The New Science of Personal Success - Change Anything

I just read this book, and it changed my world views on a lot of stuff. As an example, he talks about CONTROLLING your space, and he gives an example of someone who wants a better career. She brings home stuff to read, and it never gets looked at. Why? Because she designed her space to be a HUGE entertainment center. 65" Monitor, sound systems, subscriptions to NETFLIX and HBO right there in the main living space. He explains that all this entertainment is there by DEFAULT, she could not avoid it. To change she put up a "FENCE" (that's what he calls controlling space). She redesigned her space to have the entertainment in a ROOM. That alone change the distraction from a DEFAULT activity to a INTENTIONAL activity. INTENT is easier to control then DEFAULT. I hope you get all that!

Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.

I have to admit that I checked out the store.com before I wrote this review of Change Anything. At this time (08-20-11), there are 43 reviews and when averaged together, they average five stars out of five. This is important because, for me, it means that a number of people are finding this book useful (or that the authors have lots of family members and friends!). Admittedly, some complain that it's a bit dry, and others complain that there is no real "science" involved, but overall, the reviews are outstanding.

The reason I checked out the store.com first is that I am not looking to change anything at the current time: I do not need to lose weight; I am financially fit; I have no addictions, and I am not looking for any change in my relationships. That simply means that I am not certain that the ideas for change are valid; however, when you look at the positive reviews and the number of people who have found the ideas here valuable, useful, or practical, it indicates the authors have effectively hit on the right message, useful and productive suggestions, and a technique that works.

As I have said in reviewing a number of other books -- like those on how to communicate effectively -- I feel that any book that makes (or has the potential of making) a positive contribution to our well being or a successful life or whatever, should be heralded and revered. Those who need help in various areas should be able to find it, and I love (being a writer myself) supporting the book publishing industry.

Here, then is my assessment of this book. 1) It is extremely well-written. 2) The "Notes" section looks very strong. 3) It has a terrific index. 4) The examples used throughout are useful and engaging. 5) The ideas are practical, straightforward, well-explained, and useful. There is no doubt that this is a "how-to-do-it" book.

Although the authors offer a number of valuable tools for change (saying that willpower alone is not sufficient) -- 1. Love what you hate, or come to terms with pleasure and pain. 2. Do what you can or build the necessary skills that can spur change. 3. and 4. Turn accomplices into friends or get other people into the act of change.5. Invert the Economy or use incentives, and, thus, manipulate the benefits of change. 6. Control your space or use the environment to help the change process -- it still comes down to whether or not people are willing to make the commitment -- even a commitment to purchase this book!

As one reviewer at the store.com said, "The whole book is geared towards specific actions you can implement so that you aren't just relying on willpower alone. The methods recommended here are not quick-fix ideas, rather they are each a part of a larger process of taking deliberate steps to begin heading in the direction you really want to go."

I really enjoyed their discussion of the six sources of Influence in our lives. These are the six sources of influence that can be used to promote a healthy lifestyle:

1. personal motivation where you tap into your existing desires and wants
2. personal ability where you learn new skills to promote change
3. social motivation where you turn accomplices into friends that help you make positive changes
4. social ability where you use confederates to enable good choices
5. structural motivation where you directly link short-term rewards and punishments to your new habits
6. structural ability where you change your environment to one more likely to promote the change you want

People who want to change need to seek out this book. It has real value and potential, but everyone must realize something the authors acknowledge, too: Any change comes from within and requires commitment, work, time, and patience. And whether you like it or not, there is no magic formula, and most people who want change -- in whatever area of life but especially in personal development (e.g., weight, exercise, diet, or sleep) -- will not put forth the commitment, do the necessary work, take the time, or even be patient (they want instant results!).

I'm not a family member or friend of any of the authors, and (ooops!) I gave the book five stars out of five! Truly, it deserves it.

The co-authors (Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler) have probably been collaborating on the core concepts, values, and principles of what they characterize as "the new science of personal success" since before their first book, Crucial Conversations, was published in 2002. They then co-authored Crucial Confrontations (2004), Influencer (20o7), and now Change Anything. Each of these books is a brilliant achievement on its own merits but I highly recommend that all four be read.

In this, their latest collaboration, they develop in much greater depth six concepts of influence that operate in pairs within three separate but interdependent domains: personal motivation and personal mobility, social motivation and social ability, and structural motivation and structural ability. As I read Part I in which the six influences are introduced, I thought about the life and career of Mohandas Gandhi who achieved specific goals in all three domains: his own development as a leader, creating a critical mass of support for the non-violent campaign to achieve independence for India, and the structural transformation of the British Commonwealth.

The co-authors rigorously examine each of the six influences in Part II and explain how to

o Disarm impulses and make the right choices pleasurable
o Obtain the knowledge and develop the skills needed to be a change agent
o Turn negative "accomplices" (i.e. enablers of negativism) into positive co-creators
o Devise incentives/rewards/punishments to increase desirable behavior
o Create an environment within which to nourish and support positive change

Then in Part III, the co-authors explain how those who have become "Skillful Changers" can get unstuck at work, lose weight and get fit (and stay that way), get (and remain) out of debt, "take back" their lives, and improve their relationships with others by making necessary changes in themselves.

