Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

The compulsive eater who can't seem to stick to his diet. The office manager who can't get people to hand in their expenses on time. The aid worker who needs to combat child malnutrition. Why is it so hard to make change happen? In Switch, bestselling authors Chip and Dan Heath argue that the reason lies deep within our psychology. The rational part of our brain may know that it makes good sense to get up earlier, to recycle more, to go for that new job, but the emotional part likes things the way they are, and its short-term desire for an easy life tends to get in the way of our long-term plans. So how do we deal with these two parts of our brains? How do we make the switch? The answer is to get them to work together, and in Switch the brothers Heath explore all of the best ways to make changes not only in our own lives, but also in the lives of others. Whether it's using the rational brain to outwit the emotional brain - for instance, by buying an alarm clock that runs away from you when you want to hit the snooze button - or harnessing the power of the emotional brain, like the headteacher who changed her school's grading system to A, B, C, and NY - not yet - to encourage her students to work harder, there are many startlingly simple yet truly effective strategies we can all employ. If you've ever found yourself stuck in a rut, if you've ever looked at a super-motivated, self-disciplined friend and wondered 'How does she do that?' or even if you just want to learn a bit more about our psychology, Switch is essential reading.