It Doesn't Take Years to Change

There's a common saying that change takes time. Change can take weeks to years.

I believe this is false.

Change only takes a moment. It can happen outside in or inside out. Let me explain.

On the outside in, change can occur when your environment drastically shifts. You are FORCED to 'do the behaviour'. But over time, you do this so frequently that it BECOMES a part of you. And it's not so bad.

For example, once upon a time, computers were not accepted as a technology that would survive. Most people preferred the 'old' technology. It only took a few years for computers to advance to a point where it became impossible to conduct business without a computer. Eventually, computers became a house hold item.

Now, computers are indispensable.

Additionally, say you are used to driving your car to work. A new petrol tax forces you to cycle or take public transport to work instead. Initially, you're probably hesitant. It's annoying because you're used to the comfort of your car.

But if you start cycling, you notice your body starts to feel better. Your heart beats smoother. You start to think with more clarity. Eventually, you shape up. You lose the 'few kgs' that you've been meaning to lose.

Now you'd rather cycle to work than drive, even if the opportunity presented itself.

This is an example of outside-in. The behaviour needed of you occurs first, EVEN if you don't want to do it. But eventually, the benefits of the behaviour can be felt, and it affects you within.

Now let's look at inside-out.

In the opposite sense, you internalise the mindset behind the behaviours first, before acting them out into the world. This is the most common teaching of the 'self-help' industry, where 'change comes from within.' For this 'spark' to occur inside, the individual has to experience something. It can be due to simple things like movies, books and motivational speeches. Or, it can be something heavy like the death of a loved one. But something will happen for the individual to change INSIDE.

This inside change will happen first, followed by the behaviour change on the outside.

Besides 'how' change occurs, I believe change also happens as quickly as you want it to.

Change can happen in a day.

In 1 hour.

In 1 minute.

It's not the 'time' that matters. Rather, I believe it boils down to two things.

Choice.

And experience.

You need to make the choice yourself to change, even if you don't like it.

And you need to have an experience intense enough that you need to.

For example, I wanted to become the best Weightlifter in the country at one stage.

I made this internal change, and then I crafted a timetable for the next year. I stuck to this time table for the next year. Training 8-10x/week. All of this happened in the space of 24 hours. I needed to make this change because I had ended my long term relationship to pursue my dreams.

You don't have to give yourself days, months or years to change.

You just need to make a choice and seek the experience.

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