As I retreated to my favorite thinking spot, I couldn’t help but think, “Why is this so difficult!?” That’s when it hit me: my business is in a state of change. And most of the time trying to create brisk growth is really tough.

 Why? Here are a few reasons I’ve come up with:

1. Change takes valuable energy. Positive-focused energy is precious to a leader. In many ways it’s the currency they use to get things done. Initiating growth with its questions and hassles takes up much of the energy that usually is free for me to focus on business as usual.
2. Change challenges relationships. It takes others time and energy which creates stress in everyone.
3. Change forces new thought patterns.
4. Change brings new risks.

First, I prayed. Then knowing my attitude needed a slight adjustment, I sat down and listed all the successful changes I, along with my highly capable wife Brandi who directs our operations, have initiated since the beginning of the year.

• • Hired four new contractors and trained them in our detailed processes
• • Added several new sales channels/marketing partnerships
• • Made an internal hire
• • Worked on major website revisions
• • Switched to a new accounting system
• • Created a new inventory control system
• • Made countless small tweaks, improvements, and new vendor relationships.

Frankly, I was astonished at just how much progress we’d already achieved this year. That sense of accomplishment buoyed my spirit. Since change is tough I came up with a plan. I hope there will be something in it that will be helpful to you.

While I’m leading this season of change I’m going to:

1. Narrow my focus.
2. Break the changes down into manageable steps.
3. Be patient. God may be so generous as to allow a few big pieces to fall into place. But humanly speaking, I don’t expect these changes to happen overnight.
4. Try not to take it too seriously.

As John Wooden, one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time, once said, “When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur… Don’t look for the quick, big improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time. That’s the only way it happens — and when it happens, it lasts.”