To those who have not as yet read this book, here's my take:

1. To paraphrase Henry Ford, "Whether you think this book can or can't help you to make the changes that you want to make in your life, you're probably right."

2. The "new science of personal success" offers order and structure to plan and execute change initiative but it does not - because it cannot - provide an express lane to your personal growth and professional development. How determined are you to develop the skills needed?

3. Willpower is not enough, however. It is imperative to recognize, understand, and then manage the six sources of influence on individual judgment (yours and another person's) as well as on groups of individuals.

4. With all due respect to the "new science of personal success," I think it should be said that much of what Patterson, Grenny, Maxfield, McMillan, and Switzler recommend in this book - and in the others they're written together - is simply good (if not always common) sense. For example, cultivate positive thoughts and feelings by eliminating all sources of negativism in your life, human or otherwise.

I doubt if those who read this book will be able to change everything. However, I am certain that the knowledge they receive from Patterson, Grenny, Maxfield, McMillan, and Switzler will prepare them well to make better decisions, to accomplish more when acting upon those decisions, and meanwhile, to become happier and healthier in all areas of their lives.

One thing I've noticed about VitalSmart's books is that they are twins. Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition was followed by Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving broken promises, violated expectations, and bad behavior. And now Influencer: The Power to Change Anything has a younger sibling--even sharing the same name. Another thing is the the "second son" is a refinement of the principles in the firstborn book. "Change Anything"'s six-source model refines "Influencer" as "Confrontations" model refined "Conversations."

So I appreciate the continued improvement, and also the flexibility of their models. "Influencer" is about changing an organization, and "Change Anything" about changing oneself. But their model--(and expect the six-source model to eclipse twelve-step programs)--applies to any change, in everything.

The book has case studies about career changes, weight loss, drug addiction, finance, and relationships. That runs the gamut, and it also gives you a feel for the flexibility of the model.

I think model's greatest asset is that it is not simplistic, reductionist. As they explain in Part I, there is more to change than willpower. Our environment--the social environment and the structural environment--also influence behavior. That is what support groups are crucial.

And this is where the conversations and confrontation books come in. They are key to engaging our friends, and to challenge any accomplices. And there may need be a distancing from naysayers, or those who drag us down.

I have two reservations. One has to do with willpower. A person's will is not enough, true. A loner cannot change an entire organization any more than Ulysses S. Grant could have won the Civil War as a "lone gunman." He needed troops, and you always need allies. But it also is a matter of willpower--or positive thinking or faith or drive--to implement and work at these six sources. So willpower is both a before and after thing with these.

The second is a general observation. Jim Collins point in Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great should be taken: Business Thinking Is Not the Answer. (This applies more to "Influencer," but it should be kept in mind with this one, too.) Sometimes implementing a business model like this, we should pause. Not all of the principles can be applied, or applied to the full extend as we would like. This is not a criticism of Patterson, et. al., but a reminded that circumstances get the best of us sometimes. So if we can't apply all six sources, apply five or four or as many as you can. Savvy is require, and an eye for adaptability. Things can change (ahem!), and you may be able to apply all six in the future.

So, although, the point is associated with "turning accomplices to friends," all of the six sources involve "redefining 'normal'" (p. 93). Don't put up with what is going on. Exercise your will, your power of choice, and make these changes.

Do what you can, as best you can.

Synopsis:
A stunning new approach to how individuals can not only change their lives for the better in the workplace, but also their lives away from the office, including (but not limited to) finding ways to improve one's working relationship with others, one's overall health, outlook on life, and so on.

For example, why is it that 95% of all diet attempts fail? Why do New Year's Resolutions last no more than a few days? Why can't people with good intentions seem to make consistent and positive strides in the way they want to improve their careers, financial fitness, physical fitness, and so on?

Based upon the latest research in a number of psychological and medical fields, the authors of CHANGE ANYTHING will show that traditional will-power is not necessarily the answer to these strivings, that people are affected in their behaviors by far more subtle influences. CHANGE ANYTHING shows how individuals can come to understand these powerful and influential forces, and how to put these forces to work in a positive manner that brings real and meaningful results.

The authors present an array of everyday examples that will change and truly empower you to reexamine the way you go about your business and life.

My Thoughts:
Whew! Well, I was going to say some things about the idea behind Change Anything, but I think that synopsis pretty much covered everything. My job here is done! **dusts of hands and walks away**

**runs back** JUST KIDDING!! While I don't have a lot to add, I will say that this book is chock-full of tons of useful information, statistics, and studies that back up these ideas. I was honestly not aware of all the sources of influences affecting my daily decisions down to the very last detail. I'm now motivated to develop my change plans, and get to altering the things in my life that have needed change for a while.

