Setting Boundaries in the Fear of Change
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
One of the most important boundaries that people have to establish is against the tendency to put off changes that they know need to be made. If you think about it, much putting off changes has nothing to do with getting more information, or waiting until we get finished with a, b, or c. Obviously, it’s essential to gather data and do analysis, but many people allow too much lag time between knowing and doing.
Look out for this dynamic in yourself by asking: What’s holding me back? Is it lack of information or fear of making a mistake? Put some boundaries around the need for more information and the desire for absolute certainty. With most big decisions, risk cannot be entirely eliminated. Deal with it and get moving.
Another resistance to change is the desire to make sure everyone is on board. Getting absolutely everyone on board may take forever, and making everyone happy with your decision is highly unlikely anyhow. After everyone has been heard and understood and has been able to have their input considered, you might have to make a decision that all are not happy with. You may even have to ask the people around you to disagree but commit. But you cannot wait around for everyone to get happy.
Resistance to change is a fact of life. If you want change to take hold, you must have good boundaries to contain the forces that are working against the effort.
