The "I'm Ready Now!" Podcast
I'M READY NOW! PODCAST
The "I'm Ready Now!" Podcast
EP 12: Embracing Change (If It Ain't Broke, Break It!)
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Would you break something that has been working fine for you? Well, in this episode we dive into the transformative changes that have swept across various industries over the past decade. From the dominance of streaming platforms in the music world to the heightened focus on health and sustainability in the food industry, and the digital revolution in education, it’s clear that innovation is the key to thriving in this fast-paced world. We even highlight a historical example from American football, where breaking away from conventional wisdom led to groundbreaking success.
This episode is a call to embrace change, seek new opportunities, and continuously learn to stay ahead of the curve. Tune in for insights that could reshape how you view the world and your place in it. You will leave realizing that it is time to break things that are working in order to thrive in this fast-paced world!
Introduction
Speaker 1Welcome to the I'm Ready Now podcast .
Speaker 1Ideas to help you when you're ready for change . I'm your host , isaac Sanchez , here . I share my musings on whatever it is I am reading at the moment , as well as any other ideas that I believe will help you break free from a standstill in your thinking in order to get you dreaming again . Thank you for joining me today . Well , I'm ready now . How about you ? Excellent , so let's get started
Welcome!
Speaker 1and hello everyone . Welcome back to the I'm Ready Now podcast . I am your grateful host , isaac Sanchez . Ready Now podcast . I am your grateful host , isaac Sanchez . It means so much to me that you make time to return to join me each week with the hope that you might find some insight to help you through your own journey , so that gives me a huge incentive to show up and share , as usual .
Speaker 1Let me get through a couple of common communication bits . First , remember there are chapter markers on this podcast , so if you want to get straight to the content , use them . They're there for that . Skip right ahead . No harm , no foul . I completely understand . As I have confessed in the past , I use them as well in some podcasts , and sometimes it's just a matter of lack of interest , and other times it's a matter of simply I don't have time . I want to get to the podcast right away , so use them . That's what they're there for . Also , in the description of this episode there's a link you can tap to text me . I'd love to hear from you to get your feedback on the podcast or about the topics we're addressing , or you can always email me at IsaacSanchez at Maccom . I look forward to hearing from you . That will be fun to engage and just see what things you have to offer . I love that , so can't wait to hear
What's up in your world? Pizza parties for me!
Speaker 1from you .
Speaker 1Okay , what's up in your world ? Well , mine , pizza . We had a pizza party this past Friday evening . Guests were my younger sister , christina , and her two young adult daughters , Her son , my nephew nephew serves in the army . He's out of state . We love him and honor his service , so of course he could not be here . It was wonderful because everyone was coming from their busy day and meeting here for a pizza party and my wife wanted to have them over and we'd been wanting that for a while and we wanted to do something special .
Speaker 1So we decided on homemade pizza , and so we went and bought all the various ingredients . Um , it all starts with the dough . So we went to a went to a local place in Anaheim . It's called Cortina's Italian restaurant and deli . There's one in orange and another nearby city , but it does not have the deli , it's just a restaurant , which is amazing . We wanted the deli one . So we went to Anaheim here . Wow , let me just say it's magical in there . We wanted to buy everything in there that we were looking at , even though we did not need it . So , in a fit of self-discipline , we got the dough and the pizza sauce . That's all we needed .
Speaker 1And so , besides my sister and her daughters , we invited my daughter and my son . My son couldn't make it . He had been working earlier , had a really busy and rough week and had work the next day , so he stepped out on this one . But my daughter made it , along with her boyfriend , and it was a wonderful night of creating our individual pizzas as we chose to top them . So , again , earlier on , my wife and I had and mainly she had gone and made sure we had all the various ingredients that we might want on a pizza and it was just . It really was stupendous , it was fantastic , we loved it . It really was stupendous , it was fantastic , we loved it , and so these pizzas were tasty .
Speaker 1I mean , if that's the impression that all of us had , well , I should say this a different way . That is the impression that all of us had . We loved our pizzas . And let me put it this way If I had eaten those pizzas in a restaurant , my Yelp or Google reviews would have raved right next to the five stars I would have given the pizzas there . So the funny thing is , none of us are pros . I mean , we cook some more than others , but I'm the others . I don't cook a lot , but we all killed it , we nailed it . We just took care of our dough , spread it out and put the sauce on it and then just put the various different types of toppings . And that was the fun thing is they were so different , all the pizzas were so different . There must have been about seven of us there , I think , and so we just followed the directions that came with the dough , and the rest was history . So , so delicious . Also , my wife made a charcuterie board . That was a hit . It took a lot for us not to take that thing apart before our guests arrived , but we did . We let it sit there and then , finally , when my sister and her daughters came . We had it , we went at it .
