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How to Change Things When Change Is Hard
Jun 07, 2014JCLChrisK rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I find the human creature a fascinating one to study, and when I take a break from children's and teen books I often seem to be drawn to titles reporting some of the latest research on human natures at the intersection of psychology, sociology, biology, and the like. Each time, I feel I glean (at least) a little more insight into myself and those around me. Yet, generally those books have the primary purpose of reporting results and discoveries, then have room for only a cursory consideration of what to do with that knowledge; I sometimes find myself in the same spot, delighted by the new things I know, yet wondering how to go about applying those things to my life. This is the second book I've read by the Heath brothers--the other being their more recent title Decisive --and it seems to me that's where they come in. They study the research in a given area, then excellently boil it down to a core essence that can be easily communicated, digested, and used. Instead of spending their time explaining the research, they show how it can be (has been) applied in situation after situation. These examples serve the purpose of explaining the research in real world contexts, but, more importantly, they teach readers how they can make use of the information for themselves. It's not abstract knowledge, but applied. While they risk being over simplistic with their approach for some situations, I expect I'll find their framework highly helpful in the future whether I want to consider changes in my personal life, work life, or other.