Why change is so hard?

I have been wondering why we as a society have changed so much during the Pandemic. You can feel the speed of innovation in technology, space, & biotech is increasing exponentially. In just a year or so, the tables have turned. The same employers that frowned upon working remotely now proudly exhibit remote-first or hybrid work environments.

Do you ever think about why humans change (and grow) when things are so bad? Why is it difficult for us to change? It turns out it’s not.

Introducing Change Equation

In 1987, Beckhard and Harris developed the change equation to evaluate the probability of a successful and lasting organizational change. The equation does not have numerical values.

Suppose any of the three elements on the left D, V, or F ( Dissatisfaction, Vision, First steps) is zero. Anything multiplied by zero is zero. In that case, it won’t be greater than the resistance on the right; therefore, change will not be successful.

Like everything else, humans prefer to take the path of least resistance. Change isn’t hard when the current level of dissatisfaction is high enough, and there is a clear first step, middle, and end state (vision) available.

However, change is difficult when intentional because you must convince yourself that your dissatisfaction levels are high to overcome resistance.

“It’s not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it” by Seneca.

How can you induce change?

Change Growth happens outside your comfort zone.

You’ve probably seen the phrase growth = change. It’s possible to change without growing, that to grow without changing. must

The keys to making the right changes that allow us to grow are knowing the difference between a problem or change that I can change and a fact of life that I cannot.