Speaker 1One thing that my wife and I have decided just to kind of wrap this up is that we have a desire to gather folks in our home . She has a big heart for that and we were just not going to wait until we had a bigger home . Our space is not very big at all . I know that we can compare it to others and it might be considered large . I think we're at about maybe a thousand square feet . However , although we were able to comfortably fit 12 young adults for my daughter's 19th birthday a few weekends ago , it was a bit tight . So anyways , we'll keep gathering , squeezing folks in , until we make a next move into a space chosen partly with the intent to gather friends , family and the strangers . So we'll consider the square footage for that for sure . We're in a season right now of just keeping things small , but we're looking forward to that . But in the meantime , we're still going to gather . So keep yourself connected folks with friends , family . We're social beings and we need to keep feeding our hearts friendship , so keep that up .
Speaker 1All right , let's move into today's content . If it ain't broke , break it . So what are we in for today . We may have heard the saying if it ain't broke , don't fix it , but this is intentionally not that . That's right . Dan Miller says if it ain't broke , break it .
Speaker 1Stories and Wisdom to Kickstart your Day by Dan Miller , a book meant to help us focus our day and therefore focus our life , regardless of what season of life you and I are in . So what wisdom has Dan given us here ? Why would we break something that's working just fine ? There's got to be a reason . Last week , in preparation for our talk today , I asked you to get your hammer ready because we're going to need to break some things that are working . You heard me right they are working , they are not broken . So you have your hammer Wonderful ,
Podcast Content: Embracing Change (If It Ain't Broke, Break it!)
Speaker 1let's start swinging that thing . If it ain't broke , break it .
Speaker 1Well , dan Miller starts off by telling us to ignore the grammar here . Ain't ? He's talking about the work environment . The speed of change is so rapid . He starts off by quoting business thinker Peter Drucker , and Dan states that in some cases quote if you are doing things the way you did them , even one year ago , you're probably being left behind . Close quote .
Speaker 1So I'm sure we've all seen some version of that , maybe in our workplace or just in our world around us as we go about our banking , shopping , consuming , et cetera . Basically , complacence space is quickly disappearing , and I just quickly googled a few examples . Um , my , my term terminology was simply how has the blank I filled in an industry uh , changed in the past 10 years ? I did uh three of them just to kind of get a variety of ideas . So here's one of them by just checking how the music industry has changed in the last 10 years and it says this in the past decade the music industry has undergone a significant transformation , primarily due to the rise of streaming services like Spotify and Apple music , drastically changing how people consume music , with a decline in physical album sales , increased accessibility for independent artists and a greater emphasis on digital distribution and social media promotion for reaching audiences . I think all of us see that in our world .
Speaker 1They point out a couple of key changes . One of them domination of streaming . Streaming platforms have become the primary way people listen to music , replacing physical album sales as the dominant revenue source . This one's interesting Artist-fan interaction through social media . Social media platforms have allowed artists to directly connect with fans , fostering a more personal relationship and promoting music more effectively . Even the idea of a global reach . Let me read this for you . The internet has facilitated the promotion and consumption of music from around the world , increasing the popularity of international artists . So even in this , they have one here . That's very interesting because this is a bit of the past . Coming back in to the now Vinyl resurgence Despite the digital dominance , there has been a resurgence in vinyl record sales , driven by nostalgia and a desire for a tangible music experience .
Speaker 1How about the food industry ? I did the same thing with the food industry , and it says this In the past decade , the food industry has significantly shifted towards a greater focus on consumer health consciousness , sustainability , transparency and technology , with a rise in plant-based options , local sourcing , online delivery services and increased emphasis on food origin and ethical practices . Driven by consumer demand and social media influence , this has led to stricter regulations and innovation in food production methods and ingredients . Yeah , we've seen that too . Let's look at some key ones that they mentioned here . The increased focus on health and nutrition here's what they say . A surge in demand for quote clean eating . Close quote plant-based diets and reduced sugars . Slash sodium content , with companies creating more health conscience products . Super true Sustainability is a big thing , they say here . Growing awareness of environmental impact has led to a push for sustainable farming practices , reduce food waste and eco-friendly packaging . True that , as the kids say .
