Adapt or Die - Why Change is Great for Your Career, Business and Life

You heard it all before, that old saying "This is how it has always been done, it works, why change?".  As an IT professional, it drives me crazy to hear that, since IT is supposed to be all about innovation and adapting to changing technologies and processes.

I would like to provide some examples, how entrenched we are with not changing our habits, our career and generally, the way we do things.   Then, I like to offer a suggestion how to change.

Have you ever noticed that when people go to vote, they select the same candidate over and over again, despite complaining about the state of affairs and how bad the candidate is.  Think Rhode Island politics.   Next time, perhaps research the other candidates and make an educated risk to select someone new.   It may bring the change that is needed in your area.

When people talked about shopping online, Amazon comes to mind first.  Believe or not, there are way better online shopping sites out there, and they don't ding you for that great deal of $99 a year for "free shipping".

Here is a case of a relationship going through the motions.  When a couple is thinking of going out to dinner on a Saturday night and they end up going to the "usual" place where every wait person knows their name.  Eventually, the ravioli may get a little boring.   Check out some websites that can provide some ideas of new new restaurants and/or entertainment venues to mix it up a little and put a spark in that old relationship.

How about a classic, the corporate employee that will not go away.  You have been working at the same job for eight, ten maybe fifteen years, and someone suggests that you attend a networking event or to look at a business idea that might make you more money.  Your first reaction, is that networking events and side businesses are a scam.   Working 9 to 5 is the way to go, why change?  Until that ol' layoff happens.    Change your perspective and listen to ideas and build your network, even if you have been at Fidelity for 50 years in some comfy job with 1% annual raises.

Face it, the world is changing fast.   Real fast.
Technology is eliminating jobs.   Jobs are no longer safe.  Technology professionals have to constantly stay ahead of the curve.  After all, how many C++ programmers are there now that are still working steadily.    Adapt to new technologies or die.

The whole idea of change is to introduce opportunity and a new perspective that can bring great results.    The ones that can adapt to change without thinking it is bad, live on.  The ones that thinks change is bad, die.

So take a different route to work next time, try a new restaurant, shake up that exercise routine and most all adapt to life, since life is changing fast for all of us, and for the better.