Better the devil you know than the devil you don't!

Like me you've probably heard this a million times but where did it start and why has been become the easiest phrase to pull out when we are provided with an opportunity to make change?

Of course it has been adapted over time and the earliest versions supposedly date back to 1539, 1576 and 1586 D Rowland tr Lazarillo de Tormes H6V The olde prouerbe "Better is the euill knowne, than the good which is yet to knowe."

Essentially, we forgo the potential for good, which we are yet to know, just in case it could be worse than what we've already got!

So I started to wonder how many times I have actually applied this concept in my life. I have many taken chances in my life, many with success and some without. I admit that before making the choice to take a chance, I have spent much energy and wasted much time pondering this statement. Why do we do this?

At the beginning of March I was fortunate to attend a 3-day Personal Development conference in Acapulco, Mexico with nearly 1,000 colleagues (we only travel to exotic locations to learn more about ourselves!). One of our two keynote speakers was Bob Davies, Olympic Gold Medalist coach and a retired College Football coach who is now known as the 'performance coach'. Bob said "we are genetically coded to avoid pain" and the Human Performance Law is "all human performance is either avoidance of pain or the seeking of comfort". I certainly know I hate pain and I definitely love comfort so I was pleased to learn that it’s not just me!

So this got me thinking that if I overlay this scientifically proven, genetically coded behavior over the phase "better the devil you know than the devil you don't", it is therefore normal human behavior to avoid the pain of change (the devil you don't know) and seek comfort in our current situation (the devil you do), hence 'stay in your comfort zone'.

We even easily rationalise our decision by saying "at least I am safe this way". Safe from what though, the good that can come from growing, from change? In reality we probably need protection from the continued pain of being in a job we hate with a wage that barely pays the bills or from staying in a relationship that is doing us harm or giving up alcohol or other addictions?

I believe our purpose on this planet is to grow and therefore the pre-coding is there to push us that little bit more to fight for what we want, what we deserve.

Change, regardless of the outcome brings at least one thing; knowledge of ourselves, an understanding of how we respond, a new found strength because despite the mess, we survived, picked ourselves up and moved again. Surely that is a good thing that we should embrace?

Last year was an extremely tough year for me, probably the hardest one of my life. I felt loss, regret and pain. My Dad (Alf) died in December 2007, the most important man in my life, my role model who I miss every single day. Not long after that, I lost all my money with a decision to leverage my shares through Opes Prime which resulted in taking a job that I wasn't passionate about to pay my bills which, slowly but surely eroded a little bit of my confidence every day I turned up for work. Finally in December 2008, I said to myself "enough was enough!"

After a lot of tears, I can look back now and can honestly say that I would not change a thing because each choice bought about a new awareness of my capabilities, my strength and in these moments of vulnerability, I've attracted other amazing opportunities. I have always remembered what my Dad used to say, "when one door closes, another one opens. All it takes is the courage to walk through".

Following this year I made a decision based on knowing of what I didn't want anymore and what I did want, time and financial freedom. So I stepped away from the office job, working for someone else and the security of a fortnightly paycheck for the unknown, to start my own business where I am solely responsible for my success and possible failures. Whilst the change has brought about a level of uncomfortableness, I now realise that this was just my precoded genetic condition was doing its job; protecting me from potential pain and keep me in my comfort zone.

So to distinguish opportunity from danger, I had to check in with myself and see whether the decision to make significant change firstly came from my heart (where your passion lies) and was thought through by my head (the logical place to do your due diligence, sift through your research and make a plan of action). Any other combination, according to our other Acapulco speaker, Richard Change results in danger, regret and sadness. Topic for another day!

Based on this, I knew on a very deep level that my decision to completely change track was right for me, it came from my heart but has been well thought through in my head, I have plan of action that allows me to be successful, I am surrounded by successful leaders willing to support me and I know something extraordinary is about to occur.

So I have turned the saying "better the devil you know than then devil you don't" with "you can't change what you've got, if you don't change who you are." I have over ridden my genetic predisposition for my greater good.

Today, I am grateful to be in the process of changing who I am, exploring what I am capable of, what is possible in this lifetime regardless of the opinions of others and any challenges I may face, to ultimately change what I have. It comes down to my focus and resolve. Now that I have a plan, focus is my key to move forward and I just have to do what I say I will do.

So now I realise now that it is when we are our most vulnerable that we are actually in the most powerful position to make change. So I wonder then that people who continue to stay in a situation that isn't serving them without action, is because they haven't reached rock bottom and are prepared to take some more knocks and bruises?

Finally Bob Davies also shared with us, "Vision is having an acute sense of the possible. It is seeing what others don't see. And when those with a similar vision are drawn together, something extraordinary occurs".

This world needs something extraordinary, wouldn't you agree!

To your success!
www.criticalmove.com.au