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            When was the last time you really stepped out and risked it all?

This week I was called a brave man. I have taken an incredible risk and stepped away from something good and productive in my life. I now prepare to set sail into another stage of my life. I have a sign in my office that says, Let the adventure begin. It has been there my whole administrative career and I believe it is an amazing statement to live by. Whatever changes I was looking to make in my life, I have always felt it would become something wonderful. Its not always easy to look past my fears but I always have Faith to bring me through. Something great is about to happen for me.

How do we determine a change is needed in our lives? The first thing we must do is make the decision to change. The first hint that comes, is the feeling we need more, and it may not be clear what that is. All we know, is a change is needed and part of that is deciding where the change needs to take place. Simple changes can be made to become a success but sometimes we need big changes. Remember change isn’t bad. We have discussed several times on this site that change is good for growth. Changing is a choice. When we fail to make changes periodically, we fail to grow. Change for change’s sake isn’t what we are referring to. Rather, we should make changes for our improvement and the improvement of our organizations we lead.             

Step into the fear and embrace the difficulties. Those difficulties are a sign that you are growing in your purpose. Yes, you will have tough times. You will even have people, including yourself speak against some change you are making. Guess what? You may not even get the change you desired or the outcome you wished. Things will go poorly but if you stay with it and weather the storm you may just come out ok. We quit too easily sometimes. When things get difficult, we throw up our hands and minimize our dreams or goals. Our society must stop this. I see it to often among kids and even adults. Be strong in the face of adversity and embrace the difficulties that you will inevitably face.               

Gut check! Is the timing, right? Is everything in place for you to be a success? Believe it or not the timing question is not always in view, and we must resort to our gut reaction. We may never know when a decision is ripe for the picking. We just need to make the call. We put the steps into action and hope for the best. Simply put, step into it! 

We should make sound decisions and prepare ourselves the best results. We ensure our success when we take the right steps and plan for proper implementation of goals.   It is not the intent to lead anyone to make major changes to their lives without thinking through the potential pitfalls or road blocks. We want to make changes based on best practices and sound decisions. We must put into play actions that will ensure we meet the benchmarks of the change we seek. We can’t be blind to properly implementing the steps for change in our lives.  There is always a right way and a wrong way to do things. Make the right decisions to ensure your plans work for you.   

            Where do you feel change is necessary in your life?          

            How will you prepare yourself for the difficult road?         

            How do know the timing is right and what is your gut telling you?   

            What actions could you put into play to ensure future success?         

I got the feeling this week, that my life decision surprised a few people. Maybe I’m just an adventurous individual, or maybe this was the best decision for my family. Thanks for checking in with Leading Conversations this week. I hope that you have an opportunity to step into an exciting decision or change this week. If you have something to share, please leave a comment below.                   

Steven C. Bucks- Leading Conversations