Old habits, good intentions

Author Linda van der Wal sees it all around her: people make the bravest intentions… And they fail to realize them. Quitting smoking turns out to be quite a challenge. Going to the gym three times a week is too ambitious. How come? Van der Wal unleashes ‘the psychology of change’ on this problem. Old patterns must be consciously broken. But that is not easy in practice.

Fortunately, the pragmatic booklet ‘Old habits, good intentions’ takes the reader by the hand. Van der Wal takes him from the determination of his intention to its realization in four steps. Each chapter is characterized by concise psychological theory, experiences of forerunners, pitfalls and assignments. The theory makes the reader aware of the change process. The assignments are the link to practice. After all: you have to realize your intentions. Should the reader fail, he can always use the First Aid for adversity (chapter 6).

Van der Wal has succeeded in writing a practical booklet for the ailing project manager. Without a cringe-inducing pep talk, she guides you from intention to its realization. She asks for an active attitude from her reader; an approach that seems effective on the subject. The enthusiastic initiator will therefore certainly find a useful and structured basis for this book. To what extent Van der Wal is able to motivate the dubious couchpotato is questionable. The will to change has to come from within yourself. You can’t move mountains with information alone.