As a Transfiguration Specialist, this is my gift to share with the world. When it looks like there is little or no chance to make a significant change, I can see the path from here to there, and in every case, if the desired change is massive, changing books is almost mandatory. That is to say, you could skip this step, and increase the cost and time necessary to see the change become reality.
Temporary Change
Changing books is not necessary for temporary change or doing what you have to do to make you feel better for a while, like losing 20 pounds before your wedding, or getting a big-screen TV. You could use changing books written by someone else to help inspire you to do the work necessary. To become an expert you could practice a skill for 10,000 hours (Malcolm Gladwell) or you could obtain all the expert knowledge necessary by reading seven changing books (Mark Victor Hansen). And doing so may increase your odds of riding this new wave for more lasting change.
Lasting Change
Lasting change is more elusive, for many reasons. The most common is that every one of us has a life frequency that matches acceptable mediocrity. A place where we are comfortable enough. Things aren’t that bad, and they could certainly get worse. This is your life rut, and it is easy to get stuck in it. This is where changing books can help to make all the difference.
If your life was a book, writing the next chapter might not be enough. You might be better off changing books altogether.
If the change you want to see, either in you, your life or the world, is great, you will have to change. Changing books is also a metaphor for your life. If your life was a book. You can easily look back and see the chapters of your life, and you can have an idea about how the next chapter might be. But if the change is great, it will require changing books completely. It may not be enough to expect due to the previous momentum (or lack of it) in the previous chapters to make the leap.
That’s why we need changing books, to help catapult us to the next level.
Permanent Change
Even more elusive is a permanent change. You desire to see the change and to be a part of it so much that you might be willing to do almost anything. This is where it helps to have a coach and moderator on your side, to help you see pitfalls in what might seem like an opportunity to push your agenda ahead today but may be ultimately detrimental in the long run.
Stuff Happens
You will never see more obstacles appear than when you decide to be a part of the change, any change, and changing books along the way can be very helpful in circumventing (or even eliminating) barricades to your progress.
The Biggest Obstacle to Permanent Change
You. Your old life. Remember that life that was okay, not so bad? Your former life will be calling you back. And when things are looking more like work than fun, that old life may not look so bad. You might think like chucking the whole idea might be worthwhile for the relief that comes from just bailing out completely.
You May Be Addicted to Your Old Life
Or your previous life, the one that you left to start your journey of massive change, is an addiction, which is an entirely new challenge to consider.