---
date: 2017-04-28
modified_at: 2017-07-17
tags: [entrepreneurship, philosophy, productivity]
description: A philosophical reflection on why developing a habit of change is essential in our rapidly evolving world, using the metaphor of a rock in a river to illustrate how adaptability creates resilience and growth.
---
# The habit of Change

My grandfather was fine with doing the same all his life... He was a farmer and
did what his father did before him. We won't be able to follow footsteps so
easily because technology expects us to adapt. Technology changes the world
increasingly faster, so we have to change with it.

The outer world is just a heap impulses that interact with you like water
affects a stone in the river. If you want to become a beautifully rounded rock,
you have to let the river affect you from every side. The roundest rocks are the
rocks that change their position most often. If you never change, you will only
fit in a very specific environment.

Because the world is changing so fast, we can't be that rock that only fits in
one environment. Because of automation, lots of jobs will come and go.
Technologies will come and go. It is ever more important to be able to learn and
adapt to this change.

That's why I think that having a habit of change is important. Lying in the
river somewhere else once in a while to be more rounded and flexible in the
unpredictable future.

Why?

- Habits can be very useful. A habit or routine create structure in your life
  which, if the habit is chosen correctly, improves the outcome.
- Change can be very useful too. The world around you changes so you have to
  change with it. That's why you can't have the same habits forever.
- Habit of change would be perfect. Until, of course, you find the optimal
  routine of growth. But this routine is never perfect because the world
  changes.

How?

- Think a little bit like Elon Musk to create the world you want to live in. I
  love this article
  https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/11/the-cook-and-the-chef-musks-secret-sauce.html
  . To summarize: always keep in mind and update your dream, and always
  understand the changing reality by learning. From that, create a strategy to
  achieve your dreams.
- To change your habits, create a habit of meta-thinking & identifying bad
  habits. To improve yourself, you have to be conscious! I really enjoyed this
  book: Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create
  a New One
  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401938094/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1401938094&linkCode=as2&tag=travellifemov-20&linkId=186b65ff89b20e486519e0ad5c65812a
- Also, having a habit of improving & setting high goals is important to grow.
  Some people call it the 10X mindset
  https://medium.com/the-mission/the-10x-mindset-operating-at-an-exponentially-higher-level-can-make-a-big-difference-in-your-life-13216c0f7754
- Habit of discovery and escaping your comfort zone. Create a bigger
  perspective. I call it the [Hawk View](/2017/hawk-view-entrepreneur-needs/)
- Together this results in 'The habit of Change'