You would think that getting an extra hour in your weekend (as we did with the recent time change) would be great, right? It makes sense. But what I have noticed is that it produces that same groggy funk for many that the loss of an hour does in the spring.

There is something about changing the clock that disrupts normal rhythms and requires us to make adjustments for a few days until it feels normal again.

This is the nature of change. Good or bad, it comes with an adjustment curve. While the need for a time change is certainly debatable in our modern society, the need for leaders to change in other areas is a given. While we may want everything to stay the same, the fact is, if nothing ever changed, life would be TOO constant, even for the highest C-wired among us.

Imagine you get up every day, and it is sunny and 72 degrees. Sounds great, right? But if it was sunny and 72 degrees all day every day for your whole life, you might think differently. For one thing, no change in the weather means no rain – which means drought. In the case of the weather, we NEED it to change. The cyclical changes in weather result in growth. No change…no growth. No growth…no life.

Imagine you could reach a point in your career or business where you have “arrived”. You no longer have to set new goals, solve new problems, and learn new things. You no longer have to worry about growing your business or your skills. Sounds great, right? The problem is people need change just as much as the environment does. The principle again applies: No change…no growth. No growth…no life.

While I’m not advocating we as leaders change everything every day (though my I-wired friends would be thrilled at the suggestion), I am certain we need periodic change points. We need those regular times where we look at where we are, evaluate what is working and what is not, and set new growth goals. This is a great quarterly exercise, and now is a great time of year to start planning for next year.

Just as we’re currently adjusting to this new time, there will be an adjustment period when introducing any changes we make in life. Life is a continuous cycle of CHANGE, GROWTH, and LIFE. Once we reach the “LIFE” point – where we have created a legacy, developed a circle of influence, fulfilled goals, and gained energy, it’s time to cycle back to change, grow, and serve others.

Where are YOU in the cycle?