Ready for a change?

Ready for a Change?

At some point, we all go through changes in our life. Over a period of three decades, James O. Prochaska and his colleagues developed the six stages of change. In their article, Stages of Change, Prochaska and John C. Norcross define the stages as pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination.1 And, although we may not have done it intentionally, each of us have more than likely gone through one or more of these stages as we have implemented change.  

The first stage, the pre-contemplation stage, is when you have gotten into a comfort zone and feel little or no need to change. It typically takes a significant life event or something beyond your control to cause you to determine the need for change. The second stage of change is the contemplation state. In this stage of change, you have started to reconcile within yourself the need for a change. You begin the process of researching, accessing and then envisioning the change that needs to take place. The next stage of change is preparation. In this stage, you create a plan of action in order to determine what is needed to carry out the change. After preparation comes action! In this stage of change, the individual begins to implement the plan of action to change. The goal here is to work through the obstacles and resistance to change for a long enough period of time, so that the change becomes routine.

The next to last stage is the maintenance stage. In this stage of change, the change becomes integrated into and part of your DNA. The last stage is called the termination stage, where you enjoy the benefits of change and look at the best way in which the change can be utilized.

Although these steps may seem pretty basic on the surface, many people need someone to help them self realize there’s a need for change, or to help them get un-stuck somewhere in the process.

If you need a coach to help you work through a change in your business, we would love to offer you an initial consultation to discover how we can help. Simply use the form on our website www.mcgeeinc.com to get your consultation scheduled today! 

-Robby McGee

1.  James O. Prochaska and John C. Norcross, “Stages of Change,” Psychotherapy 38 (Winter 2001): 443-446.