Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard
Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 6:41 pm
http://www.amazon.com/Switch-Change-Thi ... 341&sr=8-1
Great book.
The central point of this book is that our behavior is controlled and affected by 3 main things.
1. The Rider -- this is our analytical side.
This is the side that says I'm going to follow a 5/3/1 training program, or rationalizes the reason why a girl doesn't like us. The rider is a strong force but it gets bogged down if the direction isn't clear e.g. Tell someone to eat good and when they are out they think "well grains might be bad because of gluten, and dairy's bad because we weren't made to drink milk" and so on, paralyzing via analysis and draining the will power.
2. The Elephant -- our emotional side.
By the analogy it should be apparent that the elephant is hard to control for the rider, oftentimes we emotionally want something -- say a donut, and then the Rider comes up with a way to rationalize it. If there is not an emotional connection to a behavior it can make change nearly impossible.
3. The Path -- this is the ease of traveling along a course of action.
If others are doing it, if the environment supports it (let's say our fridge at work is stocked with healthy food), then it makes it easier. If our wife is eating fried food all day, stocking the pantry with chips and candy bars and telling us we hate her because we're eating spinach and egg whites, that would be an unsupportive environment.
The goal is to provide all 3 elements in creating change:
"Whether the switch you seek is in your family, in your charity, in your organization, or in society at large, you'll get there by making three things happen. You'll direct the Rider, motivate the Elephant, and shape the Path."
You can read the first chapter here:
http://www.heathbrothers.com/switch/chapterone.php
----- My experience so far with the material
It's shocking to me to see how much rationalization I go through on a regular day, currently I'm trying to implement the ideas to help my personal training clients adhere to a good diet, so that ultimately they can be in the best shape they can be.
I've used small quotes to inspire emotional responses, I've made simple eating plans to reduce the analytical side and I've tried to provide back up meals locally so that in a worse case scenario they can grab healthy, nutritious fast food. Still have lots of work to do, but even coping with failure is addressed in the book
"People persevere only when they perceive falling down as learning rather than as failing."
Great book.
The central point of this book is that our behavior is controlled and affected by 3 main things.
1. The Rider -- this is our analytical side.
This is the side that says I'm going to follow a 5/3/1 training program, or rationalizes the reason why a girl doesn't like us. The rider is a strong force but it gets bogged down if the direction isn't clear e.g. Tell someone to eat good and when they are out they think "well grains might be bad because of gluten, and dairy's bad because we weren't made to drink milk" and so on, paralyzing via analysis and draining the will power.
2. The Elephant -- our emotional side.
By the analogy it should be apparent that the elephant is hard to control for the rider, oftentimes we emotionally want something -- say a donut, and then the Rider comes up with a way to rationalize it. If there is not an emotional connection to a behavior it can make change nearly impossible.
3. The Path -- this is the ease of traveling along a course of action.
If others are doing it, if the environment supports it (let's say our fridge at work is stocked with healthy food), then it makes it easier. If our wife is eating fried food all day, stocking the pantry with chips and candy bars and telling us we hate her because we're eating spinach and egg whites, that would be an unsupportive environment.
The goal is to provide all 3 elements in creating change:
"Whether the switch you seek is in your family, in your charity, in your organization, or in society at large, you'll get there by making three things happen. You'll direct the Rider, motivate the Elephant, and shape the Path."
You can read the first chapter here:
http://www.heathbrothers.com/switch/chapterone.php
----- My experience so far with the material
It's shocking to me to see how much rationalization I go through on a regular day, currently I'm trying to implement the ideas to help my personal training clients adhere to a good diet, so that ultimately they can be in the best shape they can be.
I've used small quotes to inspire emotional responses, I've made simple eating plans to reduce the analytical side and I've tried to provide back up meals locally so that in a worse case scenario they can grab healthy, nutritious fast food. Still have lots of work to do, but even coping with failure is addressed in the book
"People persevere only when they perceive falling down as learning rather than as failing."
