What Most People Overlook When They're Creating Change

When we decide we want to make changes in our lives or work, we tend to focus mostly on what we need to do to make that happen. We map out plans, create to-do lists, and make schedules. They are all important parts of creating change successfully.

But there are some equally important factors that people often aren’t aware of that make a big difference and have nothing to do with what you are doing, and everything to do with how you personally approach the process of change.

You can have the best plans in the world, but it is you who have to turn them into action and results.  So, it is important you focus on yourself as much as you do your plans. When you pay attention to how you are showing up as you navigate the path of change, it becomes more manageable and feels more doable.

Over the last 25 years of helping people create changes in their lives and work, six often-overlooked things have kept coming up time and time again. I've seen the difference they make to people's ability to create change successfully. I call them The Six Cs of Creating Change Successfully.

Here they are, followed by six questions to ask yourself to make sure you aren’t overlooking any of these important factors when you are making changes in your life and work:

The Six Cs of Creating Change Successfully

 1. Clarity

Without clarity, the change you want to create is at risk before you even start. That’s because if your idea of where you are headed is vague, it is very difficult to create quality plans. Clarity enables you to map out a clear way forward that will deliver the results that matter most to you. It gives your change direction. It becomes the compass that guides you when things start to feel uncertain, or you feel a bit lost.

2. Consistency

People often underestimate the power of small actions repeated consistently over time. But when you boil it down to its core, creating change is just an accumulation of small steps taken consistently and persistently over time until you get from where you are to where you want to be.  When it comes to making steady progress and achieving the outcomes you want, consistency is a superpower.

3. Confidence

No amount of clarity, goals, or planning is going to create the change you want to achieve if you lack the confidence to take action. Having said that, you don’t have to be busting with confidence before you start. Confidence is created by doing the thing you lack confidence in, step by step. Not by waiting for it to magically appear. Don’t underestimate how much confidence you can build from just getting started and taking a few small steps at a time. Every small action you take shows you that you are capable of making change doable. And that builds confidence.

4. Courage

Creating change can trigger a whole host of emotions, including fear, uncertainty, doubt, and discomfort. The challenge is to not let those feelings derail you. One way to do that is to focus on building courage. Courage is like a muscle – the more you use it, the stronger it gets.  The stronger your courage becomes, the easier it is to overcome the feelings that can hold you back. Courage grows by taking action in the face of fear, uncertainty, and discomfort.

5. Curiosity

When we are curious, we generate ideas, find solutions, learn, and gather information. This can be invaluable when figuring out how to navigate the path of change successfully. Curiosity can turn feeling stuck into clarity, uncertainty into understanding, problems into solutions, and ideas into opportunities. Start making it a habit.

6. Compassion

This is the one I think many of us overlook the most. And I’m specifically referring to self-compassion. Making changes in your life or work isn’t a linear path. It brings setbacks, challenges, mistakes,  and doubt. Often, these moments turn into self-criticism, as if the whole thing should pan out perfectly. That is totally unrealistic. Showing yourself compassion helps you navigate those moments more smoothly and keeps you moving forward. It helps you build resilience. And resilience is what helps you keep going, especially when the going gets tough. People who create the changes they want aren't the ones who never struggle. They're the ones who treat themselves with compassion as they deal with whatever they encounter along the way, so they don’t derail themselves.

If you want to check whether you’re incorporating these Six Cs into the changes you are making, here are six questions to ask yourself:

• Am I clear about what I'm trying to create?
• Am I being consistent with the actions that matter most?
• Am I building confidence by taking action, even if it feels uncomfortable?
• Am I practicing courage when fear, uncertainty, doubt, and discomfort show up?
• Am I using curiosity to help me navigate the path of change?
• Am I treating myself with compassion when challenges arise?

Creating change to build a different way to live and work isn't just about having a good plan. It's about how you are showing up every step of the way. And when you incorporate these six factors, you make change far more doable.