The necessary ingredient for change …

Do you remember when MTV was actually a television channel featuring music videos?

MTV has long since changed its content, currently offering very little in the way of music programming. It now offers a variety of programs, including several “reality” type shows targeted to younger audiences. One of the shows is called “Made”. This reality show features a teen who wants to change something about themselves; they want to be “made” into someone other than who they are. The science whiz girl wants to become a beauty queen, the ordinary girl wants to become a lead singer of her own rock band, and the nerd wants to become king of his high school prom.

They want to be made into someone they think would be better than who they currently are.

In order to achieve the transformation, the teen is assigned a “Made Coach” who puts together a plan for bringing about the change the teen says they want. However, in most of the shows, very soon after starting their transformation program with the coach, they start rebelling against what is being expected of them to make the necessary changes. They quickly discover that to become someone different — to so improve themselves that they actually change — takes a lot of hard work and diligence on their part.

Most of the persons featured on the program start out wishing they were different but fight against the change required to be different. Critical to their success is the persistent challenge they face from their coaches.

What these teens go through on “Made” is very similar to what many of us experience in real life. We often wish we were different, but many of us don’t go beyond wishing. When we actually do step out to pursue change, we tend to be quick to push against the challenges we face.

Yet challenge is key to making any change in our lives. Without being challenged either by ourselves, God, someone else, or changing circumstances, we usually will stay in our comfort zone. Change, growth, or any type of personal development, must have some kind of impetus — a source of challenge — for us to respond to in order for us to be motivated enough to do the work necessary to grow, achieve, or make significant changes in who we are.

Whether we grow into being someone different, someone better, or achieve the things we want to accomplish, depends on how we respond to the challenges for change we have in our lives. The more we push back the challenges, the less we’ll change, the less we’ll grow, and the less we will accomplish. But when we embrace life’s challenges, and take them on with diligence, we can learn, change, grow, and achieve our greater potential.

What sources of challenge do you have in your life? How do you respond to the challenges you face?

Scotty