Make a Change
I recently moved. As a result my daily routine changed.
I have to take a new train to work, I have to shop at a new grocery store, I had to find a new place to get a cup of coffee.
I hate moving, it is always a hassle. There was nothing wrong with the place I lived before; it had everything I needed, and it was convenient.
I knew that if I wanted to make things better than satisfactory it would require a lot of hard work. Nothing was broken, but I still moved.
We have a tendency to fall into routines and learn to accept little problems.
Now that everything is moved, my daily routine has a few new additions. Before I was about 2 miles from my gym, now I am about 2 blocks. The result? I have gone to the gym more times in the last 3 weeks than in the last 3 months.
We need to shake things up a bit. It’s harder in the business world, especially corporate. These kinds of change typically only come with a change in management, a reorg, or a merger.
Like moving, it’s hard work; but in the end sometimes you just have to get up and do it. Talking about it isn’t enough.
Before I moved I could have told myself, “I am going to go to the gym 5 times a week”–in fact, I often did. But it wasn’t until I was proactive about the change, it wasn’t until I moved, that I was able to actually reach my goal.
Don’t expect change, don’t expect innovation, unless you are willing to shake things up and do things a little different. Maybe a new vendor? Maybe an unproven business model or technology?
Change is risky, but without change we cannot innovate. Innovation is by definition something different; it requires a change. If you want to redefine your market, you have to make a change; you have to take a risk.
