Being vs. doing

January 4, 2004

Recently I have started to consider the difficulties people have with change. With companies it’s simpler – you just change the management, company name and sometimes even the line of business—a complete renewal. Most of the same is possible for people as well. Physically our bodies tolerate different life habits, styles, cultures, and climate—even harsh ones, without any modifications! But how often this happens, voluntarily?

Look around you the ones you love and have known for decades, when have they totally taken you by surprise and done something really out of the box (i.e. something you would not expect them to do or be able to do—to change, that is)? Moved to India, became a monk…
I know, not that often. And that’s exactly why I’m so horrified. Nowadays we can life close to 100 years but we fix our lifestyles and habits during the first 20-30 years and that’s it. Sometimes even the hairstyle has not changed… How many companies have survived without radical changes for decades? Henry Ford almost killed Ford with his old thoughts and fixed ideas during the consolidation and tightened competition, IBM has went from a single mainframe computer company to a PC manufacturer and now into a service company, Nokia restructured it’s corporate SBU’s as effective this year etc…

We could have multiple careers, social circles, different achievements and aspirations, i.e. different ‘lives’ if you like. World changes and everything around us, why shouldn’t we?

Actually, it’s pretty simple. In business you replace the old business plan with a new vision. With computers you install a new operating system or software. With people you just change the mindset—even overnight. Stop wanting since implicitly you are also saying that you don’t have it if you still want it. So don’t do differently—be different. Start to live the way you want to be. Make the new business plan and act accordingly. It’s that simple—a new year with new opportunities waiting you to create them.

A happy 2004 everyone!

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