Everyone loves a well-placed cliché. However, not every cliché is worth loving and swallowing completely. A cross-examination of these “morsels of magic” would reveal to us that some are not necessarily adding any value to our efforts in making positive change in our life. In fact, some of them create a safe zone for mediocrity and being ‘average’ minded. This is not what everyone who aspires to true leadership or needs great mentoring should be found with. There are three in particular that true leaders should eliminate from their vocabulary:

1. “Better Safe…” The popular English idiom can at best be interpreted as saying that being careful is probably more desirable than risking a path that could produce a bad result. This is not entirely true because taking calculated risks is one of the biggest positive actions that a growing leader can perform. Great entrepreneurial spirits have always faced stern opposition from mediocre and ignorant minds, and almost every entrepreneur has ignored this saying as they have come to realize that there can be no progress at all without taking calculated risks.
2. “Good Things Come…” People find it hard to change their accustomed behavior.  However, the notion that opportunities are lost is erroneous, they aren’t lost, they are found by someone else who recognizes them and knows what to do with them. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.
3. “Old Habits…” In life, you don’t get what you want; you get what your mind can conceive and believe is possible. We must be willing to meet resistance to promote change and raise our game in life. One should never be completely satisfied at any level one is currently in. Achieving more is possible.

There are three quotes that fit in perfectly as far as replacing these clichés are concerned. Here they are in corresponding order:

1. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” – Muhammad Ali
2. “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
3. “When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.”  – Benjamin Franklin

It’s often said that change is the only constant thing in life. Humans are evolutionarily predisposed to resist change because of the risk and attitude associated with it. Despite this resistance to change, it is more important than ever to the course of mankind. Change is what we cannot deny, no matter how much we dislike it, it is bound to occur because it is a process of nature. It isn’t outrightly easy getting used to change, but it is always better in the long run for the course of mankind. As individuals with smart goals and aspirations, we must reject mediocrity and accept change. As people involved in executive coaching and personal coaching, the keyword should be ‘No compromise on Ingenuity.’