BANABU – Self-Development & Coaching

Challenges

I opened my email this morning and found one that began “100 Day Challenge”.  Now I have participated in a number of challenges over the past few years – 30 days to this or 60 days to that, so I wondered what this challenge would entail.

My screen opened up to a cute little robot and the following quote:

 “As humans, we have evolved to compete…it’s in our genes, and we love to watch a competition.” — Peter Diamandis

 What followed was an excellent article by Gary Ryan Blair on the reasons we need to make changes in the ways we do things if we want to survive in our careers and our businesses.  You can read the entire article here “Compete With Robots” :

 Another quote that caught my attention is one that is often misquoted.

“It is not the most intellectual or the strongest species that survives, but the species that survives is the one that is able to adapt to or adjust best to the changing environment in which it finds itself.” — Charles Darwin

Adapting to Change

I have found myself adapting and adjusting to many things in my life over the years – marriage, children, divorce, completing my degree while working full time and raising my 4 children as a single mom.  Becoming a grandmother at age 34 and a great-grandmother at 68. Now, I am looking after my mother who is in a nursing home at age 98 confined to a wheelchair.  I have had to arrange my schedule around visits.

I also had many changes in my career.  After graduating from a Special Commercial course (which I took after Grade 13 and not being able to find a job), I worked as a Secretary for many years – in a college, an elementary school, an office, for my ex.  I also worked preparing tax returns, typing university papers from home, doing child care and more before I finally began working in the field of employment.  I began by doing workshops on Safety and eventually moved into working with clients on their job search – resumes, interviews, career assessments – developing and presenting workshops and working one-on-one.

Over the years I worked under different employers who took on various government contracts, which required adapting to their ideas and demands.  I even had one employer who let me go after only 2 months, stating that I “didn’t fit their needs”.  This turned out to be a blessing as their company didn’t last more than a year and I ended up with a contract job and then a full-time job where I stayed for 11 years.

Most recently I semi-retired at age 62 to begin my laptop lifestyle career, working from my kitchen table counselling clients looking to change their careers or to help them cope with things that are going on at work.

In the article Blair mentioned that many people and businesses who went under because they did not adapt to change.

“Adapting to change is difficult, but not adapting is fatal as history is littered with the corpses of very strong people and companies who were brought to their knees, and put in their grave due to their inability or unwillingness to adapt or adjust to the changing environment in which they found themselves in.”

I am sure that if you think about it, you will be able to name several yourself.  I thought about some major shopping giants like Simpsons Sears, Eaton’s, Zeller’s, etc. and how some stores that came to Canada from the States found that there was a very different environment which caused them to close those stores and lose money.  Companies that have adapted to the changing environment have continued to grow.

Becoming Aware

As Gary Ryan Blair says: “Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.

Change descends upon each one of us equally; the difference is that some of us realize it faster than others and adapt accordingly.  However, it is our awareness to the slightest changes in our environment and the world around us that helps us to best manage the change process.”

He then outlines what we need to look at as he goes through the word C.H.A.N.G.E. providing advice and asking us some challenging questions.

I think that once you read his article you may be intrigued to learn more about how you can change your life and your business in order to succeed in this changing world.  After I read the article, I did a google search on Mr. Blair to find out that he is known as “The Goals Guy” and he has many more articles and a video on some of his 100 day challenges.  I am looking forward to reading more about him and his challenges as I continue to adapt to my changing life.

That link again to the article:

Fran Watson

Confidence helps you meet your Challenges head on.

P.S.  What changes and challenges are you facing in your life right now?  Please share below.