Rate your Readiness for Change
How ready are you to make a change?
As we launch into a New Year, what resolutions have you resolved to pursue? What new intentions are you trying to implement? How committed are you to kicking old habits and cultivating new ones?
No matter what your specific goal, personal change is hard work. In this blog post, I will explore some conditions that can help facilitate change, and explain what different stages of change may look like as you go through the process. Read on to learn tools and tips for your change-making journey.
What’s Your Change-Making Motto?
Pursuing personal change looks different for each of us based on several variables - your personality, motivation, season of life, resources, support system, etc. Some of us are wired to seek ongoing change, whereas others may prefer to avoid change at all costs.
What’s your current attitude towards making a change?
Conditions to Catalyze Change
To achieve meaningful personal growth usually requires some level of change … to increase productivity may mean a ruthless elimination of distractions, for example, whereas to pursue a promotion could involve developing an entirely new skill.
Regardless of the scale of the change effort, the success of the change will depend on some key factors that you bring to the table.
Awareness: How aware are you of your current need for change? Lacking clarity about the specific need for change can keep you stuck in old habits that are detrimental or are preventing you from reaching your goals. Even if you have an internal sense of what needs to change, getting feedback from others can give you important external perspective that you may be missing.
How would you rate your awareness?
Not aware (0) — Somewhat aware (1) — Aware (2) — Very aware (3)
Motivation: How willing are you to make a change happen? We can all likely think of times when we had clear recognition of the need to change, but lacked motivation. Most psychologists agree that summoning the motivation to see a change through means that we must believe that the rewards of making the change are worth the effort required of us. To assess your motivation, consider why the change is important to make - what personal, professional, or social benefits will you gain?
How would you rate your motivation to make a change?
Not motivated (0) — Somewhat motivated (1) — Motivated (2) — Very motivated (3)
Capacity: What resources can you devote to your change effort? Making a change effective may require gaining new knowledge, practicing new skills, finding supportive allies, and committing extra time and energy. And even when we have access to the resources we need, different seasons of life will influence our opportunity to pursue and persist in a change effort.
How much capacity do you have to make a change?
No capacity (0) — Some capacity (1) — Considerable capacity (2) — High capacity (3)
Embracing the Process of Change
One of the hardest realities of achieving a personal change is to embrace that it is a process, sometimes tedious, often slow, likely uncomfortable, and frequently iterative instead of linear — requiring us to regularly re-evaluate what is needed to keep moving forward. Essentially, the change process demands our strongest persistence.
Learning some basic information about the stages of change, however, can equip you to be more strategic and informed in your pursuit of change — and it can also give you tools to help catalyze change for others. The Transtheoretical Model of Change was established by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente and provides a useful framework to understand how individuals experience the phases of intentional behavior change.
Stage 1: Precontemplation
Your awareness of the need to change is low or nonexistent.
You may be engaging in detrimental behaviors (to self or others) without realizing the negative impact.
Change cannot begin until you become aware and/or concerned.
Stage 2: Contemplation
Your awareness and willingness to change have both increased.
Your focus is on analysis of pros and cons involved in the pursuit of change.
Analysis paralysis may hinder your commitment to move forward with a change.
Stage 3: Preparation
You now are ready to develop serious intentions and goals.
You are considering specific plans for how to make change happen.
Stage 4: Action
You transform intentions into actionable steps.
You experiment (through trial and error) to determine what strategies best support goal achievement.
New behaviors start to become the norm.
Stage 5: Maintenance
You gain competence and confidence in maintaining new behaviors.
If you experience setbacks, you are able to get back on track by reengaging your strengths and values.
Finding Your Way Forward
Where do you see yourself in these five stages of change?
… and what do you need to move forward to the next stage? What barrier or mindset might prevent you?
How can you support someone else in their journey towards change? Download the free resource below for tips on coaching through the stages of change!
“I have accepted fear as part of life — specifically the fear of change... I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back.”
Get my Free EBook: Coaching through Change
Maybe you have many exciting ambitions, aspirations, and plans for growth. You want to see change. But you’re not quite making the progress that you want to.
Or maybe you’re a coach or a leader who helps to encourage change in others. And you’re tired of seeing your clients and colleagues stuck, not quite reaching their full potential.
Drawing from my expertise in coaching and the science of personal change, I have created a free EBook to help you see your own personal change realized — or help others make progress in their growth process. Coaching for Change: A Guide to Facilitating Change for Leaders, Coaches, & Personal Growth Enthusiasts is designed for:
individuals seeking a fresh approach to personal change
coaches looking for resources to support a change process
leaders who need ready-to-go tips & questions to support growth in their direct reports and colleagues
References
Moore, M., Highstein, G., Tschannen-Moran, B., & Silverio, G. (2010). Coaching behavior change. Coaching Psychology Manual, 33 - 51. Available online.
Prochaska, J. O., Redding, C. A., & Evers, K. E. (2015). The transtheoretical model and stages of change. Health behavior: Theory, research, and practice, 97-118. Available online.