If there are areas in your life you want to change (and I'm pretty sure there are) then you NEED the information in this book. Great things take hard work. Why not have a little help?

As the the holiday approaches and the New Year is around the corner, many of us will be looking to make the usual resolutions, that year after year we have plan for, but after 6 to 8 weeks they become a distant memory. What happened you wonder, as you realize the weight loss resolution is just that, a resolution. The gym membership you just paid for creates a hole in your budget, and the shiny, new pair of running shoes and the workout clothes you proudly purchased lay in the corner of your closet, merely collecting dust. You took the right steps to ensure you had a successful start to your resolution, but somewhere, somehow, along the way something happened that ended up working against you, without you are even noticing. This is one of the forces this book, Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success (Authors: Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield and Ron McMillan) beautifully describe to you. They like to refer it as crucial moments that can derail your goals for good. The Change Anything book as the tittle suggest is a self-help book that aims to help you change anything in yourself. From helping you reach the goal of weight loss, to advancing in your career, or even improving your marriage. Change Anything provides you with an easy framework you implement right now! The book sets itself apart from other books in the Self-Help genre, as they give extensive research on how each of the 6 sources of influence can manifest in you, and how YOU can make it work for you.

My husband is actually using what he learned from this book to help reach the goal of running his first marathon in 2012, taking place in Providence, RI. He is implementing each step to ensure that he stays on course, reaches the proper physical conditioning needed to run a full marathon, and is making sure he is ready for the big day (you can follow his plan at [...]

The Change Anything book is well organized and easy to ready. And, the research included in the book helps you to understand the concepts. It is too early to tell whether or not this book will become a classic and join the ranks of those like The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, or even Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, but at least I can say it is worth having it as part of your library.

This book offers a concise recipe for behavioral change and it works.

The introduction promptly addresses "the willpower trap" and sheds great light on why so many attempts at changing behavior and curing addictions fail: willpower alone isn't enough.

The authors then go on to discuss the concepts of "critical moments," those times (particular to the person, the behavior, and the situation) that are ripe for the bad behavior to occur (ie, a recovering alcoholic driving by his old favorite drinking hole). The next concept is "vital behaviors," those actions (determined in advance) that fend off the bad behavior or addiction during those critical moments. Finally, the last main piece of the recipe is identification and leverage of the six different categories of influence that frequently work against you but can be effectively turned in your favor. The second half of the book gives examples and case studies, "applying the recipe" to common addictions and behavioral changes such as weight loss, relationship problems, and overspending.

There are many useful and memorable snippets relating to the psychology of the mind (for example, Vietnam soldiers quickly kicking a heroin habit upon return contrasted with the high relapse rate of rehab facilities-- in the first case, the environment is a total and permanent change while in the latter, a partial and temporary one).

The book is well-researched and documented (based on the authors' own "Change Anything" lab experience) and contains a very helpful summary as well as useful charts for application.
This is not a "cure-all" book but a very actionable and helpful recipe for personal change.

I would give it a 5-star review except the kindle version did not have the frequently-mentioned code to unlock a free membership on the book's companion website (too bad... it appears that there is a lot of useful information there).

This book is presented in a direct, consistent manner.
The introduction explains the difficulties we have in relying only on our own motivations to change habits. The authors explain a specific methodology towards change and describe how they tested their methods.

Briefly the method engages six sources of influence that will help strengthen the will to lead to success. The book describes the steps generally. Then it discusses specific circumstances with first hand examples. The specific areas include changing habits to be successful in weight lose, financial security, addictions and relationships. The steps make great sense and provide the tools necessary to succeed in changing anything you determine to change.

First identify crucial moments of weakness; create vital behaviors to support change; then boost the chances of success by engaging all six sources of influence:
1. Love what you hate.
(Visit your default future for motivation.)
2. Do what you can
(Learn new skills for what you can't do.)
3. and 4. Turn accomplices into friends.
(Be careful of peer pressure. Redefine normal.).
5. Invert the Economy.
(Use incentives.)
6. Control your space.
(Use tools available and engage your autopilot.)

The audio is easy to listen to but I found it best to listen in a setting where I could take notes. The book would be easy to refer back to the specific steps. With the audio you have to listen several times unless you take notes outlining the steps. The do give a special code to use online for extra information and support that is very nice!

I am going to be listening again to this and sharing it with my daughter. I recommend it to anyone who seriously wants to make changes in their life.

In this book, the authors outline a system to meet goals in any area of life --from how to loose weight, how to better your finances, how to stop addictions, how to change relationships. They even talk about how to further your career. The strategies and tactics they outline are derived from research at the Change Anything Labs in Utah. They also have a membership website (ChangeAnything.com) to provide resources and tools for you to use as scientist and subject in the process of customizing a unique approach to changing your habits in a way that gives you the results you want.

