Observe

The only thing that can help you prepare for change is observation

Picture this.

You are sitting in a train that is stationary on the platform. There is another train standing on the other side of the platform. You look out from your train and you see people milling about and you see the other train. The time to leave draws closer.

And then you see movement. You are not sure if it is your train or the train on the other side of the platform. You feel disoriented. Almost helpless; till you observe. Look for a context, the platform or the people on it and determine whether it is your train that is moving or the other one. 

Our minds find solace in knowing the cause of the change. We always seek an explanation.

But there is another thing that is at work over here which is far more important.

Who is creating the change?

If you are the change maker then you need not worry too much about finding the explanation for the change. 

Change is inevitable. We often get caught wrong-footed when we have no role to play in making the change happen. Surviving change is a lot worse and a lot more difficult when you do not know it is coming. You cannot always be the person who is effecting the change either. 

Be observant. 

The more observant you are, the more you are aware of the context and the better you are prepared for change. 

In the case of the train, if you had been observing the platform, you may not have been disoriented. Do the same for your business, your career, or whatever you are pursuing in life.