Master of Change - by Brad Stulberg

About the Book

"We undergo change and transformation, both good and bad, regularly. From social disruptions like economic recessions, pandemics, and new techn ologies to individual disruptions like getting married, career transitions, and becoming a parent, change is not the exception, it's the rule. Yet we endlessly fight it, often viewing it as a threat to our stability and sense of self. This book flips this script on its head and offers a path for embracing and even growing from change, which is accelerating seemingly every day. Stulberg introduces a new model that describes change as an ongoing cycle of order, disorder, and reorder, yes, we return to stability, but that stability is somewhere new. Rather than resist change we benefit from being in conversation with it. Drawing on convergence between modern science, ancient wisdom, and daily practice, he offers concrete principles for developing a mindset called rugged flexibility, along with the habits and practices to implement it"--]cProvided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

National Bestseller

"Change is inevitable. Will you let this reality destabilize or empower you? Brad Stulberg's immensely wise and timely book provides a powerful roadmap for a tumultuous world."--Cal Newport, New York Times bestselling author of Digital Minimalism and Deep Work

A revelatory book on rethinking change, developing resilience, and creating a rugged and flexible mindset amidst life's intensifying flux from writer, coach, and bestselling author of The Practice of Groundedness.

From social disruptions like economic recessions, pandemics, and new technologies to individual disruptions like getting married or divorced, illness and injury, career transitions, and becoming a parent, we undergo change and transformation--both good and bad--regularly. Change is not the exception. It's the rule. Yet we endlessly fight it, often viewing it as a threat to our stability and sense of self.

Master of Change flips this script on its head and offers a path for finding strength and stability amid the chaos of life. Brad Stulberg draws on cutting-edge science, ancient wisdom, and daily practice to help you develop a mindset called rugged flexibility, as well as habits and practices to implement it. He reveals:

How to be in conversation with change instead of it happening to youThe importance of expectationsWhy cultivating a rugged yet flexible sense of self is key to a strong identityHow to stay consistent on the things that matter to you mostHow to take productive action during uncertaintyThe power of embracing tragic optimism

Stulberg reshapes our entire perception of change and shows us how to use it to grow--helping us to be better, stronger, and wiser than we were before.

Review Quotes

"Change is inevitable. Will you let this reality destabilize or empower you? Brad Stulberg's immensely wise and timely book provides a powerful roadmap for a tumultuous world." -- Cal Newport, New York Times bestselling author of Digital Minimalism and Deep Work

"According to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, you can't step in the same river twice. Brad Stulberg makes you wonder why you'd want to. Change is inevitable, but if we learn to struggle with it, not against it, we become like rivers ourselves: fluid, flexible, yet ruggedly defined. This book speaks to the twists and eddies in our lives with uncommon warmth and wisdom." -- Kieran Setiya, author of Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way

"Fantastic, wide-ranging, and deeply profound, Brad Stulberg's new book is a reminder that the most important two-word summary of life is: everything changes. In a world of constant economic, technological, and political upheaval, it's more important than ever that we learn to face life with tragic optimism--to continuously rediscover meaning and strength despite life's inevitable challenges and suffering. Stulberg's book is an exceptional guide to this critical virtue. A must read." -- Derek Thompson, staff writer at The Atlantic, host of Plain English podcast, author of national bestseller Hit Makers

"Master of Change challenges our inherent resistance to change, providing carefully researched suggestions that will help you embrace and rise to meet it. Stulberg's thoughtful book is a delight to read and will arm you with valuable wisdom for navigating life's unexpected plot twists." -- Katy Milkman, New York Times bestselling author of How to Change

"Uncertainty and changeability are the reality for us all. This is a fascinating and inspiring field guide not merely to 'coping with' this reality, but plunging into it - even becoming one with it - so as to grow and flourish here and now." -- Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks

"In a world where constant flux is the only certainty, the ability to reframe and adapt to change -- rather than resist or deny it -- is essential to wellbeing. In Master of Change, Brad Stulberg wields his characteristically deft mix of science and philosophy to provide a blueprint for embracing the unexpected." -- David Epstein, author of Range