By reading this book, you will learn why willpower in and of itself is not enough to mount a successful change effort in most cases. The authors explain that if you are relying on willpower alone, you are blind and outnumbered! Most importantly, they provide lots of ideas and options for you to become aware of your own crucial moments and corresponding vital behaviors. You'll also learn about the six sources of influence and how to leverage them toward your cause. It's particularly enticing that their research shows that successful changers often experience improvements in another area of concern for themselves as they go through the process of meeting goals in their main area of focus.

Willpower is not the answer to change; understanding six main sources of influence is what will help anyone find success in overcoming challenges such as losing weight, increasing productivity, getting out of debt, improving relationships, etc. According to the authors of Change Anything, once we understand how these influences affect our behavior, we can then use them to turn bad habits into good ones that will bring about the change we desire.

I appreciated that the "formula" the authors propose can work for any area of life. For example, the first source of influence is to learn to Love What You Hate. This builds on the premise that if you can make the right choices more rewarding than the wrong ones, then success will follow. Using this for something like weight loss would mean if someone hates to exercise, it may be because he or she have tried activities they don't enjoy. Finding a way to be active that is enjoyable flips the "I hate to exercise" mindset into "I like doing this". As it applies to finances, learning to love the rewards of saving more than spending leads to financial stability. And so on.

The other areas of influence include Do What You Can't (develop the skills you need), Turn Accomplices Into Friends (find friends who will hold you accountable and not enable bad habits), and Invert the Economy (using incentives and rewards).

Overall I found this book to be helpful and applicable whether one is a corporate executive or a mom at home like me. There is no quick fix to change and the authors don't promise that there is. They concur that any change takes commitment, work, and time but with the plan outlined in this book it becomes more possible no matter what the challenge.

I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher but the opinion of it is my own and was not solicited, nor was a positive review required.

How can one successfully get rid of a bad habit or develop better habits and behaviors to achieve goals like getting out of debt, losing weight or advancing one's career? Most of us meet frustration because we make three fundamental mistakes, according to the committee of authors of this book: 1) we give will power too much credence; 2) we rely on only one out of a possible six tactics; 3) we assume there are one-size-fits all solutions. We mistakenly believe that will power is something that we call forth at the required time, and it either arrives in sufficient strength to meet the desired goal or it fails to materialize as needed. When we perceive the latter to happen, we blame ourselves, and see ourselves as weak, and we quit. Our will power is actually more a matter of circumstances than of personal strength. The authors give examples of how will power can be aided and abetted by doing things like getting rid of junk food in the home, not driving past favorite drinking holes, or cutting up credit cards. Second, we often rely only on one of the tactics available to achieve change when there are actually six that we should use in conjunction: personal ability and motivation; social ability and motivation; and structural ability and motivation. Abilities can be learned and this is especially where will power becomes secondary. Some examples: Structural ability refers to your physical environment and how that either supports or defeats your efforts to change. Want to lose weight? Move your office cubicle away from the office kitchen. Social motivation: want to lose weight? Don't hang around with fat people. You get the deal. Third, we often approach change efforts as if what works for others should work for me in the same way and in the same timeframe. Not so. We are all unique and we need to see ourselves conducting scientific experiments with ourselves as the subjects and changing our approach as we travel on our journey of change. Maybe joining a gym worked for your Aunt Bertha and now she looks like a knock out (to Uncle Charlie). Maybe you started with the gym but realized after two months that you're not going more than once a fortnight so instead you get some free weights and workout in the privacy of your undersized studio. You adjust. You don't quit because you can't get to the gym. What struck me as I was reading this was how much religious and biblical wisdom is reflected in the authors' findings and recommendations: for example, the spiritual teaching to avoid the near occasions of sin; the books of Proverbs and Sirach have something to say about the effect your circle of friends has on you. This book should help those who learn, understand and apply the philosophies and techniques taught to create significant, meaningful and lasting change in their lives.

First, I am a big admirer of these authors, I have read, The influencer, Crucial Conversations and Crucial Confrontation. All the books were great and I give a slight higher recommendation to The Influencer but all three books are great. I can say I learn several critical information that I can use in all those three books. As far as Change Anything, I have to say for me personally is the best one yet. During the reading of this book, I started practicing some of their concepts without me even realizing it.

One of the biggest concept I use is visit your default future, for me it means if I don't change some bad habits now, my future will not be good. It made me realize that living for now is good but when it comes to negative behaviors, postpone and delay those negatives will pay in your future. For me that was a wake up call. Also, the authors tell you that your behavior whether you realize it or not are influenced my forces that are powerful. Once, you are aware of these forces you could actually use them to your advantage.

One of the things I love about their books is their ending, they just tied it all up and make it practical so you can start practicing what you just read. I can not say enough about this authors. I look forward to their new book and hopefully it will be soon.

This book breaks the art of persuasion down into a self-help book that is actually useful, once you get over the tone, which felt to me like the authors were condescending. A more generous reading would call the tone "accessible," but it took me some getting used to. I listened to the audio version, and in that edition, you can hear one of the authors literally talk down to you. I appreciated that it is science-based, and that the authors discuss experiments and research along the way.

