Switch: Sticky for Change

Not as in "the carrot and the...". In fact, the Heath brothers intentionally steer clear of offering negative motivators like punishments or the threat of dire consequences, choosing instead to focus on what might be done to entice "riders" and "elephants" down the path of change.

That's the Heaths' overarching metaphor in this newest release Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, in which the Rider is the analytical, thinking self, the Elephant is emotional, and the path is, well, the path.  Of change.

While not quite as rich for me as Made to Stick, there's still plenty here to consider on a conceptual level, and plenty to work with as one attempts to apply the lessons here to potential shifts in one's professional and personal endeavors.  (Another bit of book-magic:  When I created my first draft of this post not three days ago, I used the phrase "not as timely for me" instead of "not as rich" above.  Now, the content's timing is perfect.)

Warning, though:  This book is about concepts and - at times - strategy.  You won't find super-specific tactics here except in case studies and in one brief appendix about overcoming obstacles.  So if you're looking for a step-by-step, do this, now this, now this, and voi la! change will occur, look elsewhere.  If, however, you enjoy or at least accept the notion that you may use your own judgment and understanding of your individual circumstances to apply concepts judiciously, then you'll likely appreciate the inspiration in this characteristically breezy, example-laden book.  For a sample of their prose, try the "look inside" feature at Amazon (also linked at cover photo above).  If you're inclined to buy the book, do also consider shopping at betterworldbooks.com or through your local independent bookseller. (Try finding one through indiebound.org - linked in my righthand sidebar.  And, FYI:  I'm not currently an 'affiliate' of any book sales site, so I don't receive income when you use them.  Attempting to stay impartial, at least at present).

To get a sense of the additional free materials the brothers Heath have to offer (and there's plenty), go check out their website: http://heathbrothers.com/ .

Action:  A three-point plan for The Big Switch 2011. (World domination scheduled for 2012, so relax, folks...)

1. Switch on the bigger-reach mojo:  Must extend influence from teaching locally into additional roles as expert reader-for-change and enthusiast-coach-mentor in the wider the world.
 
2.  Clean up my act. No movement if no space to move so, in a word:  Declutter.  My gergillion books and papers and seemingly self-propagating piles of assorted consumer goods must be purged.  Triple bottom line says: Offer useful items back to the world first, recycle or reuse others.  I AM Flylady.com.

3.  And not only Flylady: I used to be Batgirl and Supergirl too.  But then I moved to the Pacific Northwest and gained the requisite 20 lbs. of sloth and sluggishness.  Now I just wanna get back in that purple catsuit with the red wig.  SO must return to extreme fitness (also, paradoxically, a Pacific Northwest requirement), replete with energy, strength, flexibility, canniness, and reserves of wise compassion so that my plentiful super-actions arise from consideration for the benefit of all beings.

These will all amount to 2-3-month projects (such an optimist), but if I set aside 4-6 hours every day for Numero Uno and 1.5 hours/day for each of the latter two, and if I use the Switch strategies, I'm betting that I can make it all happen.  Just picture me cyber-gallivanting across the globe in that purple Batgirl outfit, saving the world from imminent disaster, then returning home to one gloriously clean apartment.  Color me Barbara Gordon...

Note to self: Con los tres cambios enormes looming on the horizon, shoehorning in more book actions is going to be a puzzler indeed.  Or should that be a Riddler? 

Ah well, it''ll just have to be a case of MFB,
L