The case for making a significant change

“Change means resistance and resistance means transformation and igniting energies” - Yasmin Hamdan, Lebanese singer songwriter 

I recently completed a major revamp of my business infrastructure which included a new website on a new platform, a redesign of the coaching programs I offer, and a commitment to offer broader support through regular thought-pieces shared through email (i.e. this newsletter!).   

The revamp road was not easy

As I look back, I’ve thought more about the broader concept of revamping. Questions like why we revamp, why we don’t and what helps us decide if the answer is not immediately clear?

Firstly, what is a revamp? 

Dictionary definitions for a revamp include “An act of improving the form, structure, or appearance of something”. To “make like new again”. To “revise”. To “renovate”. A revamp is neither a small tweak such as changing a few words of copy on a website and neither is it a complete overhaul such as changing the business I’m in. For the purpose of this piece, when I talk about a revamp, I’m talking about a significant change and positioning it in the middle of the spectrum of change.

So why do we revamp? 

In my recent example, I felt the infrastructure of LiveHolystic Coaching, particularly the website platform and design, did not convey the fullness of the whole-of-life coaching I offer, it did not allow me the flexibility of launching new programs without engaging an external website designer, and didn't help people see that there were multiple ways to engage my services, including some "lower commitment" offerings. It was like I had invited people to my home but all they saw was a single room with a table and chair in the middle. What I needed to do was create rooms, install doors and fill the spaces with furniture, art and light (LiveHolystic Website 2.0).

A business partnership that was fruitful in the past may not align anymore. The way I relate to a significant relationship isn’t really working because we have both evolved over time. The  activities and engagements that were “good for me” and currently fill my diary, no longer seem to support what is important to me.

A business revamp. A relationship revamp. A schedule revamp. Even a body revamp. 

C’mon. Let’s get to it already!

3 Reasons why don’t we revamp

But wait. Despite the exciting new possibilities that a revamp opens up for us, a revamp is not inevitable. While making a change in our lives may seem like a “no-brainer,” there appears to be a few reasons why we don’t immediately push the big green go button.

Reason #1. Stability is our current priority

Sometimes we’ve experienced a significant event or sustained periods of change and some form of stability and normalcy is what our minds and hearts are crying out for. We may not have the capacity, particularly emotional capacity, to invest in a significant change in our personal and professional lives.

Reason #2. The unknown concerns us

Sometimes we don’t know whether the revamp will really work. There is risk involved and no guarantees. Our companionship with the familiar may be stronger than we think. By the way, if you suffer from the fear of the unknown, you are in good company with humanity. It ranks as one of the top five human fears.

Reason #3. The cost to revamp is a cause to pause

Any revamp involves costs to us, both financial and non-financial (e.g. energy, time, effort). The sheer size of the cost to revamp can often put us off from the revamp and especially if we don’t have others to support us to get through it.

The case for a revamp?

Sometimes we find ourselves in some kind of stalemate with the decision to engage change or not, and I’ve found one question has often helped break the deadlock. 

 “Does the pain of tolerating the status quo outweigh the pain of a revamp?” 

 If your answer is yes, then a yes to your revamp may be warranted.

 Ask yourself “where is the greater pain?”

When I thought about the status quo of my business website, there was significant pain. The inability for me to make changes without engaging a web expert. The slowdown of trialing new programs and having others view them. The difficulty in connecting with individuals who were wanting to engage. 

When I thought about the website revamp, pain included shelling out thousands of dollars for design and implementation, thinking through and writing significant amounts of new website copy and also learning a bunch of new platforms and tools. But because the overall pain of the revamp felt lower to me than the pain of tolerating the status quo, I said YES to the revamp. 

I’ve found that weighing up the pain (or the cost)  is a simple and effective approach to help us decide the road to take. If you want to give it a go, I’d suggest incorporating a holistic view of the pain (costs) as much as possible. On the financial side, it’s not just the direct upfront costs but often the forgotten costs of maintenance and ongoing upkeep. And beyond the financials, consider costs that can come in the form of additional effort, energy and emotional output. 

Coming Next

Once we’ve made the decision to revamp, whether that’s a business process, a relationship, schedule, diet, exercise, career, we can often find ourselves in the “muddy middle”, whether we have already started but not yet finished the transition. In the next instalment, I look at ways to help us stay on revamp road in the midst of the difficulty. 

Over To You

I’m calling this month “Revamp October” as a reminder of the importance of a revamp. I invite you to join in and play. That simply means to explore a revamp decision for yourself in the month of October. That could be connected to your business/work, your core habits, relationships, parenting patterns, goals, success metrics or something else.

Here’s a couple of reflection questions to get you going. 

Self Reflection

1. What’s a past revamp decision that you were happy with or one you weren’t satisfied with? Why?

2. What part of your personal or professional life are you currently tolerating and want to revamp?

Respond

I've love to hear what's on your mind, whether a thought or a question. I read all emails and will respond as appropriate. Message me james@liveholystic.com

Let’s live whole,

James

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#liveholystic #revampoctober

Credit: Cover Image of compilation album "Reimagining the Songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin"