By BrightRock
Every rugby fan knows that uncertainty is the unseen player in any match. Sometimes, that odd-shaped ball can bounce right into your team’s hands and, sometimes, it can land in an opponent’s.
Depending on where you stand, change can bring absolute elation or major disruption.
But these diehard fans know something else, too: Even when that unpredictable ball bounces in the wrong direction, there is still an opportunity for redemption. And the best teams know how to use change, whether good or bad, to their advantage.
And because BrightRock loves rugby almost as much as they love change, they want to help South Africans see the parallels between the beautiful game and their own lives. That, just like the bounce of the ball, change is inevitable – but, with the right preparation and the knowledge, thanks to the emerging science of change, that we are all capable of helps you make the best of whatever comes your way. So, whether BrightRock is helping clients navigate change through their needs-matched life insurance cover, or supporting their rugby partners – the DHL Stormers and Vodacom Blue Bulls – through their role as associate sponsor, they’re always encouraging people to embrace the unexpected and the opportunities change may bring. It ties in with our #LoveChange motto, and our needs-matched life insurance offering that adapts with our clients as their lives change.
Perspiration, not inspiration
The gist is this: Rugby, like life, has its curveballs – but practice makes perfect.
The best teams are not the most talented or the most well-funded. They are the most prepared. They train, day in and day out, for as long as possible, individually and as a team. But even the most rigorous training schedule can’t eliminate uncertainty. What it can do, however, is diminish its effect. When a pro player has spent hours training what to do should a throw be intercepted, their brain and body won’t even hesitate when it happens – their reaction to rectify this sudden change will be immediate. They will see the opportunity the untrained eye can’t, and they will do what it takes to ensure the best possible outcome.
Prep like a pro
Life is a bit like this too, BrightRock suggests. Call it fate, call it divine intervention, or call it pure coincidence, the fact remains that, sometimes, the unforeseen will throw us a curve ball. Whether that means losing out on your first home when someone makes a better offer, or getting tripped up in the interview for that job you would have been perfect for, change can be tough. Even when change is positive, such as meeting the love of your life and getting married, or starting the family you’ve always dreamed of, these adjustments can be overwhelming.
So can people train for these unpredictable curveballs? Inspired by their Love Change philosophy, in 2015 BrightRock developed the Change Exchange – an online space filled with resources and inspiring stories – to help people better navigate change in their lives. This philosophy is increasingly being borne out by recent developments in the fields of brain science, behavioural psychology and even economics, which show that the human brain has an amazing capacity for change and that there are techniques that we can all apply to get better at dealing with change in our lives.
Dr John C. Norcross, a researcher who has studied how people make lasting change and author of the book Changeology, said that there exists an unfortunate misconception that some people are endowed with a natural ability to (deal with) change. His research shows that people can develop skills that predict their likelihood of success. We don’t expect to play a tune on the guitar when someone hands one to us the first time, but somehow, we expect to manage any change that comes our way like we’re being paid to do it. There are, in fact, learned skills required to do both.
By pointing out the parallels between rugby and change management, BrightRock hopes to extend its #LoveChange message to South African rugby fans and, in doing so, help shift the way people view change. Their message is clear: the bounce is simply part of the game – sometimes it goes your way, and sometimes it doesn’t. Grab change and embrace it, because it also brings opportunity.
Play the bounce. Play the moment. #LoveChange.
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