Change is not Always Good

I was thinking tonight: I could move somewhere, get an MBA, and still manage to rent out the house. If the business stopped for a couple of years while I was studying, that’d be okay. I wouldn’t have to trade all the progress just so I could try something new. But then I realized something–why would I want to veer away from what I’ve got and where I’m headed?We all have tendencies to want to start over, to try something completely new, to move on from the status quo. Maybe it’s another degree. Maybe it’s a city you’ve always wanted to live in. Maybe it’s a job you haven’t tried. It’s so tempting, no matter how pleasant life is, to want to see how it all would be different. It’s not just that the grass would be greener, it’s that new seeds would blossom into something a little different.

But growing new plants takes all sorts of special care. It’s not an easy process to move or start over. And what’s the benefit? Is it tangible or more “having that experience”?

In my case, the motivations are more “things I’ve always wanted” (degree, new city, different job) than actual outcomes that are likely to happen. With my present job I have a good lifestyle, challenging work, and respect. And I’m very happy with the community I live in. While I’d gain some knowledge from additional education, I don’t know that the result would improve any of these qualities much more than the organic education I’m pursuing at present. And I don’t know that a different job would be any more exciting…it’d just be more stable.

Maybe it seems I’m not going anywhere with all this. Once again this is the time of the year (new year, birthday) when I have to consider if I’m on the path toward where I want to be. Last year the answer was “sort of,” as I wasn’t comfortable with my living or office arrangements. This year I think the answer is “yes.” When I look at other options, it seems I’d be betting on an unknown that would take away some of what I have now without any guarantee to improve things in the future.

We all make these kinds of choices. Even when we have a good job, house, or relationship, we sometimes choose the excitement of the unknown over something that’s not-so-bad. I guess my life is pretty-darn-good, and I don’t know why it’d suddenly get so-bad. It’s certainly going to take longer to acquire additional education or travel if I don’t make radical changes, but I think it’ll be better in the long run.

It’s so tempting to seek out something new, but I have enough ahead of me on the path I’m pursuing that a complete shift isn’t the best thing. Maybe it’ll be a different decision for you…