Want To Change? Eliminate the Toxic Influences

I can’t really overstate the importance of this one. People who surround themselves with toxic people are more likely to adopt a toxic mindset than those who don’t.

Further, toxic influences and environments add extraordinary amounts of added and unnecessary stress and misery to your life. People who find themselves in a toxic work environment or with a toxic boss are far more stressed and miserable and generally hate their jobs. Toxic CEOs are like a cancer to an organization and its employees.

To make positive changes as an individual, it’s so critical that you minimize the toxic influences in your life. Life’s way too short.

[tweetthis]Life’s too short to stay in toxic environments. #leadership #companyculture #hr[/tweetthis]

Want To Change? Find Accountability

When a team is functioning the way it should, it’s a great place to find this sort of accountability. Remember, accountability — rightly understood — is a shared thing between two or more people. Now think about a group of people who care deeply about each other as individuals and as a team, and think about what an amazing support system those teammates could provide each other as they all navigated individual changes.

[tweetthis]Healthy teams can be great support systems for each other. #leadership #companyculture #hr[/tweetthis]

Want To Change? Focus on Continuous Progress

When you think there’s no way you can take another step, find a way to take another step, even if it’s a small one.

The greatest coach I ever had — and one of the best and most human leaders I’ve known — was my high school soccer coach. One thing he always drilled into us while we were running, especially during our longer runs, was that no matter how tired we were, we weren’t to stop running. He didn’t care how slowly we had to jog, we just had to keep making progress.

It was a mental thing. It was about winning that mental battle and continuing to make progress. The same is true here.

[tweetthis]Feel like you can’t take one more step? Then you need to take one. #leadership #motivation[/tweetthis]

Want To Change? Focus on Continual Learning

The more we learn — about ourselves, our professions, and about the world around us — the better equipped we’ll be to change, and the more knowledgable we’ll be about the things we want to change. As humans, we’re constantly growing and changing, so it stands to reason that we should be constantly learning as well.

Want To Change? Then…Change

There’s a certain part of change that comes down to simply doing it. There’s a part of change that comes down to grit. Desire. Perseverance. Determination.

Want to change? Then change.