Speaker 1Let me jump over here to here's one technology integration . Advancements in technology like precision agriculture , data analytics and automation are used to optimize production and improve food safety . Of course , we see that kind of optimization in a bunch of different industries , and so , listen , that's some of the change . Here's one more for that Stricter regulations . Government regulations are becoming more stringent regarding food safety and labeling due to consumer pressure . Yes , that is right too . All right , let me hit one more . How about this one ?
Speaker 1Education . Let's look at what it says about education In education , all while grappling with issues like standardized testing , teacher evaluation systems and growing concerns about student mental health and safety . I see that firsthand with my space in education . Let's look at what it says about some of the technological advancements here in education Widespread adoption of digital textbooks , online learning platforms like Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams , mobile devices in classrooms and increased use of educational apps enabling interaction , learning experiences and access to information anytime , anywhere . Yep asynchronous focus on 21st century skills , it says here . Greater emphasis on critical thinking , problem solving , creativity , collaboration and digital literacy as essential skills for success in the modern world . Here's's a biggie , I see this for sure . Also , greater recognition of the importance of SEL , that's , social and emotional learning , in addressing student well-being and supporting mental health . That's a big one right now . And then , finally , one more here . There's many more , but I'll just add one more here Concerns about student safety , heightened awareness of school safety , issues like bullying and gun violence , prompting new policies and practices . So yeah , that's just the last 10 years , these major changes in these areas . There's so many more that we can go into . So , once again , complacency has no place . Things are moving quickly .
Speaker 1Now Dan goes on to comments of complacency . He quotes clients who have become stuck in complacency . Here's a taste of half of the comments he mentions . Here's one I've wasted many years of my life . I got too comfortable . I'm suffering from burnout . I'm suffering from burnout , and this one I feel like I'm a box of parts and nothing fits together . That's just half of the comments that he quotes from people that he has seen in his practice . There are others , but that is enough to get the idea of how some have felt when they let the fast-paced world fly right by them .
Speaker 1Dan then goes on to give us an example in sports on the dangers of going with the conventional wisdom of the day . He talks about American football . In 1906 , a change of rules was issued . Up to this point , guys in leather helmets ran and kicked the ball down the field . It was a low-scoring sport , but in 1906 , the forward pass was legalized . So one throw can gain you about 40 yards . So most teams stayed with the conventional strategies from the tried and true ways of playing the game for those prior years . However , he mentions that the St Louis University's coaches adapted and they used the new change , using that forward pass extensively , and in the first season of change they outscored their opponents 402 to 11 . That's pretty crazy right there . So a wonderful example that he gives us of how some embraced the change and benefited from it , while others stayed very comfortable but got the results that you can expect from that same play strategy that they were using .
Speaker 1So finally , dan goes on to encourage us . Therefore , seek innovation . He goes on to say , to seek out ways you can bring new methods and innovation to what you do . So what does that mean ? Now ? Some of you may have experiences already , especially post-COVID , post-pandemic , for example , new courses to keep you at the top of your field . So maybe you're happy where you're at , but you see things changing so quickly and you realize I have to get current on some things , whether it's software or machinery , whatever it is . You take the courses that are necessary to get you back at the top of your field . However , for some it may be a little more drastic . You're exploring new fields . There are so many to explore so some may be related to your current career field or you find a transition to something completely new .
Speaker 1I find myself in this space , there where I realized 32 and a half years in public education . You know how can I rein in and exploit in a positive way that experience and find something that's related to my current career field and just expand on that and use , leverage that experience that I have . So I find myself there . That's something that I just completely relate to in today's talk . Some of these new directions may require a different college degree and some may not . Now , this is interesting because there's so much change even in higher education , so be open to both . So , for example , there's some companies that are more interested in what you have done , what you bring to the table in terms of experience and not necessarily the degree .
Speaker 1Now , in some cases the degree is just necessary . We know that , for example , in teaching , I can have someone come teach circles around me , but if they don't have that degree we can't put them in a classroom in front of 40 teenagers . So we understand that and if that's the course that you need to take , then you head that way . But , again , a little bit of experience lets you know that you know which direction you need to take . It's always great to go talk to people that are in the field that you're interested in , because by talking to them they're there . You may find out , like someone tells you I went to school only to find out that I really don't need that degree . They will train you here and you can make the amount of money I'm making a salary per hour , whatever it is and you'll learn that In other cases you'll be straight up told yeah , you're going to need a degree , but maybe you could be working in that field . You could be working in this new area as you earn your new education whether , again , these are certifications , degrees , whatever , it is okay . So be open to both a formal education or just some more non-traditional certification that qualifies you to work in a new area .
