What Drives Change? The Real Motive For Growth
What drives change? Everyone’s heard the saying, “No pain no gain,” but each person’s motive for growth is more complex than that. Gain doesn’t have to hurt. Of course, pain can provide the motivation to change your life – but that’s not always true. How many people have you seen who’ve remained stuck in a painful situation because they were afraid of change?
The idea that pain is the primary driver of change is a myth. It’s certainly not true for me or my clients. The people I work with have already attained success in their lives. They feel a sense of purpose – but they still want to improve themselves. The need for change doesn’t have to come from a place of deficiency and failure.
In fact, change can be easiest when it comes from a place of abundance. What drives change? My answer to that question is – the desire for growth. You’re best equipped to work towards real, long-lasting change when you feel strong and sure of yourself.
Change is always disruptive, even if it’s ultimately for the good. When you come from a place of inner stability, your motive for growth it to make yourself better than you were yesterday, not to run away from problems. Do you really need pain, like a cattle prod, to prompt you to change? Why not change out a sense of joy and the desire to try new things?
In the business world, if your only catalyst for change is pain then you’ve already lost. You’ll be running around putting out fires when you should be building on your strengths. It’s a good idea to have a plan for constant improvement, for gain without pain.