The Importance of Disrupting Yourself Before Someone Else Does

In life, we face many changes large and small, imposed upon us by outside forces like the government, the environment and the economy. However, if you’re a true leader, you won’t just react to change; you’ll create it.

If you wait until something or someone forces you to change, you’ll be scrambling to adapt. You’ll be on the backfoot. You’ll be reacting rather than creating. So think about the habits, practices, and routines that need to be shaken up in your life. 

It’s a natural human tendency to seek the path of less resistance. We often hear the saying, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” But those who are serious about becoming the best vision of themselves are constantly challenging the status quo for both themselves and those around them. 

Perhaps it is a team member who needs to be disrupted. Maybe you’ve tolerated a lack of performance for so long that it’s become their new level of operating. Realize it’s better to disturb their performance than simply let them coast along until they need to be released. 

How about yourself: are you still doing things that have helped you succeed in the past but are no longer working? Author Marshall Goldsmith said, “What got you here won’t get you there.”

If you’re just spinning your wheels, disrupting yourself will only make you stronger. Breaking old habits and patterns can result in new energy, optimism and opportunities. 

If you want to become the best version of yourself you can be, don’t let outside forces be your catalyst for change. Be proactive and seek out the things that need to change in your life. Jerry Weintraub once wrote, “As soon as you feel comfortable, that’s when it’s time to start over.”