Today’s Brilliance: Change Direction to Make a Change

I took this photo after a run.  As I admired the view, I realized that I was facing the direction I had just run.  That got me realizing that for many years, I have run on this same path, in the same direction.  Day after day, I entered the park, and chose the exact same route – turn to my right, run around the loop, stop.  The sameness was really grinding on me.

Then I started realizing, it can become sub-conscious to always choose the same route, and not just in running, but in everything you do.

Think about it, how much of this are you doing right now:

• Taking the same form of transportation to work every day
• Going to the same exercises classes every week (and feeling bored because you always do the same routine)
• Walking or driving home on the same streets every day
• Seeing the same people over and over
• Trying the same marketing strategies you always do

Routine, though comfortable, can also lead to boredom and, in business, to lack of results.  It occurred to me that if I had one area where I was doing the same thing and not changing my results, then that meant I had to look at where else in my business, and my life, I was relying on the same habits.

What I learned is that it wasn’t just the run – I wanted some changes in other areas of my life, and this epiphany helped me tap into those spaces and think about how I could bring about the change I wanted in each of them.  So, if you find yourself craving change, and unclear how to make it happen, here are some ideas:

1. Think about WHERE you want changes – life, weight, relationships, business?
2. Determine WHAT you want – e.g. to lose weight, to be happier, to have/get out of a relationship, to generate more income, etc
3. In each area where you want change, now think about what you are doing, habitually, to reach those goals that is no longer working
4. Figure out one new thing you can bring in to each area, and see what happens!

When I realized my running path was the same, I started running the other direction!  I know it seems crazy, but I felt like I had found an entirely new place to run – everything looked different from the other way!  The run seemed longer, I suddenly noticed scenery I had ignored, and it made the run more fun.

When you want to create change, anywhere, you have to create that change by making a change.