Making a Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

Why is it so hard to make lasting changes in our organizations, in our communities, and in our own lives? The primary obstacle is a conflict that's built into our brains, says Dan Heath, the co-author of the new book, Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard.

Psychologists have discovered that our minds are ruled by two different systems--the rational mind and the emotional mind-that compete for control:

• The rational mind wants a great beach body; the emotional mind wants that Oreo cookie.
• The rational mind wants to change something at work; the emotional mind loves the comfort of the existing routine. This tension can doom a change effort-but if it is overcome, change can come quickly.

In this Nonprofit 911 call, Heath discussed his findings from Switch, which shed new light on how we can effect transformative change. Heath argues that successful changes follow a pattern, a pattern you can use to make the changes that matter to you, whether your interest is in changing the world or changing your waistline.