Change Anything

Jake and I started an afternoon walk, down the street and across the valley to our favorite wander-spot, Memmen Ridge. The wind was fierce – I’d guess the weatherman was right, the gusts were probably 40mph – but I hadn’t thought about how that would feel. Turns out, wind gusts feel like leaves and twigs and small branches whipping at you and around you. Wind gusts hurt.

So we headed home.

And that was okay, because I had just set down a fascinating book titled, Change Anything.

I know what you’re thinking:  Not another self-improvement book. And I agree, too many self-improvement books can be summarized by Jiminy Cricket’s song, "If you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are; Anything your heart desires will come to you!"

And we all know, that made for a swell Disney song, but it doesn't work in real life.

This book is different. How? – It's Honest. The reason that we all gravitate toward the Disney promise is because we all struggle to change. We hear ourselves say, "I just don't have the willpower." And since we were taught that willpower is a character trait, then on a subconscious level, we find superstition far more palatable than the risk of personal failure.

Thank goodness for these authors who have taken a scientific look at willpower. Turns out, willpower is skillpower. That's right. We just need to learn the skills that will enable us to permanently change our behaviors. We can achieve our goals! It will take work, but we can succeed.

The authors teach, there are six Sources of Influence in our lives and each can be used to either promote healthy or unhealthy behavior. For each Source of Influence, they provide specific instructions on how to change your default behavior to a new positive one. It doesn't come without effort, but they teach the skills needed to succeed. It's very cool, because it's a scientific approach to change.

If you’re looking for a meaty book that teaches the “how” to change, pick up Change Anything. It’s a good read.

Patterson, K., Grenny, J., Maxfield, D., McMillan R., and Switzler, A. (2011). Change Anything. New York: Hachette Book Group, Inc.