Change Made Easier

On a long plane ride recently, I sat next to a sales manager who suggested that I read a newly released business book by brothers Dan and Chip Heath, SWITCH: HOW TO CHANGE THINGS WHEN CHANGE IS HARD. After a fascinating discussion about the book's contents, I came home and immediately ordered my own copy. Within a few short days, I had no fewer than 50 colored tags flagging the many pages of intriguing stories and great ideas on how to get your (resistant) self to change!

As you might imagine, the Heath brothers’ book was an exciting page-turner for me primarily because its premise is wonderfully in sync with the Little Changes Big Results™ column and brand which is committed to the principle that big change is VERY POSSIBLE if you tackle it in small steps or short spurts of timed tasks. Chip and Dan's research, covering a wide range of genres, proved over and over that when people do very specific things—rather than espouse general or vague concepts—they have a much greater chance of “popping out” of their paralysis and gain or regain powerful momentum toward achieving a goal or solving a problem.

Rather than simply give you a highly favorable book review of SWITCH, which I would be happy to do (though it might spoil the experience of reading the entire book), I would prefer to ask you a few simple questions that have the potential to inspire change in your life where you most need it but can’t seem to make it happen.

Let’s start with physical fitness. Growing numbers of Americans are encountering serious illnesses due to lack of exercise and poor eating habits. Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and strokes are impacting people at earlier ages because of the way food is both processed and portioned.

ASK: Question One: If you made one little change in your intake of food and beverages that could improve your over health, what would it be? (A few ideas include: reduce or eliminate soda pop, eliminate processed white sugar or flour from your daily intake of calories, return to a weekly weigh-in at Weigh-Watchers, attend a recovery meeting for sobriety, or ___________________________.)

ACT: Identify one little change you will make and do it for just one week.

Next, look at your relationships. Perhaps you tend to be a little self-centered or over-committed and neglect or ignore the people close to you?

ASK: Question Two: If you could do something to improve your relationship with a family member, friend, or coworker, what would it be? (Examples include: answering your emails or phone calls within 24 hours, saying “please” or “thank you” to show appreciation every time they are helpful, asking them if there is one little thing you can do for them this week that is unexpected, or _______________________________________.

ACT: Identify one little change you will make in the way you communicate with one specific person and do it for just one week.

Then, consider a goal that is unfinished or dream that is unfulfilled. We all have them and we all get “stopped in our tracks” when we consider the amount of time it might take to accomplish them. But let’s make the change smaller this week.

ASK: Question Three: If you have an unfulfilled goal or dream, what is one little change you can make that will get you one step closer to achieving it? (Perhaps you can register for a summer school class to continue your education, start saving $3 a day in a piggy bank instead of buying a coffee for a gift you want to buy someone you love, research community organizations that need volunteer help once a month feeding the hungry and homeless, or _______________________________.

ACT: Identify one little change you will make by the end of this week that will move you toward your goal or dream?

Finally, in my own book, Keep the Change I repeatedly remind people that change is made easier when we don't try to change alone: Change begins with awareness, is empowered by admission, is achieved with a daily, written action plan, and is sustained with accountability.

ASK: Question Four: Who could encourage you to make positive changes in your life (as opposed to negative changes—those people are out there too)? _______________________________.

ACT: Call them this week and go over the above questions. Ask him or her if they would be willing to keep you accountable to the little changes you have determined to make and/or ask how or if you can help them change!

I’d love your feedback!

Be encouraged,

Becky