Change is Omnipresent, and It’s Not Going Away – Embrace It!
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Dr. Viktor Frankl, noted Austrian psychiatrist
Did you know that the word “change” is one of the most commonly used words in our everyday speech? We use it all the time. What that means is things (everything, actually) are constantly changing in all of our lives – therefore, we refer to the word often.
For example, in baseball, they often “change” the pitcher. The meteorologist on television talks about the “change” in the weather. The financial analyst discusses “changes” in stock prices. Our doctor fills us in on any “changes” in our health. Every few years our elected officials “change.” Our opinions “change.” And on and on…
The list is literally endless.
Therefore, it is logical to conclude that the more effectively we can adjust and react to change (rather than resisting it, as many of us do), the happier, more peaceful and productive life we will lead. As German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “The snake which cannot cast its skin has to die.”
Self-service laundry businesses change constantly, too. As I said, the “Change Rule” (my term) impacts all aspects of our lives.
Our competition changes, our employees come and go, our customer base changes, our vend prices change, our suppliers change, equipment technology changes, our degree of success changes and our marketing strategies change – just to name a few (of the many) things that change.
The central issue regarding change – since its inescapable presence is always at our heels – is how we personally react to it. How does it directly affect you and alter your behavior and attitude toward yourself and others? How does it impact your emotional well-being, as well as your managerial style?
Quite simply, the easier and smoother we can adjust to change, the more successful and happier we will be. Resisting change only causes sorrow. Reality is reality.
It is well known that people resist change. It can make them anxious, angry, frustrated, depressed and confused. Sometimes it’s so uncomfortable that it can make us trip over our gag reflex. According to Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky, “Taking a new step, uttering a new word is what people fear most.”
The influence of change on us is profound. One day you are a certain person, but the next day you must adjust and become a new form of you.
How effectively you can adjust to changes when owning your laundry will have a lot to do with your degree of financial success – and certainly with your personal well-being.
For example, if you realize you need to replace some topload washers with larger capacity – more expensive – frontloaders because your marketplace calls for it but you resist this change, you very likely will lose customers to some other store that features an ample number of multi-load washers.
Perhaps one of your attendants is causing issues and needs to be replaced, but you don’t do so. Quite possibly, you will suffer financially because of the harm this individual can create with customers.
Or, what if you realize customer demand has changed, and you need to alter your hours of operation? Not doing so because it inconveniences you also will probably cost you money in the long run.
These are but three examples. There most certainly are more.
Yes, change can be stressful but, if accepted graciously, one can actually experience healthy post-traumatic growth. Change can be a pain to accept, but it doesn’t have to turn you into one.
As Coco Chanel, the famous clothing designer, used to say, “Fashion changes, but style endures.” So, keep your style positive despite the effort required to accept and adapt to change.
Or, as screen legend Marilyn Monroe supposedly said, “Sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can fall together.”
For best results, understand that our world – business and otherwise – is constantly modifying, so simply embrace it. Time changes everything, and fighting it is futile… there are no exceptions.
