Random thoughts on people’s relationship with change.
- People are either “Change Lovers” or “Change Haters.” My rough estimation is 5% Change Lovers, 95% Change Haters.
- Change Lovers are people who seek constant change in their lives. They believe that there’s always something more to aim for, something else to learn from. They set innovative goals, and most of the times they are unable to settle.
- Change Haters are people who seek comfort and a certain status quo in their lives. They define their future as society allows them to, and set goals previously set by many others. Safety is a major part of their lifestyle.
- Depending on their relationship with change, a person’s achievable level of happiness varies. Change Lovers oscillate between moments of deep frustration and moments of extreme happiness. Reaching their goals gives them pure joy, but since they are unable to settle or appreciate things as good as Change Haters they begin to question their present and feel bad about it. That’s when they seek change again. Change Haters, on the contrary, surf through life in a stable way. They don’t experience the happiness that Change Lovers do but they take life’s frequent hits much better.
Correlation between people's relationship with change and their achievable level of happiness.
- Change Lovers’ inability to stay still and desire to catch the wave, makes them better prepared for the future. They make change happen.
- Change Haters’ survival mentality makes then better prepared for the present, but change always surprises them (in a negative way most of the times).
- Change Lovers are more ambitious and creative people. Most of them are leaders.
- Change Haters are more persistent, tolerant and appreciative. Most of them are followers.
- Change Lovers know a little bit about many things. Change Haters know a lot about few things.
- Change Lovers have many weak ties. Change Haters have many strong ties.
- Change Lovers are more spontaneous but also make less informed decisions. Change Haters rationalize their emotions instead of acting on them. They are more patient.
In the end, Change Lovers experience life’s extremes and diversity, while Change Haters just pass by.
Loving change is where it’s at.
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Interesting thoughts here, Carlos. There are definitely change haters and lovers in the world, but whether we seek out change or not, I think it’s equally important how we deal with change when we are confronted with it. Do we make the most of it or fight it? Do we rise to the challenge or let it defeat us? Those who love change and purposely make it a part of their lives could still be paralyzed by the unexpected. No matter whether we consider ourself a change lover or a change hater, I think the most important part is being able to embrace change.
Is it possible not to embrace change at some point? How much can we fight it? Change happens, and we all have to deal with it at some point. If you’re talking about attitude, then again, I think the catogires I mentioned apply here as well. Change lovers receive unexpected change with a positive mind, while haters do it negatively.
Do you think that having 95% change haters influences the other 5% to be change lovers. I classify myself as a change addict, and I find that I’m personally driven by watching other people sit around and accept things the way they are. I get frustrated with that status quo, even if it doesn’t necessarily apply to me directly, and feel the need to change the environment, if not myself; I feel the need to wake others up.
This is not to say that I shake people out of their happy lives. I’m speaking more about the people who seek comfort and stability but complain that they are not happy and that there are so many things they can’t have/do/be.
Do you think it could ever be possible, theoretically, to have a more even distribution of the two types of people? Do you think it would be beneficial or detrimental to have so many more change lovers in the world?
Regarding your question on your first paragraph, yes, I think it’s very possible. To be honest, I’m not sure that’s the case with me (would have to think about it), but reasons to be motivated by change can be plentiful.
Now, your second question: not right now. And not in a recent future either. Change is the force behind progress, behind innovation, behind alterations in the status quo. These events have always been driven by few outstanding individuals. In the hypothetical case that the world would have many more change lovers, I think it would be chaos. Even change lovers expect some sort of external stability so they can bet on the future they predict. If everything would be changing at the pace of each individual, instead of society’s pace, then there would be no coordination between us.
Like Kristin, I also find myself intentionally trying to instigate change where I find stagnation. I’ve consistently found change to be a positive force in my life, and it seems silly not to help others do the same when they clearly want to, but are too busy over-analyzing to ever act.
Love the graph, by the way! I think the change-lover’s motto should be ‘Be Parabolic.’
Love the motto
I don’t want to help others to change. I think it’s a lost cause. I want to help people who don’t have to eat or who suffer diseases, but I’m not interested in trying to change stubborn people. Because people who hate change are usually more stubborn than those who don’t.
If our actions are going to help them or motivate them, it’ll be when they decide it’s time, not because we say so.
Hooray for change lovers!!!
Though, there must be a happy medium right? If I love my present self, can I still love change?
If you don’t love your present self, then you’re always longing for more…
I don’t agree bro. You can love yourself, and still want more because life can’t stay still. Growth is part of life, is what makes me wake up every morning. To stop change is to stop growing.
I’m not sure there’s a happy medium…Life, sadly for us, is about extremes. We’ll always find something to bitch about.
Amazing post!!!! Congrats on being featured on Brazen!! This is really interesting. Why do your post make me contemplate?!?! Guess that’s a good thing right?
“My rough estimation is 5% Change Lovers, 95% Change Haters.” It’s sad, but true. Glad to know I’m a change lover!! I always want something new to learn, seeking through the horizons. Thanks! I learned something new today thanks to you.
Te lo Agradezco.
Of course it’s a good thing! thank you for the support and kind words Cheila!
Someone wise once said “The only constant is change”. We are all constantly changing, hopefully evolving.
I imagine change-haters live in carefully protected, padded comfort zones where no growth takes place. I’d also wager that a lot of depressed people are change-haters – living in fear in front of their televisions.
Change-lovers tend to take life by the throat and see where it takes them, exploring the world and themselves as they go, growing and evolving into the best version of themselves possible.
Fear of change is a sad, but common human condition leading to stagnation and lack of fulfillment.
Thanks for this thought-provoking post.
Live Life Happy!
That’s a great graph and interesting read Carlos! I think I’ve always been (at least) a little bit more of a change lover, and definitely experience the ups and downs in ways that others around me find weird sometimes. Maybe that helps explain it. And yeah, I say when you feel something, sad, angry, ecstatic, you should embrace it and express it, don’t act like a zombie just to avoid rocking the boat.
Oh yeah, you are definitely a change lover my friend. One of the bests.