I think a lot of people avoid change for a number of reasons. The most obvious ones are:
1. That they do not have enough time to work on the business as they are too busy fire fighting.
2. They don’t know how or where to start.
3. Fear of what might happen. (More on this another day).

In reality these are just excuses, but it all comes back to how badly you really want something. If you are content with mediocrity, and you are happy to “get by” with the way things are, then the desire to change will not be strong enough to drive you to change. In other words, even if the vision of long holidays in the sun, with no monetary worries and a business working smoothly in your absence is very strong (and why wouldn’t it be), if the pain of where you are, is not great enough, it is highly unlikely that you will be motivated to change.
I often come across people who will swear blind that they want to change, that they have a strong vision, and that they will welcome my input. However, when it comes down to it, they simply do not have the drive, energy or enthusiasm to get up and take the first steps.
They will use any of the excuses above, or others, such as not having enough money, but the truth is that unless something significant changes to threaten their current situation, they will never do it.
No doubt we have all heard anecdotes of people who have “burned their bridges”, so there is no turning back, because that is the only way they know how to make themselves take action.
It doesn’t have to be that drastic, but you may find a little pain is a very good thing to get you started.

Making any change for most people is a difficult thing. Even if you are not really happy with the way things are, it is incredible how many people are prepared to let them stay that way. The strangest thing of all is that we then still seem to think we have a right to complain about our situation, but in reality we need to get off our backsides, and do something positive about it.

The thing is, there is always an excuse for not doing something (and of course it is a lot easier to not do something, than to do it). There isn’t enough time, or I haven’t got the staff, or something else needed to be done more urgently. The best description I’ve read of this avoiding change is in a book called “What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There” by Marshall Goldsmith. Essentially he maintains the best time to change is now, but that so many people get caught up in this feeling of being out of control because there are so busy, that they believe they can’t. However, they make themselves feel better by saying something along the lines of “I’ll just get this next big challenge out of the way in the next month or two, then I’ll take a short break with the family, get myself organised, and then I’ll make the changes I know I need to.” But of course this is just an excuse for not doing those things, and things never get any less busy, and so nothing ever changes.

If you genuinely want to change DO IT NOW.

So the next time you hear yourself complaining about the way things are, stop moaning, ask yourself “What positive actions can I take?” and DO THEM.