The Morning Blend: Take A Chance on Change!
Brad Raney | Mar 30, 2011 | Comments 0
Those of you who have read a few of these blog posts know that I get inspiration for the topics in a wide variety of ways. Sometimes it’s my kids antics, something interesting I’ve seen on TV or at a live event, a big sports moment, and even from a sermon at church.
Well, today’s inspiration came in a very subtle, almost invisible manner. Friday was the start of spring break for my kids, so my wife decided that we needed a long weekend at the beach to kick-off the festivities. Sounded fine to me, so off we went to a lovely condo on Fernandina Beach, to relax and soak up the first real Florida sunshine of the spring.
I am half Irish and half Scottish, and my skin color looks the part. Our almost six hours in the sun on Saturday caused some damage to my Great-Britain-pale epidermis, leaving my chest and my feet a little worse for wear. Today I found myself back out in the sun, but this time sporting a T-shirt (to cover up the red splotchiness on my upper torso) and a lovely small white towel to cover my feet (which looked like someone had spilled a hot pot from the stove onto several toes on each foot).
Rather than running around the beach today, I had be calm to soothe my injuries. I watched the waves and calmly sat in my chair, sipped an adult beverage, and quietly listened to the Pandora app on my iPhone. I had it tuned to my “Jimmy Buffett” channel and lots of songs about oceans, and boats, and drinking were popping up one at a time. I wasn’t thinking at all about my blog post (I almost always write them on Sunday night) – I was just chill-axin’ (as my 14 year old daughter says) and enjoying a beautiful Northeast Florida day.
Jimmy Buffett’s “Changes In Attitudes, Changes In Attitudes” tune ended, and up popped Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide”. I noticed that both songs had words and themes about change, and I thought that was kind of odd to hear them back to back. Then, I glanced over to my left and I watched as the rising tide encroached on a small sandcastle that a boy about 5 years old had worked on for almost an hour before he and his parents went inside. In just a few seconds, the boy’s glorious castle, complete with moat, bridge and seashells on the top to look like a turret, was turned into a mushy pile of sand by one wave – and then completely obliterated by a following one.
Now I’m not the brightest bulb in the box, but my red alert radar went off and I knew that the two songs about change and the site of the castle demolition right after them were no accident. I got that little voice saying “there’s your blog theme for today, stupid – change! Look around, you’re in a spot where change is happening every second!”
It’s true. The beach is a wonderful environment to observe because it’s in constant motion and modification. Waves of different sizes roll onto the beach. Some waves bring new shells and small fish to the shore, while others grab and pull other sea life and debris back out the great ocean. Clouds form and then disperse, almost at will. Sun light is blazing hot one minute and then is obscured for a moment by haze and a cool breeze takes over. In the morning, the tide is out and the beach is large, but by the afternoon, the tide rises and consumes more of the land. Frankly, if you don’t like change in your life, don’t go to the beach!
Lyrics in each of the songs also echoed the change theme in my head. Buffett wrote: “Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, nothing remains quite the same; with all of our running and all of our cunning, if we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane.” Fleetwood Mac’s take on change was a bit more serious: ” Well, I’ve been afraid of changing, ’cause I built my life around you; but time makes you bolder, children get older, I’m getting older too.”
I view change as an opportunity to learn and to do something new in your life. In it’s primary essence, my book is basically about change and how it can take your life in the direction you’ve always wanted it to go. However, committing to change is not always easy. I have a quote about change from Rick Warren on the wall in my office – it’s a quote that appears in every one of my presentations and is featured in my book as well. See if any of this sounds like you and where you are right now in your career search path:
“Growth is often painful and scary. There is no growth without change; there is no change without fear or loss; and there is no loss without pain…remember that your character is the sum total of your habits.”
Sound familiar? Do you really want to find a new path in your work-life but are afraid to let go of the past – scared to walk across the bridge from what you know and are comfortable with to the place you really want to be? You must take a chance on change! In my THRIVE acronym, the “R” is Revamp your plan of attack – meaning, if what you are doing is not working, have the courage to CHANGE it – now!!
If you are struggling with this and would like some advice, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m here to help. The biggest step in change is the one you must take now – the first one! Commit to change and find folks who will support you on your journey! Peace!
Sincerely,
Brad Raney
Brad Raney is a motivational speaker, life coach, author and sales trainer. He has over 25 years of experience in sales and sales management within the broadcast industry. Brad developed the VOWELS program in 2009 and the success it brought his sales team has spurred keynote speeches, workshops, seminars, a website, and his first book “Improve Your VOWELS, Improve Your Career!” which was released in July 2010.
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