The best-selling guide for coping with changes in life and work, named one of the 50 all-time best books in self-help and personal development
Whether you choose it or it is thrust upon you, change brings both opportunities and turmoil. Since Transitions was first published, this supportive guide has helped hundreds of thousands of readers cope with these issues by providing an elegantly simple yet profoundly insightful roadmap of the transition process. With the understanding born of both personal and professional experience, William Bridges takes readers step by step through the three stages of any transition: The Ending, The Neutral Zone, and, eventually, The New Beginning. Bridges explains how each stage can be understood and embraced, leading to meaningful and productive movement into a hopeful future. With a new introduction highlighting how the advice in the book continues to apply and is perhaps even more relevant today, and a new chapter devoted to change in the workplace, Transitions will remain the essential guide for coping with the one constant in life: change.Download and start listening now!
"This is an excellent book, and a very good read for anyone who has to manage people going through important changes. I have used this for students, for women and men transitioning from welfare to work and for adjudicated youth trying to make changes in the way they are living. Really insightful. "
— Michael (4 out of 5 stars)
“Excellent.”
— Racine Journal Times" One of those books that make you step back and realize why you think and do certain things. The book really lets you appreciate how long it takes to switch from doing things 'the old way' to the new, even if the new is so much more favorable, and that we always need to appreciate what we're giving up when we change. "
— Ken, 2/11/2014" One of those books that make you step back and realize why you think and do certain things. The book really lets you appreciate how long it takes to switch from doing things 'the old way' to the new, even if the new is so much more favorable, and that we always need to appreciate what we're giving up when we change. "
— Ken, 2/11/2014" I read this book at uni after i attended a business lecture on change management. It spoke to me at the time and i was impressed that the speaker linked a self help book to HR change management. "
— Sylvia, 2/10/2014" I read this book at uni after i attended a business lecture on change management. It spoke to me at the time and i was impressed that the speaker linked a self help book to HR change management. "
— Sylvia, 2/10/2014" Great beginner book. It is a must read for those who are transitioning in life whether it is culturally, spiritually, or personally. "
— Kharla, 2/3/2014" Great beginner book. It is a must read for those who are transitioning in life whether it is culturally, spiritually, or personally. "
— Kharla, 2/3/2014" The author made a differentiation between changes and transitions and how our culture has historically dealt with transitions. "
— Felicia, 1/30/2014" The author made a differentiation between changes and transitions and how our culture has historically dealt with transitions. "
— Felicia, 1/30/2014" This should be required reading for every college student, new mother and everyone else who can't get a handle on what's going on with them. "
— Chrissie, 1/23/2014" This should be required reading for every college student, new mother and everyone else who can't get a handle on what's going on with them. "
— Chrissie, 1/23/2014" I'm reading this for book group "
— Vic, 1/15/2014" I'm reading this for book group "
— Vic, 1/15/2014" A quick read about the universal patterns of transitions. Extremely straight-forward and easy to understand...full of ah-ha moments that are the nameless intuitive sensations felt throughout all of life decisions. Watch out for the neutral zone.... "
— elizabeth, 1/14/2014" A quick read about the universal patterns of transitions. Extremely straight-forward and easy to understand...full of ah-ha moments that are the nameless intuitive sensations felt throughout all of life decisions. Watch out for the neutral zone.... "
— elizabeth, 1/14/2014" I barely got into this book before I had to return it, but it wasn't the right book for me at this time. I know lots of people have found it very helpful - and that's great! - but it wasn't the one for me. "
— Stephanie, 1/13/2014" I barely got into this book before I had to return it, but it wasn't the right book for me at this time. I know lots of people have found it very helpful - and that's great! - but it wasn't the one for me. "
— Stephanie, 1/13/2014" An elegantly simple yet profoundly insightful roadmap of the transition process. "
— Phillip, 1/12/2014" An elegantly simple yet profoundly insightful roadmap of the transition process. "
