Change or Die

The Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life by Alan Deutschman

November 08, 2024

What if you had to change your behavior—or risk severe consequences?

In Change or Die, Alan Deutschman explores why making life-altering changes is so challenging for most people, even when the stakes are high.

SMARTEST TAKEAWAYS
The 3 R’s of Change

1️⃣ Relate: Change happens through relationships, not facts or fear. When we connect with mentors or communities who believe in our potential, we start seeing ourselves differently. These relationships create psychological safety for taking risks and trying new approaches.

2️⃣ Repeat: New behaviors need to be practiced until they become automatic. Small, consistent actions create new neural pathways that eventually feel natural. This explains why information alone rarely leads to transformation.

3️⃣ Reframe: Lasting change requires a new way of thinking about your situation. Instead of seeing change as punishment or deprivation, successful transformations happen when people reframe it as a path to growth and new possibilities.

INSIGHTFUL EXAMPLE
Reframing Change

Deutschman shares a story about cardiac patients who were told to change their lifestyles to prevent serious health consequences. Despite the threat, most struggled to make lasting changes. The patients who succeeded had reframed their perspective—they saw their lifestyle adjustments as a way to live better rather than something they "had to do" to avoid illness.

By focusing on the positive outcomes of change, these patients were more motivated and resilient, demonstrating the power of a mindset shift in making sustainable changes.

A QUOTE TO REMEMBER
From Fear to Empowerment

“People don’t change by analyzing the past, but by envisioning and embracing a better future.”

Alan Deutschman, Change or Die

BOOK FACTS
Change or Die

  • Publication date: January 2, 2007

  • Print length: 256 pages

  • Listening length: 6:21

  • Ratings: 4.6 Amazon, 3.9 Goodreads

MORE ON THE BOOK
Other Formats

  • Fast Company: Alan Deutschman’s article titled “Change or Die” that was published a few years before the book (free version here)

  • Video: Alan Deutschman speaking at Microsoft about how to overcome the Five Myths of Change

MORE FROM THE AUTHOR
Additional Books

  • Walk the Walk: The #1 Rule for Real Leaders (2009) Focusing on leadership, this work emphasizes the importance of leaders embodying their principles through actions, not just words, to inspire and effect change within organizations.

  • A Tale of Two Valleys: Wine, Wealth and the Battle for the Good Life in Napa and Sonoma (2003) Explores the contrasting cultures and tensions between Napa's opulence and Sonoma's bohemian spirit. The narrative highlights the impact of wealth and development on these regions.

  • The Second Coming of Steve Jobs (2000) This unauthorized biography delves into Steve Jobs's journey after his departure from Apple, highlighting his ventures with NeXT and Pixar, and his eventual return to Apple.

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