Basic fact: We are all looking for clues that we are having an impact and that our life is making a difference. On the larger scale we want to see the impact of our businesses as well. Most of those clues will come from the visual. We look for numbers to see if our investment was a good one, we look to see if there is physical progress on a construction project, we track our weight our number of prospects our efficiencies and so on. If we don’t see some change then we wonder if we are getting anything done and having an impact. Operative word being see. On the other hand we all have a need for some certainty and routine in our life, which is such a paradox. Even if it is boring at times to be in a routine, we still tend to be more comfortable with the familiar. But, innovation and change are not comfortable, they might be exciting, but not comfortable, because all change requires energy and effort. Becoming an innovator and making big change takes time and progress is usually harder to see. So, we need to create noticeable, visual proof that things are changing in our immediate world and it can be as simple as rearranging the furniture in the office to facilitate the new thinking and working processes or changing where you meet your clients or how you communicate in meetings such as flip charts and pictures instead of just verbal discussion. It doesn’t take much to give your mind clues that you are trying to improve things and seeing results. Results, even the small ones, are exciting and can give that little dopamine bump that will boost the speed of your progress. However, you must have enough visual change in your work environment to convince your brain that things really are different, it actually builds momentum for change. So, work on creating continuous improvement in small ways everyday that you can see so that when you don’t, it will be a let down, not just “the daily routine.”
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