— Phillip, 1/12/2014" I highly recommend this book. Regardless of the life transition your currently experiencing, this book will give you insightful and thought provoking perspective to help navigate through lifes' transitions. "
— Sandra, 1/4/2014" I highly recommend this book. Regardless of the life transition your currently experiencing, this book will give you insightful and thought provoking perspective to help navigate through lifes' transitions. "
— Sandra, 1/4/2014" Currently re-reading to prepare for a sermon on Passover. "
— Carmen, 12/8/2013" Really impressed with how this book and the author frame transitions (big and small) in our life. Great food for thought! "
— Lief, 12/8/2013" Really impressed with how this book and the author frame transitions (big and small) in our life. Great food for thought! "
— Lief, 12/8/2013" Currently re-reading to prepare for a sermon on Passover. "
— Carmen, 12/8/2013" Really helps sort out complex thoughts about the times of change and rebirth in our lives. "
— Heidi, 11/29/2013" Really helps sort out complex thoughts about the times of change and rebirth in our lives. "
— Heidi, 11/29/2013" Helping me see how I've dealt with major transitions in the past can guide me in my current situation. So far so good. "
— Mark, 11/26/2013" Helping me see how I've dealt with major transitions in the past can guide me in my current situation. So far so good. "
— Mark, 11/26/2013" I have read this book about every ten years beginning in my thirties...I always find myself on a new wilderness journey as I transition from one season of life to another. "
— Girl, 8/26/2013" I have read this book about every ten years beginning in my thirties...I always find myself on a new wilderness journey as I transition from one season of life to another. "
— Girl, 8/26/2013" Graduated college, no job, broke up with boyfriend, read this book: critical insights and lessons I still use 20 years and a much happier life later. "
— SomeForTheRoad.com, 8/9/2013" Graduated college, no job, broke up with boyfriend, read this book: critical insights and lessons I still use 20 years and a much happier life later. "
— SomeForTheRoad.com, 8/9/2013" I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a major (or even minor) life transition. It certainly has give me a lot to think about. Not only how the transitions in my life affect, me also how they affect my loved ones. "
— Dave, 4/21/2013" I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a major (or even minor) life transition. It certainly has give me a lot to think about. Not only how the transitions in my life affect, me also how they affect my loved ones. "
— Dave, 4/21/2013" A great read for an adult at any age. "
— Jessica, 12/31/2012" A great read for an adult at any age. "
— Jessica, 12/31/2012" I like this book. It was informative and I will probably re-read it the next time I am transitioning. There is a lot to life and life is full of transitions, in fact, probably more than we give credence to. "
— -kevin-, 11/25/2012" I like this book. It was informative and I will probably re-read it the next time I am transitioning. There is a lot to life and life is full of transitions, in fact, probably more than we give credence to. "
— -kevin-, 11/25/2012" Well, speaking as someone who is going through a huge transition, this was certainly helpful. Interesting that it recommended a sort of blank period between the old and the new. I randomly picked it up during my own blank period. "
— Stephen, 10/16/2012" Well, speaking as someone who is going through a huge transition, this was certainly helpful. Interesting that it recommended a sort of blank period between the old and the new. I randomly picked it up during my own blank period. "
— Stephen, 10/16/2012" The type of book that I will go back and re-read at least once a decade. So much wisdom packed into this short read. "
— Jeremy, 12/29/2011" The type of book that I will go back and re-read at least once a decade. So much wisdom packed into this short read. "
— Jeremy, 12/29/2011" Bringing some sanity to life's transitions and that an ending needs to take place for a new beginning. "
— Heidi, 11/12/2011" Bringing some sanity to life's transitions and that an ending needs to take place for a new beginning. "
— Heidi, 11/12/2011" I heard Patrick Lencioni speak on this topic (giving full credit to William Bridges), and Lencioni kept the audience spell bound. So I picked up this book to go deeper into the idea of transitions. Lencioni's talk was significantly more insightful and helpful than this book. "
— Garland, 11/1/2011" I heard Patrick Lencioni speak on this topic (giving full credit to William Bridges), and Lencioni kept the audience spell bound. So I picked up this book to go deeper into the idea of transitions. Lencioni's talk was significantly more insightful and helpful than this book. "
