The end of another year is fast approaching, and here in the U.S., we are again cycling through the rotation of seasons-Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Much like adjusting to seasonal change, our life’s journey requires us to adapt to new destinations, unexpected detours, unforeseen events, and dramatic occurrences. These changes-disruptions-are commonplace in life, materializing in negative and positive forms.
Technology, societal standards, values, style, music, vocabulary, medical developments, political uprisings, and the like are all examples of disruptions that surface from time to time. These disruptions influence our choices and govern our behavior-forcing us to react by revamping and reshaping our lives. To maintain our standard of living, we must be willing and ready to respond to the changes and new influences. We must be flexible, knowledgeable, current, and aware so that we are not blindsided, left behind, or forced to play catch-up continually.
But although we want to respond to the disruptions we encounter in life effectively, we don’t want to live solely in a reactionary mode. We want to define our destination, create our events, quickly negotiate detours, and creatively develop contingencies to deal with unexpected happenings. We must not simply adapt to external disruptive events; we must become disruptors charting our course and navigating our lives in a manner that fits our desires and drives us to achieve our purpose.
As disruptors, we don’t wait on fate; instead, we take charge and drive the changes we desire. Sometimes we must take unimaginable chances to effect change, and self-disruption typically demands improbable choices. It is not an easy process. Disruption requires immeasurable confidence, commitment, willpower, flexibility, and self-honesty.
Self-honesty is probably the most critical feature needed to embark on our disruptive journey. We must be honest about our skills, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and the tools, information, or items that are available to us. Then we can effectively determine not simply what we can do well but how we can differentiate ourselves from others or manipulate a situation in our favor. By identifying our distinctive traits or the unique elements in our possession, we will pinpoint vital tools needed to unleash our disruptive endeavor.
Disruptors must remain flexible to adjust to challenging energy and events. Just as we seek to alter the way we do things or introduce new ideas, change is at work around us and sometimes against us. We may experience delays or sacrifice time, finances, and recognition. But innovation often requires trial and error or extreme risks to achieve great rewards.
Self-disruption does not require long drawn out or intense planning. But it does require confidence, commitment, and the willingness to persevere despite obstacles. We must be passionate in our desire to change, innovate, grow or accomplish our goals. Self-disruption is not an exercise that we tiptoe into; instead, it is one that we jump into headfirst. It may quickly overwhelm and seemingly take our breath away, so we must be prepared to modify our strokes, alter our breathing patterns and exert our willpower. Then we will be well on our way to fulfilling our life’s journey, not merely handling external changes, but by initiating fulfilling, purpose-driven change through self-disruption.