The authors simplify life change into three different axes of influence: personal, social, and environmental, and then they give you a few tips and tricks that you can apply, like, "love what you hate" and "invert the economy." They also do a very good job of making sure that people don't interpret their program as one size fits all, reminding you to "turn bad days into data" and personalize your program by becoming both the researcher and the subject in your own life, teaching people to have an experimental, "scientific trial and error" approach to life change. Then it closes with a few more focused plans, like how to makeover your relationship and eating/fitness worlds, which many many other people have written about, but rarely do so in such a common-sense, science-based way as these authors do.

Personally, I found the chapters on personal financial health and addiction very good. The addiction chapter especially has some interesting research findings from other studies that I appreciated. I'd like to see the authors do a whole book about breaking free from various kinds of addictions.

"Change Anything" offers a simple and practical plan, based on research, for successfully making any personal behavior change: losing weight, stopping smoking, stopping nagging your kids, whatever. I participated in a pre-release Change Challenge issued by the authors, using their formula to work on a vital behavior needed for growing my business. My successful progress was featured in their ChangeAnything blog [...]

These authors also wrote "Influencer: The Power to Change Anything", "Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition", and "Crucial Confrontations", three of my favorite books on communication & behavior change. "Change Anything" and "Influencer" cover the same general territory; "Change Anything" is for a popular audience and focuses on individual behavior change, while "Influencer" targets business leaders in order to foster organizational change.

Firstly, to declare my interest, I am a provider of products from the the company, VitalSmarts, who wrote the book. However, the change process they have developed is revolutionary in it's approach. This book is the personal approach to change which uses the same principles in their book "Influencer - The Power To Change Anything" which is aimed at influencing others in a business environment to change. As their research shows, there are SIX sources of influence that we need to exercise to create major change. Importantly, these sources need to be used at the same time to maximise our chances of creating and sustaining real change. Most people try one or two, but not concurrently, which is why most attempts at change, organizationally or personally, fail. There are some very good insights, skills and real examples in the book that can be very valuable if we are seriously considering making a change, for the better, in our lives.

People who want to gain financial security, break a bad habit or change their lives in a major way are far more likely to succeed if they tailor "six sources of influence" to reshape their lives. In their book about the "science of personal success," corporate trainers Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler explain exactly how to bring this power to bear in your life and why it works. getAbstract recommends this illuminating, helpful book to people who want to save money, conquer fear and become more healthy.

This book was fantastic at:
A) Changing my perception that I didn't have the willpower change myself (stop wasting time on the internet)
B) Making it easy to start doing productive things (Jumpstarting my career by spending time researching Zecco trading)

I've been using the website ChangeAnything.com to apply the book's principles and make changes in my life.

Principally I like the tools that help change my behavior.
1- A "raise the stakes" widget that will automatically donate $20 to a charity I dislike if I don't meet my goal by a certain date (or in my case, $5 to my roommate).
2- A personalized chart that let's me track my progress day-by-day. I indicate whether I've avoiding wasting time and if I worked out. It tells me how many days I've gone successfully.

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to make changes. In fact, you can use this coupon code (workit03) to get a premium subscription by going to their website (ChangeAnything.com). I would enjoy any feedback, tips, or comments about the site as well.

Yes, I would loudly say this book "CHANGE ANYTHING" by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Granny, David Maxfield, Ron Macmillan and Al Switzler made huge impact on my behavior. The critical moment and vital behavior, these two phrases have been my mantra recent times. I had two issues which were really bothering me a lot. Applying the techniques explained in this book had helped me to address and solve them in a short span of time. The six sources of influence discussed in the book are real wisdom of the Authors. I always relate to the examples shown in the book to my real life. The examples looked simple but the results are remarkable as explained. The complicated process of changing ourselves is made easy by applying the techniques.

I appreciate the authors for choosing the following contradictory ones with simple memorable punches:

1) Love what you hate
2) Do what you can't
3) Turn accomplices into friends
4) Invert the economy
5) Control your space

"BE THE SCIENCE AND THE SUBJECT" is a real practical wisdom and I love to practice this everyday in my life and recommend others to follow this for real change experience. The experiences of Authors in writing this human behavior change book is a real treasure for executives of developing and developed economies as the world economic situation is turbulent. Everything is available abundant in this world and so to limit ourself from over consuming, these kind of books are really helpful for ever.

My review title had said it all. Perhaps I had read a few more helpful and fluent books of the same genre that I am surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reviews here. IMHO, "Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength by Roy F. Baumeister", "The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It by Kelly McGonigal", and "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg" are far better alternatives.

Dec. 23rd, 2012
I'm going to be short as I am not good at writing reviews. I've just start reading this book and so far I like it very much. I feel that the authors think in the same way as I do and their suggestions just make a lot of sense to me. So far I find myself really enthusiastic about applying in practice their advice.

The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is the ChangeAnything.com website. It's poorly designed and it just doesn't have the stuff that you would expect to be there. They really need to work on it if they want people to pay them for a Premium Membership.

