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Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization
by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey
Psychology
TL;DR
This book drops the bomb on why you're stuck in your ways even when you desperately want to level up. It introduces a four-column framework to expose your hidden competing commitments and big ass assumptions that are secretly blocking your progress. The whole vibe is about unearthing your internal resistance to change, then testing those deep-seated beliefs like a scientist, rather than just trying harder. It's less about willpower and more about unmasking your brain's sneaky self-preservation tactics so you can actually evolve and stop being a clown to your own goals.
Action Items
Pick one thing you really want to change but haven't. Jot down what you're doing (or not doing) instead. Be brutally honest.
For that one thing you want to change, ask yourself: 'What am I actually doing instead, and what hidden fear or desire might that action be serving?'
Identify one of your competing commitments. Then, ask yourself: 'What do I believe would happen if I didn't act on this competing commitment? What's the worst-case scenario my brain is cooking up?'
Pick one big assumption you identified. Design a tiny, low-risk experiment to test if it's actually true. What's the smallest thing you can do to challenge it without totally freaking out?
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Key Chapter
Chapter - Your Brain's Secret Double Life: Why You Say One Thing But Do Another
Ever feel like you're saying one thing but doing the exact opposite? This chapter dives deep into why your brain has a secret double life. It's not that you're lazy; it's that you've got hidden commitments pulling you in another direction, usually out of some deep-seated fear. Imagine you want to be a morning person, but your brain is secretly committed to 'avoiding the existential dread of a new day' by scrolling TikTok until 3 AM. Understanding these unconscious drivers is the first step to actually getting your shit together. It's about realizing your brain thinks it's protecting you, even when it's just keeping you stuck.
Key Methods and Approaches
The 'Why You're Still F*cked Up' Map
(AKA: The Immunity to Change Map)
Description:
A four-step mental exercise to figure out why you can't change that one thing you keep saying you want to change.
Explanation:
Imagine your brain is a messy roommate. You want them to clean up, but they're secretly committed to 'organized chaos' because they think cleaning means losing their favorite sock. This map helps you find that secret commitment, so you can finally get your brain to stop being a slob.
Examples:
You want to hit the gym but always end up on the couch, scrolling through old memes.
You want to save money but keep buying dumb shit you don't need, like another overpriced coffee.
You want to speak up at work but stay quiet, letting others take credit for your ideas.
Today's Action:
Pick one thing you really want to change but haven't. Jot down what you're doing (or not doing) instead. Be brutally honest.
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