Peter Aursnes' Transition Blog

Webster’s defines transition and change as follows:
Transition: passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another; a movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another
Change: to make different in some particular, alter; to make radically different, transform; to replace with another; to make a shift from one to another, switch.

From our perspective these definitions are not fulfilling, but what can clearly be said is that change has a speed built in, something abrupt.

Change has one phase, it happens and that’s it.

A transition has three phases.
-An ending
-A limbo period (William Bridges calls this The Neutral Zone)
-A new beginning

For a new day to start, one day has to end. For one season to start another has to end. So everything starts with something ending. When you were born, a pregnancy ended.

It is perhaps not so common to think in terms of a process starting with an ending, but that is how it is.

Transitions vs. Change

Change happens, and that’s it. It is a one time occurrence.

Transition is a process, and it involves your feelings, attitude, etc. It does something with you emotionally. It usually has an internal source.

Change can start a transition, but not always.

Transition does not have to be preceded by an abrupt change, a gradual shift in your values as you grow older may start you on a transition.

William Bridges in his book Transitions (Da Capo Life Long Books) says this about the differences between the two: “One of the most important differences between a change and a transition is that changes are driven to reach a goal, but transitions start with letting go of what no longer fits or is adequate to the life stage you are in.”