Change or Insanity

It’s not certain if it was Benjamin Franklin or Albert Einstein that defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again, yet expecting different results. Of course, this quotation is not meant to be taken literally. The quotation in fact encourages trying different avenues in order to get to the results that you want to see. It does not mean that you have to alter your approach completely, but understand that you will have to change your approach if the things you’re currently doing or previously have done are not producing the results/goals that you desire.


Throughout my sporting and academic career I have worked with a number of different people in a variety of settings/atmospheres/age groups/genders/cultures, etc, etc…. What continues to baffle and surprise me is how people will continuously repeat the same behaviour to get to their goal, yet they continue to get the same results, and then do it all over again while expecting a different outcome. This just leads to people becoming extremely unhappy, discouraged, and shocked with their previous results, yet, they continue to think that if they just keep doing what they’re doing, things may change. As the saying goes; “If you continue to do what you have always done, you will continue to get what you have always gotten”


What it comes down to:

If you don’t like the result YOU receive, YOU have to change your approach

How do you get to your goals and see the results you want:

· Be Specific – Define your goals and aspirations

· Be Realistic – understanding how much time you have and all of your responsibilities. What is your priority

· Be Motivated

· Consistent and Persistent action – It’s not going to come to you, you have to go out and get it.

· Be Organized/Prepared – clear the clutter that surrounds you. Be structured.

· Be Prepared - Write a Personal/Action Plan

- Breaking it down into daily, weekly, monthly, yearly
- Involving all spheres of life – Social, Spirtual, Emotional, Physical, Intellectual and Financial


Understand that we are not going to be able to achieve all of our goals and the results we want to see on our first try every time. We will experience failure that is inevitable. It’s what we do with this experience that dictates whether we have learned from it and made the necessary changes to improve our chances of achieving it our next try.

If at first you don’t succeed try and try again…just making sure that you’re learning from your previous attempt