Your Control in Change

I did a speech in Toastmaster's today about how we only have control over three things in our life.

• the thoughts you think
• the images you visualize
• the actions you take

Most of us live our lives trying to obtain control over the many facets of our life.  The age old nemesis in this balancing act is change.  How can something be our nemesis when it is so dependable?  We can alway count on change!  It is inevitable.  I like to embrace the perspective that change is an opportunity for growth and new experiences.  Instead of seeing change as my nemesis, I can see it as my sidekick in this adventure of my life.  The way I react to my sidekick change is how I control my outcome.  

Of course, it is not always possible to view change as my exciting new buddy in life.  One of the ways I try to maintain this healthy image of change during moments that are difficult is by reading.  The book I am currently re-reading is Jack Canfield's The Success Principles.  There is a simple formula he learned from a psychotherapist that illustrates the control we have in change.  Yes..the control we have in change.

E + R = O

Event + Response = Outcome

For every event we experience in our life, the way we react produces our outcome.  Another way to see this is for every change we experience, the way we react determines our outcome.  For example, my speech was good but it definitely could have been better.  Another speaker asked me last week if I would like to speak in their place.  I said yes, but did not put the speech together until two days before today...when I was presenting.  I relied on my notes which distracted from the speech.  My response to this event is to learn from the feedback I got and make sure I am well prepared for my next speech.  My outcome is after delivering a good speech I have more knowledge on how to make it a phenomenal speech.  I love this.  It is so good to push yourself out of your comfort zones for learning, reaching and attaining.  It's essential to practice in order to become better...which means feeling a little awkward.  It's when you and I take action to become better people and to live a life that we always dreamed and will not regret that we did not take action.  Let's embrace the power that we have the choice to live our ultimate life by how we respond to the events and changes of our life.  

"It's time to start living the life you've imagined."

Henry James

American-born author of 20 novels, 112 stories, and 12 plays