I've been thinking a lot about change lately. Here in Vermont, fall is in the air, the Canadian Geese are returning, and the days are getting shorter. At the same time, there have been some significant changes in my life. My oldest daughter was married last weekend, Dawn is working with me almost full time, and we no longer have any kids living with us.

Whether we adapt well to change or whether we resist it, we all have to change from time to time.

And after publishing this newsletter for almost ten years, it was time to make some adjustments. For several years, I've wanted to switch from plain text to HTML. I've always felt that it was a better medium for delivering information, ideas and resources to our valued subscribers.

But not until recently did our surveys indicate that enough people were ready. Because it doesn't matter what we want. What matters is what you want.

We think you'll like our new name as well as our new format, and we're always happy to hear from you as to what you think. Rest assured. We remain as dedicated as ever to providing you with new ideas and reminding you of the things that will help you operate at your personal and professional best.

We all need to change from time to time. We must adapt to new technologies and to the changing needs of our customers. The challenge is to change at the optimum speed. You don't want to change so much you cause people to get confused. You also don't want to move so slowly your customers and prospects see you as being behind. It's a delicate balance.

I try to follow Napoleon Hill's advice (gleaned from the most successful people of his day). And that is, make decisions quickly and change them, if at all, very slowly.

It could be said that we were slow to move to a more graphic format. And we'll never know for sure. Like any decision, we must weigh the expected benefits with the risks and, in the end, give it our best shot. I like to stick with what works, and I don't tend to do things just 'cause they're hip or in.

What about you? Are you quick to make changes? Do you tend to err on the side of caution or are you a risk-taker?

People often say entrepreneurs are risk-takers-and there certainly is risk involved in doing business. But I think the successful entrepreneur is the one who takes only very calculated risks.

Action Point
Examine your decision-making process. Do you "shoot from the hip"? Do you change quickly or do you resist change? How do you react to change that feels forced upon you? You may even want to ask others what they think about how you make changes.

This line of inquiry should give you real insight into yourself and your ability to manage change. In the end, you have to do what works best for you.