Transition,versus,Change,There DIY Transition versus Change – There is a Difference

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in When starting a new work at home business it is very easy to become consumed by it. We spend so much time trying to get the business up and running that we may end up becoming burned out and lose our motivation. There is so much to learn and

800x600 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}Regular readers of my blog know that I have expresseda good deal of thought on the topics of change and transition over the previousmonths.  The words are used sointerchangeably that it is easy to believe that they are one in the samething.  However, while related they trulyare not.  As I continue to move forwardon my journey that is “AbsoluteTransitions” and the development of my coaching practice, it continues togrow apparent to me that the transition piece in particular is an ever evolvingprocess with continued lessons to be learned along the way.      Howdo change and transition differ?  Changeis usually an event which while it can happen with your input and consent, canoften time happen without it.  Othercharacteristics of change are that you usually observe it happening, it happensexternally to you and is very noticeable. An individual is often focused on the outcome or result of change andthat result can many times bring out negative responses in an individual suchas anger, depression, illness or low self-esteem.    Because the tendency in humans is to resistchange, (even when it is because of a happy event such as a wedding or aplanned retirement), change evokes a great deal of stress in the individual.    Transition on the other hand is the process that helps one to understandand accept the change which has happened. As it is a process it requires time and patience of the individual.  Other characteristics of transition is thatit is an internal process influenced by external events, you feel andexperience it as it happens, is often subtle and has less definition than doeschange.  The process of transition helpsto provide the individual understanding of the emotional responses brought onby the change happening in their life and as a result may not necessarily haveand outcome or result attached to them.     When I left my first career as a Project Manager and Systems Analyst in2008, after 30 years at the same company, it was indeed a change in mylife.  While it happened as my ownchoice, it still has been an evolving process that has gotten me to where I amtoday.  Additionally, I realize thattransition continues to take place.  Thetransition first had me take some time for myself and address issues that werepersonal to me to be completed as closure to promises I had made to my wife whohad passed away 18 months before.  Fromthere, I spent some time with an outplacement firm determining what I wanted todo next in my life.  At the same time Iopened myself up to being more of a “student” than I had been at any time sinceI had graduated college.  After that Ipursued an actual course of study that has led to my current career andbusiness.  The new career has in turn ledme to meet a number of new people that have come into my life and to experienceevents from a different perspective than which I had previously.  While I am very much a product of my past, Isee myself incorporating in much of what I am learning now with lessons from mypast to help be an active and contributing member to the chapter of thecoaching association to which I belong.     The transition has continued in earnest over the last several weeks.  An opportunity, based on the experiences thatcame into my life over the last two years, has now led me to adapt myself andmy practice to focus on becoming an expert on the strategy that my clientsshould take as they approach the job search process.  I am actively in training to be certified inthe process that I am learning and it is an area that has me excited as I getmore involved with it.  Career counselingand job search strategy helps me to  focus on the expressed needs of my targetedclient base and put me in a better position to be a partner with them as theywork their way through this growing area of concern in many of their lives.     The lessons I have learned over the last two years has reinforced in methat the transition into this phase of my life, (active Baby Boomer starting asecond career and adapting new thoughts and styles into how he goes about thatwhich happens in his life), is destined to be a continual process.  And, that is just fantastic to realize,because it means that whenever one possibility in my life appears to close ornot pan out the way I thought, there are other alternatives available to me, aslong as I’m willing to explore and pursue them.      In closing my thoughts on transition, I would like to leave you withseven watch words that sum up what transition entails.  All seven words begin with the letter “P”,and are a part of any solid transition one looks to undertake.  They are: Purpose - Inspires you to focus and create your plan.Planning – A thought-out plan will give you direction and help you set your goals.Place - Structure your day that you are working on some component of your transition each day, whether big or small.  It keeps you on track to your goal.Positive Attitude – How you look at things will influence your actions and your daily activities.Preparation – Try things out before you make a long-term commitment, helping to avoid future surprises or tendency to be upset.Practice – Motivation and persistence will get you where you want to be.Patience – Most things take longer than you think to come to pass so stay the course, even if they don’t happen right away.