Change is inevitable; Growth is optional

The world is always changing.  We are always learning more and more.  Technology is ever-changing.  Athletes are getting bigger, faster, stronger.  John Maxwell says that change is inevitable but growth is optional.  

My wife and I have lived in 8 places during our marriage.  We have seen different cultures, perspectives and belief systems.  Ironically, we have found that one thing has remained the same through the years…the world is in a constant state of change.  

Your ability to adapt to situations can lead to a higher level of success.  As a coach, I was faced with hundreds of decisions each game.  Some of them I was prepared for but many of them I was not.  I had to be ready to change course if need be.  That is life.

Did your car break down at an inopportune time?  Did you get a promotion, demotion, pay raise, or lose out on a bonus?  Did a family member get sick?  Did you change jobs?   What happened today that you didn’t expect when you woke up?  

When I wake up in the morning, I know that I don’t know what will happen that day.  Life is full of curve balls.  Just like Bryce Harper or Mike Trout, sometimes that curve ball hangs up there and I hit it out of the park. But sometimes I will swing and miss.  

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You will face curve balls in life.  Change is inevitable. How will you handle change?

When bad things happen, do you become bitter or better? 

When good things happen, do you take advantage of the opportunities?

Do you see the possibilities that life constantly throws at you?

Growth is not always fun but it is rewarding.  The world is changing, will you adapt?  

Coach K adapted his coaching style through the years and won his 5th national title in 2015.

“The game has evolved,” senior Quinn Cook said on Sunday. “The culture of the game, recruiting has evolved. You have to adjust. Every coach has to adjust. He’s done a tremendous job. I think his ability to relate to people is why he’s so successful.”

Krzyzewski points to his ability to adjust as a way that he has improved as a coach, specifically at this point of a season.

“Well, you keep learning about the game,” Krzyzewski said. “It’s not just the title game, it’s what you learn about coaching. You’re constantly learning about the game. I’m a better coach now than I was in ’86 or in ’91 or ’92.”

Through my years of coaching, I had a lot of seniors who were really just fourth year freshmen.  They got older…they might have changed physically…they might have took harder classes in school, but they never got better.  They never grew. 

Are you embracing change?  Are you seeking growth?

Jamy Bechler is a certified John Maxwell leadership coach, speaker and trainer.  You can contact him at Jamy@CoachBechler.com.  You can also subscribe to his leadership newsletter by clicking here.