I plan to add more details here in a couple of months and see if the book really helped me in the long run.

First off, the title. It jumped right at me when I visited the bookstore. The title is a very strong promise, so much that I surfed the Web the moment I got home to see what I could find out about the book. After reading through the sample pages and the official website, I figured the book was something worth trying.

I'm glad I bought it. The premise and system to help people break old, destructive habits and build new helpful ones is clearly laid out. The book does not tell you what to specifically do, because it acknowledges that each person is unique--what works for one may not work for another.

It tells you, instead, the six things you need to think about so that you can determine the "change strategy" that will work for you. Whether you want to quit smoking, improve your job performance, or get fit, you just need to think of those six things to jumpstart your change.

The six things are:

1. Love What You Hate: Coming to terms with pleasure and pain
2. Do What You Can't: Involves building the necessary skills that can spur change
3 and 4. Turn Accomplices Into Friends: Involves getting other people into the act
5. Invert the Economy: Manipulating the benefits
6. Control Your Space: Using the environment to help the change process

This book is a good investment.

This book holds some really remarkable ideas on how to effect permanent change in your life. No more trying to psyche yourself up or talk yourself into being stronger. There are always going to be obstacles along the way, but this book offers a set of real tactics that can be used to find a new and better way around them. It was also a very encouraging book that can be referred to easily along the way.

The recommendations here are empowering and encourage the reader to take charge of their new plan in a very hands on way. For example, paying closer attention to the routines you follow throughout your day.

There is so much you could change or just be more aware of in every step. This includes what routes you drive, what you see along the way, and at what time you do things. These are just a few of the seemingly insignificant areas that, when focused on, could be studied and altered to create an amazing difference.

I have the audio version to listen while i drive. Some points were good but stop trying to sell your website again and again. I checked out their site and they want you to attend a Change Anything seminar that is about between 700 to 1200 dollars. If you want to train others add another $1200 to that from Vitalsmarts.com. Coach Alba is A text messaging software program where u can set weight loss goals and get daily reminders. Iphone and android both have apps that can do the same thing for free or a one time fee. Coach alba is 5$ a month once you enter your cell number and that is billed every month. A couple of the reviews look written by someone associated with Change Anything

Change Anything certainly sheds new and different light on why we can't seem to stick to the plans we make to change our habits. It was so encouraging to learn there are things I can do that I hadn't thought of before that will help me achieve my goals. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy some of things were, and have already begun using some of them to change habits I have been working on for years.

One of the most powerful techniques they offer is to "Visit Your Default Future". This means to find a way to get the clearest view possible of the future you are headed towards. This could even involve meeting someone who is already living that future. Overall, I found the advice to be powerful and a definite challenge to anyone who is reluctant to change bad habits.

You get the best of two viewpoints in this book. First you get the scientific research that has gone into behavior, and second you get the psychological expertise on why we do what we do. Also, you get the a front row seat watching people who have implemented what this book teaches and how they did as a result. It is definitely a blend of mind and actions, but willpower and want are not the main ingredients. Be aware that Change Anything does require you to be very honest with yourself about your actions and what really motivates you. Not this is a bad thing. In fact it is this point of honesty that is the beginning point and these suggestions are like the road markers to follow down the path. I think this book will be helpful to many people, myself included.

Their six clearly stated steps are presented in straight forward non-fluffy manner for changing behavior. Steps are repeated in different situations to demonstrate application. Also good in the audio format.

At first I thought it was going to be difficult to change certain less desirable habits that I had. I have not approached all bad habits but those that I have are changing quickly. The steps that are laid out in this book make them much more simple than I ever imagined. It improves understanding of what keeps us from changing when we attempt change and the vital behaviors that enable us to change permanently. It is a book that contains strategies for which anyone could find a use. It doesn't take the effort out of it, but it builds a system to keep your footing while you climb the behavior change mountain. I would recommend it for anyone.

It is such a disappointing feeling when we set out to change something only to succeed for a little while and then be met with failure. Change Anything is full of great ways to overcome the things that cause you to fail.

This book also provides an entire section on how these tools and techniques have been applied by those in challenging situations and have used them and found success. There are so many tools in this book to choose from, such as incentives and rewards; to very personal skills you may not even realize you possess.

I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks they have tried everything, because so many of the suggestions found in this book seemed new and original!

The authors of Change Anything present the idea that if you've tried several times to change something in your life and failed, the reason could be that you haven't been using the right skill set. This was a refreshing concept considering most of us just beat ourselves up for not `wanting' something bad enough when we fail. Here we see that the ability to resist temptation for our own good is not just something some people are born with and some aren't. Rather, that the ability to change lies with the ability to see where you stumble and to implement proactive solutions. After reading this book I was surprised to see how many of these solutions were there all along, and I just hadn't noticed them!

