Bob Dylan - "The Times They Are A Changing" But It's Not Easy Going

Gandhi Didn't Expect Hugs And Kisses, Neither Should You

By David Miranda

To those of you that aspire to change the status quo, and you know who you are, don't be discouraged when you face the head wind of resistance. Nothing worthwhile comes without passion, sacrifice and perseverance. You have two choices in life - give in to the pressure of the status quo or fight for what you believe in. We just witnessed a remarkable political season where "change" was the mantra of both campaigns.

Too often, however, people relent. They say to themselves "what's the point?. I am just one person up against insurmountable odds. Why should I bother? Who really cares?"

To those that seek change but feel little support or encouragement from others, I say keep the faith and persist. No one said change was easy.

Gandhi once said, "First they ignore you; then they laugh at you; then they fight you; and then you win".

If you want to be an agent of change, ignore the ignoring, shun the laughter, fight the good fight and winning will be your redemption.

History has celebrated agents of change, the real visionaries- Abraham Lincoln, Mohatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, the Wright Brothers, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and Charles Lindbergh to name a few. All were the subjects of severe ridicule, and each rose above the criticism to forever change our lives. We just witnessed the election of a new member of this elite club - President-Elect Barack Obama. Whatever your political persuasion, it is clear we live in transformational times requiring transformational leadership.

The business lessons we can learn from these agents of change are simple - speak up, speak out, and speak with passion in the face of powerful dissent.

No one said change was easy, but it is inevitable.

Don't be a shrinking violet when change is required.