But They Can Also Be Roadblocks
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how building a business is like getting a new smartphone. Well … I did it! I now have a new smartphone. In that post, I also told you how long I thought the process would likely take. And sure enough, it did. Between traveling back and forth and getting the new phone set up, the whole process took 5½ hours.
That’s not to say it wasn’t time well spent. The service was great, and she was very helpful in deciding which phone would be the best fit for me. She helped me get the best price for my business account and did an amazing job transferring everything from my old phone to the new one.
This does not mean that the work is all done, because it’s not.
Getting a new phone has made me think a lot about why I push back so much against change. I don’t think I have all the answers to this conundrum yet, but I think I might be getting closer. Part of it comes down to practicing what I preach.
I don’t know about you, but I like my routines. Repeating the same actions makes things easier for me. I know what to do, and I don’t have to spend much time thinking about how to do it.
The problem is that when I get stuck in my rut, I stop learning new things.
Making changes is a choice. We can choose to stay in our ruts, trudging back and forth doing things the same way we always have, or we can get a ladder and climb out.
Making changes doesn’t guarantee that everything will get better. But refusing to change guarantees that some things never will.
It comes down to thinking things through and weighing our options. I’m not going to learn anything new if I don’t take the time to learn.
Let’s look at this from a construction perspective.
When I learned to frame, we used hammers and hand-driven nails. Starting out, it took several swings to drive a 3¼-inch nail through a bottom plate and into a stud. Over time, I got to where I could start the nail with one hard swing and set it with a second. It was a sure and accurate way to build a wall.
Then pneumatic nail guns came along. With the pull of a trigger, they could drive that same size nail into the wood. But they came with some downsides. You had to buy the nail gun, an air compressor, and hoses. Then there was the hassle of dragging the air hose around and having it get caught on things. The nail gun was bulky, heavy, and dangerous.
The likelihood of stumbling over a dirt clod and accidentally driving a 3¼-inch nail into your leg with a hammer was pretty slim. But with a nail gun, you could put one into your leg, all the way to the head, in the blink of an eye.
I should know. I experienced it!
My point is this: I could have resisted the change and continued building with hand-driven nails and a hammer, but I wouldn’t have been as productive in the long run. Sure, switching to a nail gun took some money and time, but in the end, it was worth it.
The same thing is true with everything we do.
This doesn’t mean every new tool, gadget, or app will make things better. It does mean we need to be aware of what’s available and take the time to learn about it. That way, we can understand our options and decide whether taking action is worth the risk.
We need to find a balance between routines and change. It’s not an either-or situation. Sometimes, the tried-and-true routine is the best choice. Other times, stepping out of our comfort zone and taking the time to learn something new is the best thing we can do.
Now, I need to stop here and spend some time learning more about my new phone. 😉
If you have questions about how you can build a better business, you can schedule a free 30-minute meeting.