Creating Change
Author: Howard Symbol

In this, the inaugural issue of our transitions newsletter for our internet-wide audience, I would like to address the fundamental theme of creating change. Most people want some things to change in their lives. However, how many people are successful in actually bringing about significant and lasting change?

What is it that you want most? A better, more satisfying job or career? Increased income? More time to spend with your family, to do the things you love and enjoy? Time to travel? Time to study or learn something new, build a business of your own? Perhaps the time for creative pursuits, doing what you really love? Whatever your desires or goals are, there is a good chance statistically that your dreams will not become a reality. The unfortunate truth is that most people continue doing the same things in the same way year after year hoping things will somehow change.

I am not saying these things to be negative or discouraging but rather to take a realistic view as to what you need to do to create desired changes in your life. To get a handle on this, let us take a look at highly successful people who are achieving their desired goals and living the life they want. What is it that these people tend to do to achieve their goals?

First, they become absolutely clear about what they want. They look closely at their desires and values. They create an aligned sense of purpose with themselves. They create a consistency between what they feel inside themselves and their concrete desired outcome. They take the time to really FEEL emotionally connected to what they want. Whether they realize it or not, they are creating an inevitability about achieving success by virtue of the clarity and commitment they have. Whether you know this now, you can learn to create this kind of clarity and alignment for yourself.

Second, they create a timeframe in which they want these goals to be achieved. They do not leave this to chance saying "I hope it happens by next Spring". Rather, they make a promise to themselves as to when it will occur even if (and this is the key) they don't initially know how they're going to do it.

Third, they create a plan which serves as a roadmap. The plan also breaks down the result into small manageable steps. As each step is completed, they feel a sense of accomplishment and increased confidence which fuels their forward movement. At Career Crafting, we call this the Confidence-Success Spiral. I'm sure you've experienced this feeling of "being on a roll" at some point in your life but did you know that you can create this experience deliberately and intentionally?

Fourth, they start taking action. This may sound obvious at first, but consider how many people mull over their ideas forever and sometimes never actually get started. It is always the people who can overcome inertia and take action that gets results. It is natural to feel a little scared entering uncharted territory, but remember that an object in motion is far easier to steer than something standing still! Once you are moving, you can make adjustments.

Fifth, the successful person has some structure for the process. Rather than approaching the journey in a haphazard or fragmented way they work on their project at regular intervals like every Saturday afternoon or Wednesday evening. There is some degree of consistency in their actions. Otherwise, there is always the possibility (even a likelihood) of getting distracted.

Sixth, they have support in their life. They do not pursue their goals in a vacuum. There is at least someone they have to give them feedback, encouragement and ideas, to keep them on track. Sometimes this takes the form of coaching or working with a mentor. In recent months, there have been a lot of articles in the media about coaching and the impact it has had on people's lives. Coaching does many things. It keeps you focused, productive and aware. It provides the emotional support, an effective strategy and the tools to generate the contacts, the marketing, the job offers and the clients or customers for your product.

Seventh, to accomplish their goals, they use one or more toolkits with a proven track record of results. The tools they choose will depend on the goals and the nature of the tasks ahead. If their desire is to change careers they would seek the best tools for this task. Career Crafting is one such toolkit. There are also toolkits for changing limiting beliefs and altering your perceptions of yourself and the world around you. There are tools for mastering the art of communication and presentation so your relationships are more effective. Doors open. Opportunities are created but not by accident.

Lastly, the successful person recognizes that each goal or desire in life generates a process. This process will be exhilarating at times and uncomfortable at other times. The discomfort is the result of stretching or expanding and becoming more of who you are, more of your full potential. Of course, there is always the temptation to go away, to give up when the going gets tough, or to just distract yourself with other tasks that seem more critical, more urgent at the time. Perhaps you say to yourself "I'll get back to my project later when I have more time." Recognizing your own patterns of self sabotage is the beginning of true mastery.

There are obstacles on every path. By accepting this you can learn to use each obstacle or challenge as an opportunity to discover something new, to harness a new resource. By seeing life and success from this perspective, a context for learning is created which, in and of itself, is a powerful and compelling motivator for change.

These eight steps to successful change occur every day for many people. While many people give up quickly on their goals and dreams, there are others that remain committed and tenacious. Of course they fall off their bicycles from time to time because they take risks. However, they get back on again. They are the type of people we work with at Career Crafting.

Are you ready to discover what you truly love, what you really want to do with your life? Are you ready to live your life purposefully and passionately and experience the fulfillment you've always wanted? Whenever you are, we are here to support you, to be your committed partner in your journey. We've done this with thousands of people over 20 years and we can do it with you too.

To get you started on your journey of change and fulfillment in your life, I've created a series of provocative questions for you to answer. I recommend that you answer the questions below as honestly and completely as you can. Your answers will tell you where you are and will also point to the next and most appropriate steps for you.



EXERCISE: ARE YOU READY FOR CHANGE?

Allow yourself sufficient time and space so you will not be interrupted while engaged in this exercise. Answer the questions below as completely and honestly as you can. Notice your feelings and reactions as you answer the questions. Jot them down. After you have answered all of the questions, write down any discoveries you've had from doing this exercise. Then, save the questions along with your answers and discoveries to your computer hard disk for future reference. You will find that this exercise will continue to be useful in different situations and projects.

What do you really want at this point in your life?
What areas of your life would you like to change?
What are your most pressing concerns or fears about making these changes?
What steps have you taken to create this change up until now?
How have these steps helped you?
What do you feel is still fundamentally missing?
What do you feel are the factors within yourself that might be stopping you?


Do you have clearly defined goals? If so, what are they?
What is your timeframe for achieving your goals?
Would you say that you are ready to take action on what you really want?
Do you have a strategy for creating the desired changes or pursuing your goal?
If so, what is your strategy?
What is your plan for implementing changes?
Are you truly committed to creating these changes?


Are you willing to receive support from others in this process?
Do you feel you have the support you need to make your desired changes?
Who do you consider most supportive of you in your change process?
Who in your life is not supportive of the changes you wish to make?
What are your most frequent worries or fears about making the changes you want?
How might you overcome them?
What tools will you utilize?
What resources (internal and external) do you have available that you can use?
Are you willing to experience the process of change which may include some discomfort?




How has the above article Creating Change influenced your view of the change process?
What discoveries did you make as a result of reading the above article and doing this exercise?
What actions will you now take to create the change you desire?
If you could have any kind of support in your life right now, what would it be?


For a free assessment of the results of this exercise, please send your results to CareerCrft@aol.com. You can also obtain more information by calling us at 1-800-58-CAREER.






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Howard Sambol is the founder and executive director of ENCOMPASS - a Bay Area consulting firm offering innovative, state of the art programs for people in transition.

Howard's revolutionary Career Crafting system is a comprehensive technology that provides you with all the tools, coaching and support you need for their career transition. Over the last 2 decades, Career Crafting has empowered thousands of men and women to achieve success and fulfillment in their professional lives. The many dimensions of Career Crafting can be viewed at www.careercraft.com.

Mr. Sambol's greatest skill is his ability to be a catalyst for personal breakthroughs. His intuitive insight, skillful coaching and cutting edge technology has consistently enabled people to clarify what they most want to do with their lives, get beyond their limitations and market themselves successfully. He is committed to empowering people to finding their greatest passion and in turning it into a rewarding and successful career.

Howard Sambol received a Masters degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and has completed doctoral work in Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies.

Mr. Sambol can be reached via his main office number 1-800-58-CAREER or via email at CareerCrft@aol.com




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