You may recall that in the first episode of 2023, I spelled out the six books I was most looking forward to in the first half of this year.

Today, I’m thrilled to be able to feature the fourth of those six books. That book is Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most.

Adam has spent the past two decades studying how people become stuck and how they free themselves to thrive. Here he reveals the formula he and other researchers have uncovered. The solution rests on a process that he calls a friction audit—a systematic procedure that uncovers why a person or organization is stuck, and then suggests a path to progress.

The friction audit states that people and organizations get unstuck when they overcome three sources of friction: HEART (unhelpful emotions); HEAD (unhelpful patterns of thought); and HABIT (unhelpful behaviors).

Despite the ubiquity of friction, there are many great “unstickers” hidden in plain sight among us and Alter shines a light on some exceptional stories to share their valuable lessons with us. Getting stuck, Adam says, is a feature rather than a glitch on the road to thriving, but with the right tweaks and corrections we can reach even our loftiest targets.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Adam and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

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In today’s episode, I ask Adam about:

* How to tackle a projects inevitable “mid-point lull”

* Ways you can better manage unwanted change

* The benefits of artificial constraints and embracing the paradox that restrictions can be liberating

* And lots more!

Order Adam’s Book

You can order your copy of Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most right now!

Consider Ordering My Book Too!

Purchase a copy of my new book (written with Jesse Wisnewski) Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career. There, you can also download the introduction and first chapter for free!

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Adam in Action

475: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most with Adam Alter

Read to Lead Podcast