Overcoming Inertia and Adopting Technological Solutions

Inertia is a powerful force in the universe, and is defined as “the tendency of an object to remain at the same velocity, or at rest, unless a force acts on it.” Observable in the realm of physics, this concept is often present in our own lives, as we pursue ambitious goals or take a day of rest. We can all think of times when it was hard to get off of the couch on a rainy day but we also know the feeling that once we start on an ambitious project it is easier to stay on that path to success. For example, I start every day with a long run outside no matter the weather. So many times it crosses my mind to get back in bed or pour myself another hot cup of coffee, but I force myself to hit the pavement and put one foot in front of the other. The health benefits and personal satisfaction that I feel from taking this action are indescribable.

In the world of contract drafting, legal departments and the people within them construct workflows that best suit their needs and which evolve over time to maximize their efficiency. This trait is valuable, as human nature allows us to generate the highest productivity with the tools that are available to us. Even though people may struggle with the complexity and tediousness of contract drafting, we work with familiar tools and processes.

Enter new technology. Technological tools are built to help people improve their efficiency, enhance their lives, and save time and money. Oftentimes, we may see how a certain technology can provide value in theory, but it feels unduly burdensome to adopt such a technological solution. If you have spent years establishing a workflow that you find productive, why spend the additional time and energy needed to adopt a new technology? We are fighting the laws of inertia, making it impossible to change direction without an outside force. Typically, change is motivated by fear and uncertainty with the future. These outside forces are powerful and can break the cycle of inertia. On the other hand, we can proactively resolve to make changes that will give us advantages in the future. We can overcome inertia and achieve significant progress with a few positive steps, once we become aware of the power of change and the tremendous benefits that can be realized from adopting new patterns of behavior.

Change can be uncomfortable, even scary. However, it can also be liberating and may give us a sense of joy and enlightenment from uncovering new horizons. The specific answer depends on each individual’s personality and motivations, but in my experience we need to first set a goal, take the leap, and then make small steps every day towards realizing that objective. Once we get started, it is often much easier than we imagined and almost always worth the effort.

I sometimes hear from prospective customers that while they love what they have seen and heard about LeasePilot, they just don’t have the time or bandwidth to think about adopting it “right now” and they ask me to follow-up with them “next quarter” or “in the new year”. I completely understand and respect this response, but simply don’t think it is the best way to improve. It is easier to think “I will do (fill in the blank) later when I have more time”. But when later comes, there are always other obligations and deadlines.

Simply put, there is no time like the present to adopt new technologies and solutions that can help improve our work and our daily lives. Inertia can stop us from changing, but it can also keep us moving on the path of progress once we get started.

 

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