Four Steps to Meaningful Change: Step Three
David Freund, Chief Leadership Officer

Happy New Year!  We made it through 2020 and 2021 is upon us. This new and exciting year offers us an amazing choice—we can either live this year as it comes to us, or live this year with intentionality. Over the past two weeks we’ve discussed the roles of awareness and vision along the path to meaningful change. Today we’re continuing the conversation and considering Strategy.

All the awareness and vision in the world will not move us one inch toward the things we value in life without a strategy to achieve them (remember, hope is not a strategy). Strategy sounds complicated, but it’s actually quite simple. We must plan our change like AAA plans a trip for us with simple thought-out steps. These steps are then built into our daily agenda, which allows us to make a habit of moving in the direction of the change or value we are pursuing. Our daily, weekly, and monthly strategies are what will join together to help us achieve our goals and experience meaningful change.

There is also a second component to strategy. In the past, I have often missed this step in my personal change strategies. Things looked great but didn’t always work. Rather than adjusting the tools, I pushed harder and often became frustrated and discouraged—ultimately giving up. What was missing in my plans was an evaluation step. I need to ask myself, “Is my strategy working?” If the answer is no, what change or adjustment in the strategy will get me moving toward the value again. This evaluation step should become our best friend. It shines a light on the hidden things that hold us back. This new awareness allows us to transform what would have been a failure into greater success.

Step three can sound complex and daunting, but the magic of step three is found when we can keep it simple. If you would like to hear simple examples of meaningful change strategies, join Marisa Norcross and me for Episode 186 of The Next Page podcast. Next week, we’ll look at the final step – Courage.

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