Pretty radical title of a book, eh? This particular book has been sitting on my shelf for a few years without being opened. I thought it would be a really dry read but it wasn't. I tend to have an eclectic reading sense and go from murder/mysteries (Louise Penny is my current favourite-www.LouisePenny.com) to art (seven thousand books on mosaics, can't get enough of them) to philisophical to business. I guess it relieves boredom to vary your reading genre.
Change or Die depicts 3 scenarios whereby people excercise radical changes in their lives. At the end of the book, Alan Deutschman, the author, apologizes for the title and said in fairness, it would have been more appropriately titled: Change and Thrive. You see, as human beings, we tend NOT to change even when the threat of death is eminent. Take for example his first case study, Dick Cheney (former vice-president of the U.S.A) At 38, Mr. Cheney had a massive heart attack and was told he would not survive for very long if he continued on the path he was on. He was told, eat right, exercise, quit smoking, drink moderately and alleviate stress from your life (almost like our New Year resolutions!). After the heart attack, he did this for a brief moment and then reverted back to his old lifestyle, irrespective of the fact he could die from it.
The second case study was about inmates who made astonishing changes in their lives against the "norm" which was to continue on the path they were on and remain in the penal system and/or at a poverty level in society.
The third was changes to a GM assembly line and their attitude toward their work.
The bottom line is change is hard; you have to be very committed to radical change in your life. The truth is you need a great support system. No person is an island and if you tend to isolate (I'm guilty of this) no one will know what you are going through, how they may help or support you or or what kind of encouragement you need to pursue a goal or dream.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
Cheryl Bower