— Garland, 11/1/2011" Read this before. Recommended it to a lot of people. Thanks to Awana, I'm reading it again. "
— John, 10/17/2011" A gem of a little book, insightful at any age and any transition, whether career or personal. I'm not a huge self-help book fan, but surprised me with some very simple, Zen-like insight about how life ebbs and flows. "
— Michele, 10/17/2011" A gem of a little book, insightful at any age and any transition, whether career or personal. I'm not a huge self-help book fan, but surprised me with some very simple, Zen-like insight about how life ebbs and flows. "
— Michele, 10/17/2011" Read this before. Recommended it to a lot of people. Thanks to Awana, I'm reading it again. "
— John, 10/17/2011" William Bridges provides an easy common sense approach to dealing with organizational change. A must read for organizational development consultants. "
— John, 4/10/2011" William Bridges provides an easy common sense approach to dealing with organizational change. A must read for organizational development consultants. "
— John, 4/10/2011" This is an excellent book, and a very good read for anyone who has to manage people going through important changes. I have used this for students, for women and men transitioning from welfare to work and for adjudicated youth trying to make changes in the way they are living. Really insightful. "
— Michael, 3/28/2011" Clear and economic in its presentation, this is a good book on transitional leadership and has the added quality that it doesn't hide behind a contrived storyline like so many other business books. "
— Jason, 2/15/2011" Clear and economic in its presentation, this is a good book on transitional leadership and has the added quality that it doesn't hide behind a contrived storyline like so many other business books. "
— Jason, 2/15/2011" "Instruction manual for helping yourself and others weather changes. Though the focus is on work transitions, this could easily be used as a guide for personal changes as well." -Tamara "
— Westerville, 9/3/2010" "Instruction manual for helping yourself and others weather changes. Though the focus is on work transitions, this could easily be used as a guide for personal changes as well." -Tamara "
— Westerville, 9/3/2010" This book taught me some good points for dealing with times of transition. "
— James, 1/11/2010" This book taught me some good points for dealing with times of transition. "
— James, 1/11/2010" This will be a humbling read if your company is standing on their laurels rather than adjusting to the times. It also offers practical advice about change management through the telling of true stories. "
— Wendy, 6/13/2009" This will be a humbling read if your company is standing on their laurels rather than adjusting to the times. It also offers practical advice about change management through the telling of true stories. "
— Wendy, 6/13/2009" I loved this book from page one to the end. Bridges presents an approach to managing transitions that is both intuitive and academic. "
— Jeff, 6/5/2009" I loved this book from page one to the end. Bridges presents an approach to managing transitions that is both intuitive and academic. "
— Jeff, 6/5/2009" I'm reading this for the CAL Leadership Institute. "
— Matthew, 4/28/2009" I'm reading this for the CAL Leadership Institute. "
— Matthew, 4/28/2009" Read this book each and every time your world is rocked by change, which should be every year or two. "
— Kandy, 3/12/2009" Read this book each and every time your world is rocked by change, which should be every year or two. "
— Kandy, 3/12/2009" Useful graphic with a) ending, losing, letting go, b) the neutral zone, and c) the new beginning. "
— Amy, 9/28/2008" Useful graphic with a) ending, losing, letting go, b) the neutral zone, and c) the new beginning. "
— Amy, 9/28/2008" Great book about how an organization can make it through any change/transition period. Easy to read and the author gives tons of examples to help the reader understand. "
— Len, 8/9/2008" Great book about how an organization can make it through any change/transition period. Easy to read and the author gives tons of examples to help the reader understand. "
— Len, 8/9/2008William Bridges, PhD (1933–2013) was originally a professor of English and made a shift to the field of transitional management in the mid-1970s. Out of his workshops grew a long career of consulting, lecturing, and helping individuals and organizations through transitions. He was an internationally known speaker and author and a preeminent authority on change. He earned a BA degree in English from Harvard, an MA degree in American history from Columbia University, and a PhD in American civilization from Brown University. He taught American literature at Mills College until 1974 when he became a consultant.