switch

       Being a deep-rooted teacher by profession and by mind I thought it would be impossible for me to understand the world of business, its logic, its rules but everything has changed when I found "a bright spot" on my map. And everything thanks to the book I got acquainted recently. You know what book I mean. Actually in any situation of life I have tried to look at bright side and make conclusions, but I didn't know how to CHANGE what was wrong by experiencing "the bright spot". Thus, Switch by Heath Brothers helped me realize that everything in this world is in interconnection and if you understand "knowledge does not change behavior...You have to practice it", it becomes clear that you can successfully use your teaching experience ( from the terms of psychology, dealing with people) in business understanding.

       And without any doubt the simile “riders and elephants” founded by Jonathan Haidt is worth mentioning. I think it’s very bright and relevant simile. If you “direct the rider, motivate the elephant and so shape the path” you can reach the destination with fewer losses. I remembered my own story about it. I couldn’t analyze at that time why things had changed I just thought I was doing what I had to do. I was16 and studied at the 1^st course of Pedagogical College. One day I was suggested I should give English lessons to a very “special” 10-year-old child. He behaved as a young criminal to his teachers( put small bombs in the classrooms etc), because he hated school. He had to change his school to the school for the children with deviant behavior. At that time we started our private lessons. I never started lessons at once: I listened to his problems, to what he had done during the day. Sometimes it was really horrifying, but I never blamed him. One day he asked me to play simple computer games with him. I had no idea about computer games. But I understood that computer was smth he was confident in. I asked him to teach me. He was incredibly happy. It seemed that for the sake of this moment he would do whatever I asked. After that our relationship became stronger and our lessons more successful. After each lesson we were playing his games where he was “the boss”. Later on even when I didn’t stay to play he showed better results.

If you look through the prism of analysis you can say that:

1. I “directed the rider” by forming the objectives I had to realize
2. I “motivated the elephant” that seemed really unmovable by choosing the appropriate/pleasant way for HIM to reach MY aims
3. I “shaped the path” to approach the destination.

Here I want to agree again with Heath Brothers that “too much analysis,…too many reasons” can lead you to “paralysis”.

       And the dominant idea of this book to my mind is “Imagine a world where every single time you flipped a light switch and the room lit up, you experienced a rush of gratitude.” I totally agree with this statement  because gratitude is what the world lacks today in any sphere of life.