Adapt Or Die -Why You Have To Evolve To Survive In Business
Only the strongest in a species evolve and that’s because change is tough. To change means you have to be able to adapt to new conditions. Not everyone can do that.
Familiarity is comforting – it’s safe. But if you want to grow – change is mandatory. You have to meddle in the unknown. Take a risk and be prepared to fail.
I’ve recently made significant changes to my business. For 12 years I’ve run Evergreen Life, a successful Life Insurance brokerage servicing Kiwi families. I’ve loved it. I could easily have kept things as they were and have a safe, comfortable business and life.But I decided to evolve and tailor my services to a small but elite niche with my new business, Broadbent Risk Specialists.
This evolution wasn’t easy and it didn’t come quickly, but the new opportunities it has created have been exponential.
Looking back on the process, there were three key things that helped me transition from a place that was safe and familiar, but stagnant, to a place of unlimited potential.
Trust Yourself
It took me a long time to trust that I had the experience and skill set I needed to switch gears from selling Life Insurance to specialising in Business Insurance. I spent 12 years at the coal face, serving people, protecting their financial futures – of course I had the skill set I needed. All I had to do was change.
Have A Good Team Around You
There’s a great quote from Warren Buffet, he says, “Honesty is a very expensive gift, don’t expect it from cheap people”.
If you want to truly change you need people you trust who aren’t afraid to tell you when you’re wrong. But just as importantly, they’ll be ones who’ll support you when doubt creeps in – and it will.
Narrow Your Focus
Successful change in business starts with understanding who you are, your skill set and the true value that you offer. When you can hone your craft for a specific group of people, you’ll be set up to win.
Final Word
Now, more than ever it’s absolutely critical to be adaptable in business. Comfortable is not safe and if you don’t evolve you’ll be left behind.
