Change is natural

Change is necessary for people, businesses and governments to grow and thrive. But, for some reason most people fear change with a passion. The inability to change ruins lives, causes businesses to fail and topples governments. Learning to embrace change, to welcome it as if it were as natural as breathing air, is the key to all growth and happiness.

I can’t think of a better way of explaining why you should not fear change than a samurai named Yamamoto Tsunetomo did centuries ago in his book Hagakure.

“THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE LEARNED FROM A RAINSTORM. WHEN MEETING WITH A SUDDEN SHOWER, YOU TRY NOT TO GET WET AND RUN QUICKLY ALONG THE ROAD. BUT DOING SUCH THINGS AS PASSING UNDER THE EAVES OF HOUSES, YOU STILL GET WET. WHEN YOU ARE RESOLVED FROM THE BEGINNING, YOU WILL NOT BE PERPLEXED, THOUGH YOU STILL GET THE SAME SOAKING. THIS UNDERSTANDING EXTENDS TO EVERYTHING.”