No one likes ‘change’ except a wet baby, but everybody needs it. And if you want to be successful, positive change is a habit you need to adopt.

This collective of research and proven change model by James O. Prochaska, Ph.D., John C. Norcross, Ph.D. and Carol C. DiClemente, Ph.D. is the handbook for making positive things happen in your life. And once you learn the process and understand how to successfully drive change in yourself you can support change in others.

You can’t have success without positive change. Those who crave more but are unwilling to take the first step will always battle frustration. If you’re set on success, and if you’re looking at this list of success books, I’m certain you are, here is your first reading assignment.

Desired change doesn’t have to be grand.

In fact, something small like rising earlier or even reprioritizing your day can be the change you want to make. The trick is not to place judgment on your level of change. What might appear to be a big change for others may seem inconsequential to you and vice versa. Once you’ve identified the change that you want to make, remove judgment, determine what stage of change you are in and employ the outlined strategies for taking the next step.

Here in lies the deep value of this book—the six stages of change. Prochaska et al. walk you through what each of these stages look like and how you can proceed through them eventually arriving at termination. The book’s deep dive into the various psychological schools of thought aligned with the six stages speaks to everyone’s fears and resistance. Looking at the “why” behind wanting change and why it’s so difficult goes far to lessen the concerns and heighten the motivation.

While the findings and recommendations in this book are based on the study on smoking succession, they apply to every possible change and challenge we confront.

From unwanted behavior in the workplace to adopting healthier habits, if you’re desirous to confront and adopt change, I recommend this book.