This difference made me think of something today as I was listening to a report on one of the big USA companies called Best Buy. The statement was that they had always been profitable and had not been touched by downturns. Now with the economy the way it is they were "forced" to make changes in their structure to accommodate today's realities.

Why is it that businesses and we as human beings need to be "forced" to change? Individuals gain weight, feel unhealthy and are out of shape so they go to their doctor and he tells them to change or face serious consequences. Could they not see that their lifestyle was killing them? Could they not see that change was necessary? Why do we have to hit a wall before we change or face some life altering situation before we open our eyes?

I am always so puzzled by people who say, "I didn't see the divorce coming!" They knew their relationships were not good, they knew there were issues that needed to be dealt with but they did nothing. Then when faced with the threat or reality of divorce they are "forced" to do something.

So why is it this way? The answer for most people and businesses is two-fold—they are lazy and/or they are scared.

Too lazy to think of alternatives, new ways or new ventures, they just want life, relationships and business to go on autopilot. This way of thinking not only makes them lazy but dull. The other side of this is being too scared to do anything. Scared of what, of failure, of hard work or of the unknown? But the interesting thing is that at some point we all faced new ventures that had the possibility of failure, we all faced hard work, we all faced the unknown, that's how we got where we are today, so what's so bad about having to do it again—at least we have done it before so it's really not new.

We should always be thinking of change, transition and adaptation so that no matter what comes we are ready to move ahead. We should always check, reevaluate and redefine where we are and were we are going. If for no other reason, it keeps us mentally and emotionally sharp and alive.

So don't let life "force" you to do anything, look ahead and embrace change whenever and wherever it is needed.

Copyright (c) 2008 Good News Publications