The Transitions Institute, Inc.

The Transitions Institute has discovered a simple but startling truth about creating change in one’s life: it is much easier to accomplish all levels of change by focusing on the future rather than trying to alter or change the past.

The simple truth is that you can’t change the past. It’s already over. The opportunity for intentional change can only occur through a clear and focused commitment to a future.

In our work with thousands of people, we have discovered that individuals are most powerful and most successful when their intentions and actions are aligned, and are in support of a future they are committed to and deeply desire.

Lester Wunderman

Cato, Johnson, Wunderman

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Perhaps the most frequent cause for failing to change is a lack of preparation for the change process. Having a life you love does not happen by accident. It requires work. It requires real thinking and a rigorous, honest look at yourself. You need to be willing to learn from your past experiences, and you need to be willing to learn from others. People who engage in creating a future must first build a foundation based on self-awareness and self-acceptance.

The Transition Process starts with an individually-designed program that produces a freedom from past-based constraints and limitations. While it is easily understood that our limitations arise from previous failures, it is often surprising to discover the extent of self-imposed limitations that arise from past success and the apparently innocent decisions that we’ve made.

The identification of these counterproductive attitudes and behaviors leads to a startling realization that we have the power to choose to break the grip of these patterns and experience a totally new set of freedoms.

Don’t grow old with your potential intact. Potential is a poor companion during later years. We all know that life comes with no guarantees; that things worth doing often involve some discomfort and some risk. William Shakespeare said, "Doubt is a thief that often makes us fear to tread where we might have won." Here we find a fundamental misunderstanding concerning people’s relationships to change. People are not resistant to change. They resist giving up certainty. The dilemma is that by its very nature, change creates uncertainty. People are all too often willing to trade the "risk of uncertainty" associated with exploring new frontiers for the "comfort" of what’s predictable.

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Here’s the magic: Not just envisioning and thinking about the future, but actually living it. This requires designing structures and practices for keeping your future alive. It requires the development of relationships that are based in appreciation and full self-expression. It requires the development of enrollment and communication skills that enable you to share your vision of the future with those you love.