Doing a new thing. Something different. Change. They all come with well documented fear, resistance, and often various forms of the imposter syndrome. I often write about them here in this blog.
And now I’m in the midst of change myself and the fear, resistance and imposter syndrome are enormous. I’m publishing a book, halfway through writing another, 80% done writing a course, and also nearly finished the design to overhaul my website. So there is lots going on. And it’s not the starting of the projects that was difficult, it’s the finishing. As I get closer to ‘going live’ or ‘going public’, fear, shame, and the imposter are triggering huge resistance in me.
I feel terror inside. It makes no sense logically. I even tell myself that. And yet, the feeling is real, it’s like a lump in the pit of my stomach.
This is not unique to me. Many of us experience this in a change journey. Perhaps at different stages and perhaps to differing degrees of strength. But the resistance is real and common.
Most of our frameworks for change, mine included, tend to articulate the logic of the change. And yet, the resistance is emotional not logical. Which is why stories help. But the stories have to be about the emotion inside the change makers and those who resist.
Acknowledging the cacophony of emotions is a critical part of change – individually, within your team, or organisationally. Speaking them out in a trusted space with trusted people. And understanding the emotions won’t necessarily go away, they will be along for the journey. All of this can be helpful, necessary even. However, none of it should stop the journey.
Steven Pressfield‘s books on writing talk about the resistance the best. Even though they are about writing, they should be required reading for every change maker.
So while the resistance is real and rally all its emotions, today I take another step towards the ship date.
What about you?
0 Comments