An Overlooked But Essential Factor to Create Change Successfully

There are many factors that contribute to creating change to achieve specific outcomes successfully.  

But in this article, I want to focus on an important factor that is often overlooked. 

Overlooking this one thing can make the difference between succeeding and staying stuck.

Here it is:

Change only happens where there is time, space, and energy to think and act in new ways.

That means that you need additional time, space, and energy, over and above what you need for managing your normal day-to-day commitments and responsibilities.

So, if you are already constantly over busy, overwhelmed, and exhausted it is going to be an uphill battle to create the changes you want for yourself. 

Here's what that means in reality: 

Time - you need scheduled time, regularly and consistently, to work on the change you want to create. If you are regularly overscheduled, it is important to look at what you can do proactively to address that and put boundaries in place to protect the time you schedule for your change project.  

Space -  what I mean by space is both cognitive and physical space. It is about having the cognitive bandwidth and physical environment to help you think, make decisions, solve challenges/setbacks, and implement actions that will move you forward. Look for ways to optimise your cognitive and physical space to set yourself up to succeed.  

Energy -  it is very difficult to achieve anything if you constantly feel depleted and low on energy, mentally and physically. Identify things that boost your energy. Do more of those things. Identify things that drain your energy. Eliminate or reduce those things. 

The bottom line

Many people overlook the importance of the role time, space, and energy play in creating change successfully. Don't be one of them. Figure out how you will make sure you have enough time, space, and energy to give to your change project before you start so you can proactively set yourself up to succeed.