“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” – Charles Darwin

Smoke BLANKETED the room. My adrenaline SURGED.  The sound of a baby crying was SILENCED.  I knew how this would end.  But I was still CAPTIVATED.  

SAFETY ZONE:  I was 4,490 miles and 1,941 years removed from actual DANGER.  I was in CLEAR.  At least for now…

This week I toured the “ONE DAY IN POMPEII” exhibit.  A REVELATION jumped out of the ASH & ARTIFACTS and SMACKED me on the brain.

ANCIENT DISCOVERY:  AMAZING FRESCOS were everywhere.  Greek STATUES held court.  The frozen BODIES of the people that were in the wrong ROMAN VILLAGE on the WRONG day were lying all over the ground.

These “people” HAVE NOT CHANGED in 2,000 years.  It got me thinking about how IMPORTANT it is to HAVE the COURAGE to CHANGE.  

Life comes at you FAST.  CHANGE is the only CONSTANT.  We have to ADAPT as our circumstances EVOLVE.  We have to roll with the PUNCHES (and collar chokes).

We have to have the EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE to recognize when our ACTIONS have become OBSTACLES to our future SUCCESS.

We MUST realize the TIME has come to EVOLVE.  We MUST leave our COMFORT ZONE.   We MUST try NEW things.  We must CREATE new HABITS.  This is the ONLY way to REMAIN RELEVANT in the MODERN world.

Like the Roman villagers who were BURIED in ash for 2,000 years, the FEAR of CHANGE can bury us our ENTIRE LIVES.

Our inability to make ourselves VULNERABLE to new IDEAS can KILL our SUCCESS like a VOLCANIC ERUPTION.  

STOP.  THINK.  ADJUST:

• What do you need to CHANGE?
• What’s holding you BACK?
• What are you AFRAID of?

EMBRACE RISK:  FORCE yourself to take the first step in a NEW direction.

• Have an AWFUL DIET?  Try ONE new HEALTHY food each day.
• INTROVERTED?  Force yourself to INITIATE TWO conversations each day.
• Overly CRITICAL of others?  DEVELOP the habit of asking TWO QUESTIONS before giving YOUR OPINION.

BE INTENTIONAL:  You have to INTENTIONALLY leave your COMFORT ZONE.  

IF YOU DON’T, your comfort zone will QUICKLY become your DANGER ZONE.  You must accept that the BEST way, may be a NEW way.

You must have the COURAGE to FAIL FORWARD.

Doing this will help you BURY average and ERUPT towards REMARKABLE.

– Joe Ciccarone

One Day in Pompeii