Change is hard. It’s hard to wake up in the morning without snoozing. It’s hard to stare at a blank piece of paper and write the first sentence. It’s hard to start a project, a job search, and especially a new organization or business.
Because change is hard, we typically stay in autopilot, we stick with the status quo, and we procrastinate.
But if we embrace change, amazing things start to happen. We grow, we learn, we make improvements in our lives.
In this issue, we applaud WGI Sport of the Arts for fostering change, for creating a new type of competitive marching arts experience called WGI Winds. We also applaud the groups who are taking advantage of this opportunity. In our cover story, “WGI Winds Debuts,” we spoke to several directors about their motivations, struggles and rewards when starting their new ensembles.
According to an ancient Chinese philosopher, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
In this journey, we might not walk in a straight line; we might even stumble and fall. But if we keep putting one foot in front of the other, we make progress, and eventually we reach our destination.
New WGI Winds directors aren’t the only ones who live by this mantra. In the article “Being Bisectional,” several young musicians share their stories about switching sections to gain new experiences in the marching arts activity. One wanted to march instead of being in the front ensemble; one wanted to join a drum corps with a new instrument; and another wanted to feel the music instead of play it. Though sometimes change can be lonely, these students found support from instructors and friends to help them reach their goals.
I recently watched a TED Talk by relationship expert Mel Robbins who said that getting what you want is simple (though not necessarily easy). Don’t say, “I’m fine.” Don’t engage your emergency brake. Force yourself to get out of your comfort zone. If you have an impulse to do something new, take action within five seconds. Figure out what you want and go for it.
Have Courage to Change,
Christine Ngeo Katzman
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
