Carol Northcut | Friday, 29 December 2023
Change of tactics, change of direction, change of location, change of flies, change of leaders and lines, change of rods. We must change many things in fly fishing if we want to be successful. We accept that change is required for success. In reading Paul’s December 12, 2023 Front Page, it reminded me that in order to grow as a caster, angler and instructor, change is required. So why is it, in many other aspects of life, I often internally fear change? “Keep the change” has an entirely different meaning in this regard. It is uncomfortable to depart from the familiar, even if the familiar no longer suits me. It takes time and effort that, perhaps, I am not ready to spend. It also takes emotional readjustment and commitment to the process.
This last week my husband’s family experienced a tragedy. Completely unexpected, as most are. It not only raises feelings of sorrow for the loss, and anger at life’s rude abruptness, but also thrusts unexpected responsibilities upon others who thought the responsibilities would be encountered further down the road and after they’d been simplified. However, the changes necessary for simplification were procrastinated due to a fear of change, and now others bear the consequence of that fear.
In today’s corporate world, the workforce is tempered with the reality that change is necessary in order to stay viable, and even be the force behind it. Employees are challenged to come up with new ideas and procedures. Of course, the changes must be reasonable, the pros and cons analyzed, and potential pitfalls revealed and discussed. As much as some grumble about change saying, “This will never work,” once the decision has been made, they are nonetheless obligated to give it a go.
I’m trying to have that attitude as FFI changes, coaching methods change, and the flyfishing community in general changes. If I’m not able to adapt, I’ll be catching the same metaphorical 6” trout on the same dry fly the rest of my life. Not only will I fail to grow as an angler/instructor, but the fish will grow tired of my presentations.