. You better welcome it. Change is gonna come. And gonna set you free. Change is gonna come. You better welcome it. Change is gonna come. And it is gonna set you free.
We’re terrible at predicting change
Why are we afraid of change? We’re bad at adapting to it, anticipating it, and in some cases accepting it. This is illustrated in the psychological phenomenon called “End of History Illusion”. Basically Humans are good at recognizing changes in the past but are terrible at predicting how much we’ll change in the future. I often think about what the version of me from 20 or even just 10 years ago would think of me now. I know he’d be shocked at everything we’ve gone through. At the massive philosophical, physical, and spiritual changes that have shaped who I am today.
Creating Change
We’re all terrible at accepting change and predicting change but change is going to happen. Is there anything we can do to help make this process easier?
There is but it’s going to make you uncomfortable. You have to create change. Stop waiting for it to happen and create the change you want in your life. Let me share an example that will resonate with many of you. Especially if you’ve spent time working in Tech.
You have a comfortable 9-5 job. Maybe you’re working from home. You dread going to work every single day. You get intense Sunday Scaries every weekend. You put in overtime and say yes to every extra project because you know that’s what’s expected if you want to keep your job. Deep down you know you’re not a good fit for the company/role. You should quit but you don’t. You stay because the stress and anxiety of staying is outweighed by the fear of the unknown. The fear of change.
Does any of this sound familiar? You’re not feeling this way because you’re lazy or lack ambition. You’re feeling this way because you’re working towards goals you don’t believe in for people you don’t like. Your personal values aren’t aligned with what you spend most of your time doing.
Embrace the Suck
If your’e feeling this pain why is it hard to pull the trigger and initiate change?
Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.
Our human brains would rather deal with a shitty known than a potential much healthier and happier unknown. So learn to embrace the suck. Like exposure therapy it will get easier to create the change you want every time you do it. The feelings of anxiety and fear will never go away, it will just be easier to manage and push through.