“Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success” offers a groundbreaking approach to personal transformation and achieving lasting change. Authored by a team of renowned experts including Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, and David Maxfield, this book provides invaluable insights and practical strategies to overcome obstacles and create meaningful change in various aspects of life.
The authors introduce six sources of influence that play a vital role in driving personal success. Each source of influence is explored in-depth, offering powerful tactics and techniques to transform negative behaviors, enhance skills, and cultivate a supportive environment conducive to personal growth.
The first source of influence, “Love What You Hate,” challenges the belief that change requires a lifetime of self-denial. The authors encourage readers to change their perspective by making their likely future more salient, poignant, and real. By doing so, individuals can learn to develop a positive outlook and love what they once disliked, enabling them to sustain their motivation and commitment to change.
The second source of influence, “Do What You Can’t,” emphasizes the importance of enhancing skills in addition to relying on willpower alone. Effective Changers recognize their crucial moments, identify vital behaviors, conduct a personal skill scan, and identify areas where new skills are needed. By actively developing their skill set, individuals become better equipped to face challenges, resist temptations, and stay on track with their change efforts.
The third and fourth sources of influence, “Turn Accomplices into Friends,” focus on the importance of surrounding oneself with a supportive network. The authors emphasize the need to identify individuals who either aid or hinder personal change efforts. Friends provide valuable guidance, encouragement, and coaching, while accomplices may unknowingly undermine progress. By cultivating a circle of supportive friends, individuals create an environment that fosters growth and reinforces positive behaviors.
The fifth source of influence, “Invert the Economy,” highlights the role of incentives in motivating healthy behaviors. The authors challenge the notion that incentives are unnecessary or beneath individuals who rely solely on willpower. By recognizing the power of incentives and aligning them with personal goals, individuals can harness their motivational force to reinforce positive habits and break free from unhealthy patterns.
The final source of influence, “Control Your Space,” explores the impact of one’s environment on personal success. The authors emphasize the importance of leveraging physical surroundings to support desired behaviors and deter negative ones. Building fences, managing distance, and changing cues are strategies that individuals can employ to create an environment that makes positive habits inevitable and minimizes the influence of triggers that lead to undesirable behaviors.
