Life is full of contradictions.
One is how people change.
In many ways we certainly change. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes for the worse. Sometimes just different. Not good or bad. Just different.
Some of us become more responsible. Some of us become more impulsive. Some grow wiser. While others seem to lose wisdom.
I’m a big fan of country music and in 2006 Montgomery Gentry released a great song called Some People Change. The song is very optimistic. The title is pretty straightforward, it’s about how some people are able to change for the better.
It’s an uplifting song and that is probably a big reason why the song was popular. We like to think that others will change for the good. We see their faults. It’s nice to think that they will see them and then also change them as a result.
But the reality is often different…
Past actions usually predict future actions.
For example, if someone is often late for work or meetings and things like that, the chances are nearly 100% that the behavior will continue in the future. Why would it change? If someone uses foul language now it’s unlikely they will change that in the future.
Change takes work. Very rarely will things about us change by themselves. Once we become teenagers and adults we start getting set in our ways. When we’re kids we’re often changing our habits and characteristics. But as we get older it takes effort to change. And we usually don’t do it.
If you’re in a position of hiring or of getting into any relationships, it’s important to know that hope is not a plan. Hoping that someone will change will likely get you into trouble. It’ll lead to disappointment.
You just have to decide if you can live with the person for what they have been and what they will most likely be in the future. If you’re comfortable with who they are now and who they have been then you will probably find yourself happy in the future.
It’s not good or bad. It’s just the way things work out.
Some people change. We all change in some ways.
But mostly we stay the same.