Mark Rembecki, M.A., L.P.C., CASAC, CCGC
Sharon Glass, Ph.D.
Bill Tidd, M.A., CASAC, CEAP
EAP Director

It’s been said that “Good luck takes hard work” and this phrase certainly pertains to the effort involved in changing.

We all realize that change is inevitable and that there are many life experiences that are certainly outside our control. However, it is important to recognize what is within our control such as our: behavior, thoughts and feelings; ties to friends and family; attention to health and wellness; professional development; and management of money.

When we contemplate using a new strategy to reduce stress, or try a different approach to improve interpersonal relationships, or perhaps want to become more attentive to our nutrition and fitness or decide it’s time to stop using nicotine or alcohol, there are systematic principles for changing that can help us be more successful in our efforts.

Did you know that the average successful self-changer reports that they made three to four serious attempts to change before they actually succeeded or that people often make New Year’s resolutions for as long as five years before they actually change?

Change is seldom easy and when we fail to maintain the new exercise and nutrition program or a smoking cessation program, it is disheartening and frustrating. But the fact is that each failure or relapse actually teaches us more about the change process. People who take action and fail are actually more likely to succeed over the next six months if they try again.

There are several reasons that we might return to our old ways or relapse, during our attempt to change, but the number one reason is emotional distress. A couple of years ago a good friend of mine decided to stop smoking. Unfortunately a week later, while piloting a rented, single-engine aircraft one afternoon, the cabin quickly began to fill with smoke shortly after take-off. Fortunately he made an uneventful emergency landing and discovered that a mechanic had left a cleaning rag in the engine compartment, which caught on fire as the engine throttled-up. Immediately after landing the aircraft, he borrowed a cigarette from his passenger and his week-old smoking cessation program was over! It’s been two years since that incident and while he’s contemplated another attempt to quit smoking, he hasn’t as of yet planned for his next attempt.

In the book - Changing for Good, Dr. James Prochaska and others report on their research on thousands of people who have successfully changed. Through the research, they discovered that successful change follows a powerful, controllable and very predictable course. Six distinct stages that are known as precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance and termination.

• Change seldom happens all at once

• Each stage has an important purpose and can’t be skipped

• People who try to change too quickly, by starting at the action stage for example, generally set themselves up for failure and disappointment

• Fewer than 20% of people are actually prepared to take action at any given time

To successfully change, it is necessary to know what stage you are currently in for the problem or issue that you want to overcome. The following is a brief summary of each stage discovered during their research:

Precontemplation - “It isn’t that they can’t see the solution – It’s that they can’t see the problem.” Writer - G.K. Chesterton.

People in the precontemplation stage have no intention of changing their behavior and typically deny that there is a problem. Most precontemplaters don’t want to change themselves, just those around them! When they do something to change, it’s generally only because they have to because of pressure from others such as: employer threats; family or friends; judges; or their physicians. If the pressure is relieved, they will quickly revert to old ways.

The exception to being forced to change by others is what is known as “unintentional change” that people quickly adapt when they become pregnant, turn 40 or are diagnosed with a serious illness.

People in the precontemplation stage have become skillful at:

• Ignoring or not gaining information about their behavior and plan to keep it that way

• Only focusing on things outside their control

• Staying in a demoralized state because they feel hopeless about their problem

Contemplation - People in this stage often feel “stuck”. They:

• Begin to acknowledge that they have a problem

• Begin to think about how to solve it
• May make indefinite plans to take action within the next 6 months

• Often know their destination, but not so sure how to get there
• May have spent as long as two years in contemplation – some people actually become “chronic contemplators” and fail to move on to the next stage

To move on, one needs to (1) focus on the solution versus the problem and (2) think more about the future versus the past.

Preparation - Those who wake up one morning and decide to change, ultimately lower their chance of success. Most people in this stage are planning to take action within the next month and are making adjustments before they begin to change. They:

• Make public their intent to change
• May still have doubt along with their resolution

• May have already instituted some small changes, such as cutting down

Action - The danger in starting at the action stage is that one has overlooked the critical work of preparation and the challenge of change.

This is the stage where people overtly modify their behavior and surroundings. In short, they make the move that they have been planning. Important as the action stage is, it is neither the first nor the last step in change.

Maintenance - Maintenance can last from as little as six months to a lifetime! Without strong commitment, one will relapse - usually back to the Precontemplation stage.

Termination - The ultimate goal of changing is to no longer have the temptation or threat of returning to the behavior. To know that your former behavior will not return and you have complete confidence that you can cope without fear of relapse.

There are also a few myths that need to be dispelled as one prepares for change. They include:

• Myth #1 – It just takes willpower. Relying on willpower alone can set people up for failure.
• Myth #2 – “I’ve tried everything and nothing works.” It’s often a matter of doing enough of the right thing at the right time.
• Myth #3 – People don’t really change. Studies show that if physicians spend just 1-2 more minutes with their patients discussing smoking, their patients have double the chance of stopping smoking. Most self-changers will need to take more than one try at a problem before they are successful.

To successfully change, one needs to start with a truthful assessment of their current stage before seriously attempting to change. The following quiz can help you determine what stage you are currently in with the change that you want to make.

The research suggests that:

• If you answered “no” to all statements, you are in the precontemplation stage
• Contemplators will have answered “yes” to question 4 and “no” to the others
• Those in the preparation stage will have answered “yes” to questions 3 and 4 and “no” to 1 and 2
• If you answered “yes” to question 2 and “no” to 1, you are in the action stage
• You have reached the maintenance stage if you answered “yes” truthfully to question 1

Lastly, people who decide to change can significantly contribute to their chances of success by:

• Announcing the intended change to others
• Working with a coach, counselor or support group
• Doing their “homework” during the preparation stage
• Setting a date for the change
• Utilizing more than one approach or tool to change

The best of luck to you as you prepare to change. For further information or a consultation, contact the Employee Assistance Program at 816-931-3073 or 1-800-EAP -1223.

This information was adapted from the book Changing for Good, James Prochaska, Copyright 1994 HarperCollins Publishers.