Master of Change

National Bestseller “Change is inevitable. Will you let this reality destabilize or empower you? Brad Stulberg’s immensely wise and timely book provides a powerful roadmap for a tumultuous world.”—Cal Newport, New York Times bestselling author of Digital Minimalism and Deep Work A revelatory book on rethinking change, developing resilience, and creating a rugged and flexible mindset amidst life’s intensifying flux from writer, coach, and bestselling author of The Practice of Groundedness. From social disruptions like economic recessions, pandemics, and new technologies to individual disruptions like getting married or divorced, illness and injury, career transitions, and becoming a parent, we undergo change and transformation—both good and bad—regularly. Change is not the exception. It’s the rule. Yet we endlessly fight it, often viewing it as a threat to our stability and sense of self. Master of Change flips this script on its head and offers a path for finding strength and stability amid the chaos of life. Brad Stulberg draws on cutting-edge science, ancient wisdom, and daily practice to help you develop a mindset called rugged flexibility, as well as habits and practices to implement it. He reveals: How to be in conversation with change instead of it happening to you The importance of expectations Why cultivating a rugged yet flexible sense of self is key to a strong identity How to stay consistent on the things that matter to you most How to take productive action during uncertainty The power of embracing tragic optimism Stulberg reshapes our entire perception of change and shows us how to use it to grow—helping us to be better, stronger, and wiser than we were before. Stulberg offers 6 principles for developing a change-adaptive mindset, rooted in Buddhist and Taoist philosophies of impermanence, and supported by new science from neuroscience, psychology, and mindfulness: Open up to the flow of life Build a strong and adaptable identity Expect it to be hard Become diverse and robust Respond not react Make meaning on the other side Throughout, he offers mindset shifts and everyday practices for acclimating to life’s inevitably changing circumstances that allow us to move forward, such as learning to define yourself by your values instead of your work or relationships, and replacing toxic positivity with realistic expectations. At once a performance manual and a wisdom guide, Master of Change helps you manage change and make it work for you—while becoming more fulfilled along the way.