Are you simply repeating history as you go through life and work transitions? Change, and the transition that follows change, happens to all of us in countless positive and negative ways. Caring for ailing family members, college entrance, death, divorce, graduation, leaving home, marriage, a new job, parenthood, retirement—it’s easy to follow the example of those who have gone before us with both planned and unplanned changes. However, that is not the best approach.
In a similar fashion, you may be repeating history when you make new year’s resolutions. You promise yourself that things will be different this year and you have good intentions. Yet these resolutions are often lost long before spring.
You may recall the Peanuts cartoon by Charles Schultz where Charlie Brown repeatedly fails to kick the football because Lucy always snatches it away at the last minute. He always hopes that this time will be different even though neither he nor Lucy have changed their behavior. History simply repeats itself.
Three of my favorite quotes on change and the human condition address this.
“If you always do what you’ve always done,
you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.”
Henry Ford
“Those who cannot remember the past
are condemned to repeat it.”
George Santayana
“The definition of insanity is
doing the same thing over and over again
but expecting different results.”
Albert Einstein
One of the best ways to avoid repeating history is to reflect back on what has and has not worked well for you in the past. As the quotes above suggest, you need to look at your behavior and change what has not worked.
Being a life-long learner and a collector of inspirational quotes, I like to reflect on what has worked in the past and what hasn’t. I seek the wisdom of others by reading current literature, attending seminars, and listening to lectures. I have shared these quotes in previous blog posts
• Inspirational quotes for challenging situations
• Inspirational quotes for the fertile void
• Inspirational quotes for new beginnings
Take some time to reflect on your past year. What went well in your work life and your personal life? What would you like to improve on? What would you like to learn in the coming months? By acting on these insights, you will change your behavior and be able to avoid repeating history as you move forward through your next transition.