I was coaching a client last week and some of my advice made him uncomfortable. My recommendations required him to do some things differently from the way he's always done them. Even though he admitted his current approach wasn't as effective as he needed, change is hard.
So I asked him to use the new approach and treat it like hypothesis testing: Practice the new way, use it during his next two client meetings, and then determine if the client response was worse/same/better.
I know the answer. But he needs to experience it for himself.
Sometimes we all need that little push and some confidence to do something different.
We don't improve ourselves, our activities, or our outcomes until we do something different:
Develop or improve a skill
Use a new tool/process/solution
Change our behavior
Change our perspective
Take on a new role or responsibility
Different isn't always better but better is always different.
I love that saying because it reminds me that doing something different for the sake of being different is silly. Better outcomes require being deliberate in assessing, selecting, and working on differences that matter.
My challenge to you (and to myself) for 2018
Deliberately find and work on a way to do a few key things differently. Test if & how the new way is better. Make it part of your new way to work. Then move on to the next opportunity to grow.