DEJ Switch 1

Subject: College 1 Professor: Mrs. Tiffany Ingle Student: Kevin Mawardi Page # 3, 12, 17 What the text says What looks like a people problem is often a situation problem. What looks like laziness is often exhaustion What looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity Questions, reaction, clarifications I thought these quotes were important to include as they set the framework for Switch and represent the fundamental concepts of not only the first chapter, but also the whole book. These are essentially the three major steps to change. However, I believe these steps only work if the person in question has a true desire to change. If not, then it truly becomes a people problem, where laziness is laziness and resistance is resistance. However, I realize that the true desire to change is attributed to the Elephant or primal side of us touched on in the book. Therefore, Im interested to read on how we can motivate this beast because its definitely the greater of two evils (ie. for the Rider or intellectual side to comply, one must only believe that the change will allow good to come forth, getting the Elephant to run is hardest.) 6, 7, 8 Your brain isnt of one mind Haidt says that our emotional side is an Elephant and our rational side is its Rider. When the Elephant and Rider move together, change can come easy I enjoyed the wording of the first quote because its very tricky in the sense that it closely resembles a fallacy. The brain and mind are often thought of as working together and yet, it also houses two completely contradictory sides of us. The analogy of the Elephant and Rider was a really fitting one in my opinion. The Elephant represents Freuds id, our primal beast that is driven and exceedingly motivated but tends to be reclusive and non-existent when not adequately motivated. The Rider, our analytic superego, is logical and commanding but is often indecisive, which leads to inaction. Coming from an Asian or Eastern background, the attributes and convergence of the Elephant and Rider speak to me in particular. Most commonly, we can liken the yin and yang philosophy as the unity between the Elephant and Rider, further exposing the duality within each of those personas. Im interested to see more uses of this analogy as it makes the concepts that much easier to grasp.

10

Self-control is an exhaustible resource.

I found this quote amusing because its oddly true. Theres a limit to self-control and I have seen it personally. Perhaps the most relatable experience of this is procrastination. Ie. I might go through elongated periods of working without once clicking on Safari or iTunes but soon enough, you start to convince yourself that one Facebook wall checkup or one song will not hurt. Then, funnily enough, I come back to work readily focused with a strong sense of clarity. Another example that I thought would fit (pun intended) is keeping healthy. Besides exercising, the other head of the coin is nutrition and a diet plan. Reading Switch, Im pretty sure the reason weekly diet plans (including mine) have a cheat day where you can eat anything you want is because selfcontrol is finite and runs out sooner or later. Thus one day of impulsiveness restores the supply. Im interested to see if there are any strategies or perception changes that can assist in prolonging self-control.

22

Our contribution will be what did not happen. And though they are unknown, we will know that mothers and fathers are at graduations and weddings they would have missed, and that grandchildren will know grandparents they might have never known, and holidays will be taken, and work completed, and books read, and symphonies heard, and gardens tended that, without our work, would have been only beds of weeds. Many people in the audience already knew the facts, but knowing was not enough.

This is very honorable and I admire the difference that Berwick has made. The statement mothers and father are at graduations and weddings they would have missed, and that grandchildren will know grandparents they might have never known is especially touching and an emotionally powerful statement. I chose this solely because it was uplifting for me knowing that there are parents and grandparents who, thanks to Berwick, will be able to attend events and childhoods that would not have been possible without Berwicks initiative. Thus, this also goes to show Berwicks use of the three steps of change. He presented the situation clearly, worked in tandem with others (ie. mentors), and ultimately made a profound difference. The latter part of the quote is an integral part of my continual upbringing. To add, its also the first part of a Bruce Lee quote that is often recited by my father. Knowing is not enough, you must do. Learning is not enough, you must apply . The application of knowledge is often the difference between success and failure or in this case, inaction or change. Thus in this respect, it not only correlates towards the principles of yin and yang but the idea of the Elephant and the Rider. One is not enough without the other.

23