As the authors of this book reveal, we are all different and unique and so our plan to make change in our lives should be just as different and unique so that they fit us individually. I really like how their plan is one that can be custom fit to each person and what their personal challenges are. The book shows you how to find a tailor-made plan that you create yourself. This is not a strict step-by-step process, but rather a collection of valuable tools that can each be taken out and used whenever they are needed. What really struck me was how the alterations and suggestions they recommend do not require big dramatic moves, but instead moves that are powerful but controlled.

This book provides a format for personal change, some practical advice and several examples of using the format to effect change. The format is a matrix. The columns are labeled Motivation and Ability. The rows are labeled Personal, Social and Structural. The authors premise is that a person must first be motivated to change. If a person has the skills and ability to change but lack motivation, no improvement will take place. Second, if a person wants to lose weight but hangs out with overweight people, the person will lack motivation and the ability to lose the weight. Third, if the person structures their schedule to frequent fast food restaurants instead of the fruit & vegetable isle of the supermarket, the person will lack motivation and ability to select the best foods to eat.

This book really takes a close look at the factors that influence our decisions even down to some very minute details. It is helpful in making us take a hard look at what's around us, and how the things and people that surround us can so quickly and easily alter our choices. In Change Anything you will find how you can use specific influences to have powerful control over your choices and actions. The information is scientifically researched and really gets to the heart of our specific patterns and behaviors. I would recommend it to anyone who is serious about changing habits that they have tried to change before.

Change Anything debunks the myth that all of our failures are the result of our lack of willpower. What a vindicating message!

The authors assert that simply trying harder to change will not result in success, rather, there are a host of social, structural, and personal influences that determine the way we behave. When we make changes in each of these areas, we increase our chances of successfully kicking our bad habits exponentially.

I find this a refreshingly sound approach to change. It provides actionable advice that actually empowers individuals with an approach to overcoming life-long bad habits. One of my favorite points is that we have to be both the scientist and the subject for changing our behavior - that means, creating a change plan that is custom to your goals and your needs will require some trial and error. However, eventually, you will figure out the unique change plan that is as unique as you.

I highly recommend Change Anything for any person looking to kick a bad habit, overcome detrimental behaviors, or simply change their life for the better.

I read a ton of books on change/influence and there are so many books out there on changing your behavior (losing weight, quitting smoking, getting out of debt, improving your career, etc.)...this one has real science to it. It doesn't just tell you, "hey, this change strategy worked for me and I guarantee it will work for you!" or "Eat this one thing and you'll lose 100 pounds!" It gives you an overall model for change and then shows you how to create the perfect change plan that fits YOU...sensitive to YOUR weaknesses...and considers YOUR special challenges. And the people that used the model have been able to sustain their change for years!!! This isn't some silver bullet that loses its potency after 3 months.

I'm using the model and am creating awesome changes (in a way that I actually sustain).

Interesting, insightful, and proven!!!!

This book is an incredible contribution to mankind! I am always looking for good science and practical application to make my life (and the lives of those around me) better. VitalSmarts has a history of providing such content and science. Their new book, Change Anything is the most powerful yet practical approach to changing behaviors at work and at home that I have seen. The Six -Source approach to understanding behavior change helped me to understand why, despite my efforts to change certain bad habits, I have failed time and time again.

I have been waiting for the book release for a few months now. In the meantime I logged into the ChangeAnything.com website and began my FREE change plan (based on the same research and model) to increase my fitness level, decrease my body fat composition index and reduce my chronic shoulder pain. I have accomplished all three goals for the first time in 15 years. Thank you for this good work.

Change Anything breaks current actions and habits down, and looks at the day-to day ways we can maneuver around the things that are preventing us from moving forward. This book holds great information that could help anyone. It shows six sources of influence that affect our both our decisions and reasoning. With doable methods like taking more control over your space or "engaging your auto pilot", this book offers a hands-on plan to help you see what you do in a different light!

I just finished reading "Change Anything." It has such a ring of truth. I am the author of The Twelve-Week Challenge: Lay a Foundation for Your Success which is a book that teaches how to run accountability groups. I have seen many of the priciples they describe in action. I am so grateful for their research. I can't wait to apply the added information I have learned from the book to my groups as well as apply it in my own life.

As a self-improvement junkie and avid reader, I have to say that this is the best book I have ever read on the subject!

Firstly, to declare my interest, I am a provider of products from the the company, VitalSmarts, who wrote the book. However, the change process they have developed is revolutionary in it's approach. This book is the personal approach to change which uses the same principles in their book "Influencer - The Power To Change Anything" which is aimed at influencing others in a business environment to change. As their research shows, there are SIX sources of influence that we need to exercise to create major change. Importantly, these sources need to be used at the same time to maximise our chances of creating and sustaining real change. Most people try one or two, but not concurrently, which is why most attempts at change, organizationally or personally, fail. There are some very good insights, skills and real examples in the book that can be very valuable if we are seriously considering making a change, for the better, in our lives.