Speaker 1So , basically , dan simply concludes look for ways to experiment with break it thinking . Okay , back to our idea that he shares with us , or his idea that he shares with us . If it ain't broke , break it All right . So experiment with break it thinking .
Wrap-up/Application
Speaker 1Okay , as usual , let's wrap it up with some application , because that is the only thing that matters . If we're just talking about this stuff and not actually finding a way to apply it to bring change to our lives , then it's not really worth the time that we're spending here . So I really do mean that .
Speaker 1So , okay , let's get to this most important part , and that is let's get pen to paper , fingers to touchscreens or voice to text whatever works for you . Mainly , let's act on what we're learning today . So here it is Find something in your life today that ain't broke and break it . So Dan suggests that this might include spending an hour at a local park or some environment to create the space to think through this . So here is his question for today , for all of us what one thing can you do today to break out of a predictable habit ? My suggestion to you is to not let all the different things you'd like to change swirl around in your head , but to choose one Now , if this seems a bit overwhelming for you , choose something small . Small to you , and what I mean by that is that could very much mean going and driving a different way to and from work . Can you just do that , be willing to say , okay , yeah , I could do some change here . That's a small one , and I'm just going to tell you it is a small one , but maybe that's where you need to start . Aside from that , if there is something that you are ready to confront that is not broken , but you need to break it you've just been doing it this way because that's the way you've been doing it then let's start swinging that hammer and ask the question again what one thing can you do today to break out of a predictable habit ?
Speaker 1We heard today from some very important areas that Dan reminded us of , whether it's work , career that might need to be changed , because we're stagnant , we're staying in the same place and time is going by . Years are going by . We heard the comments earlier that he mentioned from some of his clients . Wow , we don't want to have to be saying that about ourselves , but is that you ? Here they are again . I've wasted many years of my life . I got too comfortable . I'm suffering from burnout . I feel like I'm a box of parts and nothing fits together . Yeah , we don't want to be saying that about ourselves , but if you are , this is a wonderful opportunity to break away from that and focus on that . One thing Now obviously , this time to sit down to think through that is one time to sit down and get started on this , but this will take time .
Speaker 1I've told you before if there was ever a time where it's worth to find a coach or someone that will lead you through this , this is well worth the time and the effort for you to break out of your schedule and find someone that you can hire or who is well worth the time and the effort for you to break out of your schedule and find someone that you can hire or who is willing to help you , maybe in a local chamber of commerce or whatever that space would look like . Wherever it is that you live that you can get someone that's there to help coach you through . Maybe there's some free services or you know someone in the community that can help you with this . And what is the one thing ? What one thing can you do today to break out of a predictable habit ? That habit may be the job that you are at or something else that does need change . It's working , but it needs to be broken so that something new can come out of that . Good luck with that , and I hope to hear how these types of applications are working out for that . Good luck with that , and I hope to hear how these types of applications are working out for you Super important .
Next Week's Topic
Speaker 1Well , next week , the admonition from Dan Miller is to quote remember the Sabbath Close quote . That might be a new term to some of you Not all of you , but for some of you . So Dan's subtitle for this section is quote a day of Sabbath is more than just a spiritual suggestion . It's a necessity for balance and restoration . Well , we'll get this squared up next week
Closing Quote
Speaker 1. Let's finish off today with our quote . Here's the quote the wise person looks ahead . The fool attempts to fool himself and won't face the facts . This comes from the Proverbs , from the Bible , proverbs 14 , 8 . That's it . That's the quote . Think about it , act on it , have an amazing week and thanks for hanging out . Let's do this again next week . Thank you for listening .
Speaker 1If you found this time together useful . Please consider following this podcast and leaving an excellent rating . If you feel you can't do that yet , please reach out to me and let me know what I can do to get you to leave a top rating . If you are already excited about what you've heard , please consider sharing this podcast with a friend . I really would appreciate it . Also , I'd love your feedback , both on today's topic as well as what you'd like to hear me address in the future . I would really appreciate that input . Again , I'm your host , isaac Sanchez . I hope today's thought serves you the way it has served me . Remember , your next move is just one inside away . Have an amazing rest of your day . I'll see you next time .