Ready Set Change

Why Knowing What to Do Isn’t Enough

By: Lawrence Pfaff

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

The Science of why you’re stuck

"I know what to do. I just don't do it."

If you've ever said this about a change you wanted to make, this book reveals why – and what to do about it.

You've read the articles. Listened to the podcasts. Made detailed plans. You know exactly what you should be doing differently.

And yet... you're stuck in the same patterns.

Maybe it's your health, your career, your relationships, or a habit you've been trying to break for years. You have every reason to succeed – the knowledge, the motivation, even the plan.

But knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different things.

The traditional advice isn't working.

You've been told you need more willpower. More motivation. A better plan. Just try harder.

But here's the truth: you don’t have a willpower problem. You have a readiness problem.

Most change advice gives you Action-stage strategies when you're not psychologically ready for Action. It's like trying to run a marathon when you're still learning to walk.

No wonder you feel stuck.

Through the real-world journey of 21 managers who went from stuck to successful, Dr. Lawrence Pfaff reveals what’s been missing from every change strategy you’ve tried:

All successful change follows five predictable stages—and you must move through them in order.

• Precontemplation – You don't see the problem yet
• Contemplation – You're wrestling with whether to change
• Preparation – You're getting ready to act
• Action – You're implementing the change
• Maintenance – You're sustaining it long-term

The breakthrough insight: What works at one stage fails at another. Matching your approach to your readiness stage changes everything.

In this book, you'll learn:

• Why knowing what to do isn't enough—and what actually creates lasting change
• How to identify your exact readiness stage (most people misdiagnose this)
• What you need at each stage to move forward
• Why "going on" a diet or program sets you up to fail
• How to recognize when someone else isn't ready for your advice (and what to do instead)
• Why recycling through stages isn't failure—it's a normal part of the process
• How to apply this framework to personal change, helping others, leadership and organizational transformation

This book is for you if:

• You've tried to change multiple times and keep "slipping back"
• You're a parent, friend, manager, or leader trying to help others change
• You're a therapist, coach, or consultant whose clients stay stuck
• You lead organizational change and wonder why people resist
• You know what to do but can't seem to do it

Dr. Lawrence Pfaff has spent over forty years helping people change—as a therapist, executive coach, corporate consultant, and university professor. After working with thousands of clients who stayed stuck despite knowing what to do, he discovered the missing piece: psychological readiness.

His landmark year-long study of 21 corporate managers showed that matching support to readiness stage was the key to lasting change. This book shares that framework through the managers' story.

Stop just knowing what to do. Start actually doing it.

Change doesn't require more willpower. It requires doing the right work at the right time.

Scroll up and click "Buy Now" to discover the framework that makes lasting change possible.