While this book is not a total waste of time, there is nothing new here. It's the same old self-help formula, rewritten in slightly different ways. It starts out like all the other books in this genre (very irritating) by selling you on how great their program is and why you should do it. It takes forever to get to the actual meat of the book, though it really never gets very specific. The only gimmick that I see that's different is the use of various studies. However, all they tell us, that just using will power alone doesn't work, that you need to plan and think out what you want to change, that you need to use all the tools available to you, that you need to distract yourself from what tempts you to derail the change and that you need to be motivated. See anything different here from all the other self-help gurus out there? I sure didn't. Don't buy the book if your really want to read it. Borrow it from the library like I did if you really want to read it.

Change Anything reveals that we all have tendencies that we aren't even aware of, and that some of these unrecognized tendencies are holding us back from overcoming some of the biggest obstacles in our lives. Even the simple step of taking a close look at the people we surround ourselves with to determine if they are "accomplices" or "friends" and then distancing from those that are not benefitting your goals, can make a tremendous difference. This is just one of the useful skills discussed in this book that aren't a matter of resolve, but of having the correct tools to finally create meaningful and lasting change.

Part psychology and part science, this book is a great blend of sound theory and practical application. I appreciated that it wasn't just scientific findings but also very clear-cut actions to take to accomplish permanent change. The greatest obstacle I face when I try to make change that I identified with in the book is that I have been unaware of WHEN I lose control of my resolve. I hadn't realized that there are actual times and events that seem to trigger weakness, but thanks to this insight, I am now taking better control of these situations!

I have been on a personal mission to find out anything and everything I can about creating lasting change over the past year.

As a result I have read many, many books on the subject. And this one is by far the best!

The authors have done an immense amount of research, as well as experimentation at their Change Anything Labs, and have distilled some of the finest distinctions on personal change that I have come across.

The book is well organized structurally which makes it easy to consume and assimilate the information. I will definitely return to lasting change again and again.

The authors show a practical, clear system for changing a bad habit. I liked the suggestion to think about my "default future", the way my life is going to go if I do not change. The book explains clearly how to use 6 helps for changing. In the Change Anything Lab that comes with the book there are videos of real people telling how they applied the methods.

This book has a very easy to follow outline for creating a change plan and uses methodology that, if followed, makes success an inevitability. I have already turned my life around in a major way by using this model. Phenomenal book, I strongly recommend it.

Whether you want to quit smoking, dig yourself out of a financial hole, lose weight, improve a relationship, or jump start your career, the content in this book can help you get you there. The authors do a great job laying out the universal science of change in an interesting and engaging manner. Trying to change? This book is a must!

I just want to say: the change anything model really works. I read the book (which was very enjoyable), applied the model to specific behaviors I have been trying to change, and I am seeing the results. It works, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to everyone!

This book was hard for me to put down! The book plainly outlines great strategies to use in order to effect lasting personal behavior change. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is trying to get rid of bad habit, or to develop new good habits!

Easy read and understand. I'm not completely sold on the suggestions for improvement. Nothing I couldn't have figured out on my own. The stories are cheesy and seem made up for convenience. Overall slightly inspirational.

I don't see any science in this book. No clear methodology. No concrete research and double blind studies to back up their assertions.

I am always highly suspicious of a book with no negative reviews. I got this from the library. The problem is it's written like a social studies textbook,NOT a self-help book. It's written in a way that backs up the work of people like Tony Robbins.

It does NOT live up to it's compelling title and subtitle. Sadly, it's written in a boring way, with a few useful bits of information buried in tons of prose. It could have been a really good book. But it doesn't hold any weight against a good self-help book. And other than that I don't know who else would buy it. Unless you like reading stories of people's lives.

I received a comment about being negative. It's hilarious to me that when an author get's one critical review, (by a real objective unbiased person) they are so quick to put the person down, simply for voicing their honest opinion.

What's really negative is putting a zillion glowing reviews up by obviously biased people, trying to manipulate potential buyers into thinking something is a great book, when most real buyer's don't think it is.

Let's see how the reviews of this book look after a dozen real readers give their honest feedback.

I don't see any science in this book. No clear methodology. No concrete research and double blind studies to back up their assertions.

I am always highly suspicious of a book with no negative reviews. I got this from the library. The problem is it's written like a social studies textbook,NOT a self-help book. It's written in a way that backs up the work of people like Tony Robbins.

It does NOT live up to it's compelling title and subtitle. Sadly, it's written in a boring way, with a few useful bits of information buried in tons of prose. It could have been a really good book. But it doesn't hold any weight against a good self-help book. And other than that I don't know who else would buy it. Unless you like reading stories of people's lives.

I received a comment about being negative. It's hilarious to me that when an author get's one critical review, (by a real objective unbiased person) they are so quick to put the person down, simply for voicing their honest opinion.

What's really negative is putting a zillion glowing reviews up by obviously biased people, trying to manipulate potential buyers into thinking something is a great book, when most real buyer's don't think it is.

Let's see how the reviews of this book look after a dozen real readers give their honest feedback.