"Things happen according to the ordinary course of nature and the ordinary habits of life."
California Civil Code, Maxims of Jurisprudence“It may look like a crisis, but it’s only the end of an illusion.”
Gerald M. Weinberg, The Secrets of Consulting
People don’t like to change, but circumstances do. Our current behavior is conditioned by our past successes: we adopted what worked for us before. The danger is that our past successes can become foundations of our future failures. How so? Past successes create the illusions of certainty, stability, continuity. When the circumstances change, as they often do, we fail to adapt. It’s like going to law school with a bag of undergraduate tricks. We use familiar patterns of behavior in unfamiliar territories when, instead, we need a paradigm shift.
Why not step back and ask yourself: Is there a different way to think about this? Am I moving forward or running in circles? Are any of my habits holing me back? What should I be doing differently? It’s especially useful to do such review when you face changes in your life, like deciding on a career path, starting law school, or getting a job. Open your mind to new ways of thinking and succeeding. Are you ready for a paradigm shift?
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