How to Make Big Changes
I will never forget the summer I realized I needed to make a big change within my team at work.
On the surface, everything was going well. But I couldn't shake the feeling that one of the departments we had built needed to change. It had served us well, but I believed that over time it would slow us down and keep us from becoming the vibrant, growing team we were called to be.
The problem was that the people on that team were wonderful. Their work was valued, and everyone depended on them. I knew my decision wouldn't be popular. Was this really necessary? What if I was wrong?
For months, I wrestled with the decision. Finally, I became convinced it was the right path. To hold myself accountable, I shared my plan with my boss so I wouldn't back away when the conversations became difficult.
Then I put the plan into motion.
The change took months to implement, but it became one of the greatest catalysts for our team's growth over the next several years. It reshaped how we worked, clarified what we valued, and created opportunities to develop new leaders. Looking back, I'm grateful I found the courage to make the change—even when it felt risky.
Making big changes is rarely easy. Whether we're changing a team, a career, a relationship, or simply a habit, most of us resist stepping into the unknown. Why? Because our brains—and often our hearts—prefer the comfort of what's familiar.
If you're like me, you may go through life doing many of the same things in the same way for years. We shop at the same stores, cook the same recipes, visit the same restaurants, and vacation in the same places. Sometimes we love the routine. It's familiar, safe, and easier to plan. We know what it will cost and what to expect. We even find a haircut we like and keep it for decades.
I call it the routine of sameness.
Our personalities—and our natural resistance to change—play a big role in how often we're willing to try something new. So we don't. Sometimes for a season. Sometimes for decades.
The same is true in our work lives. We often choose a career field and stay in it. We may remain with the same company or move to similar organizations doing similar work. Before long, we settle into familiar routines with our work, our coworkers, and even the way we solve problems. Most of us prefer what we know.
Research reflects this reality. More than half of employees (56%) say there is simply too much change happening at work. Nearly 44% say they don't understand why changes are being made, suggesting that communication is often a bigger issue than the change itself. About 37% admit they are resistant to organizational change.
The top reasons people resist change include:
41% don't trust leadership.
39% don't understand the reason for the change.
38% fear the unknown.
27% worry about how their role will change.
23% feel they weren't included in the process.
So why are we so resistant to change? Is it really that difficult for our brains?
The answer is yes—to a degree.
Our brains are wired to conserve energy and rely on familiar patterns. Much of what we do every day runs on autopilot. One of my favorite examples is driving to work. How often have you arrived home and thought, How much attention was I actually paying? I think I daydreamed the entire drive.
Creating new habits requires work from the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and self-control. As we repeat new behaviors, they gradually become automatic. Research suggests it takes an average of about 66 days for a new habit to form. Even then, when stress enters the picture, our brains naturally want to fall back into old patterns.
Yet despite all of that, there are moments when something inside us whispers, It's time for a change.
Maybe you already know what that change is. Maybe you simply sense that life needs a shake-up. You may have been coasting along until something—a conversation, an article, or a podcast—made you stop and ask, Why am I still doing this?
The change might be something major, like moving to a new city or starting a different career. It could be deciding to let your hair go gray instead of coloring it every month. It might even be reorganizing your workspace or changing the way you lead your team.
Whatever is stirring inside you, don't ignore it. Lean into it. Explore what it would take.
So how do you begin? How can you make a big change feel less overwhelming and more sustainable?
Here are a few steps that have helped me.
Decide Where You Want to Go
Once you've identified the change you want to make, create a clear picture of where you're headed. Start by writing one sentence describing what success would look like.
Maybe you want to reorganize your team at work, but the task feels overwhelming. Instead of focusing on the mountain in front of you, picture what life will look like after the work is finished. That vision creates excitement.
Clarity builds confidence, and confidence helps you take the next step.
Here are a few examples:
I want to move to San Diego by January 2027 and work in graphic design.
I want to have knee replacement surgery so I can hike comfortably by next summer.
I want to get out of debt so I can open my own business by 2028.
I want to become a generous person who gives away 10% of my income to help those in need.
It Takes Confidence
You may be someone who embraces change without hesitation. But if you're reading this, chances are you're like most of us.
You second-guess your decisions.
You procrastinate because the goal feels enormous.
You wonder if you really have what it takes.
Most people wrestle with these thoughts.
Over the years, I've trained myself to make big decisions and embrace significant change. That confidence didn't appear overnight—it grew through practice.
When I know what I want to change, I stop focusing on what I lack and start focusing on what I already have. I identify my strengths, gifts, and experiences that can help me move forward. Then I ask God to provide whatever I don't yet have.
Changing my hair color doesn't require much faith.
Moving to a new city and changing careers does.
When I've made changes like those, I've reminded myself that I'm good at meeting people, organizing projects, and adapting. More importantly, I believe that if God is leading me somewhere new, He already has good things waiting there that I can't yet imagine.
I've also had to lay down some unnecessary baggage. I don't have to be someone else. I don't have to love meeting new people all the time. I don't have to feel completely comfortable before taking the next step.
Colossians 3:10
"And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator."
Make a list of the strengths, gifts, and resources you already possess that can help you accomplish your goal. Include the people who can support you along the way.
Focus on what you can bring to the table.
Pray.
Then take the next step.
Make a Plan
Whether you're someone who carefully maps out every detail or simply goes with the flow, one thing is true: plans increase the likelihood that goals become reality.
Start with your goal.
Is there a target date?
What's the very first step?
What smaller milestones will move you toward the finish line?
Write them down in order.
Sometimes a simple to-do list is exactly what you need to create momentum and begin seeing progress.
Isaiah 43:19
"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
Stay on Track
Most of us are good at making goals.
Many of us are good at making plans.
The challenge comes a few weeks later.
Life gets busy.
Something unexpected happens.
We lose momentum.
Our confidence takes a hit.
So how do we stay on course?
I've learned that I need systems, not just good intentions.
Every week I create a list of priorities to remind myself what deserves my attention. Your goal may not require weekly action, but it probably requires weekly awareness—even if that's simply praying about it.
Consider setting quarterly reminders to review your progress.
Ask yourself:
Am I still on track?
What's causing delays?
Does something need to change?
Has God redirected the goal as I've taken steps forward?
Adjusting your plan isn't failure. Sometimes it's wisdom.
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Bring Others Along
I've had many mentors tell me the same thing over the years:
Never go alone.
Whether you're attending an event, starting a business, changing careers, or pursuing a personal goal, having others beside you makes the journey stronger.
Choose people for two reasons.
First, invite someone who can help you accomplish your goal. They may have strengths that complement yours. They may see opportunities—or blind spots—that you don't.
Second, bring someone who can grow alongside you. Let someone else gain confidence by watching your journey. As you learn, they learn.
When you finally reach your goal, celebrating is even sweeter with the people who walked the journey with you.
Big changes are rarely easy.
Our brains resist them.
Our emotions question them.
Our fears magnify them.
But growth has always required stepping into something unfamiliar.
So ask yourself:
What is the change you've been avoiding?
Write it down.
Pray about it.
Make a plan.
Take one step.
Then another.
Because the life you're hoping for rarely begins with one giant leap—it begins with one courageous decision to stop living in sameness and start moving toward something new.
