Change Your World ― The Science of Resilience and the True Path to Success

Finally, a book that explains why self-help gurus and motivational speakers mostly fail to deliver, and what really produces results.

A billion-dollar self-improvement industry always puts responsibility for change on your shoulders. But this approach, which owes more to the myths of rugged individualism and victim-blaming politics than it does to credible scientific research, has been proven to produce few real and lasting improvements in our health and happiness.

Dr. Michael Ungar’s mind-bending new book rewrites our tired old narratives of success and personal change from a stunning new perspective. He argues that when things get tough and the odds are stacked against us, self-improvement only goes so far. Dr. Ungar uses the science of resilience and real life examples from across classes and cultures to prove a powerful point: what we really need to flourish is is a strong support system and an environment rich in opportunity. Nurturing spouses and families, supportive employers, and effective governments are the real differences between success and failure in our lives.

Dr. Michael Ungar is a brilliant story-teller and one of the world’s leading experts on resilience, which he defines as living well despite adversity. He is the Canada Research Chair in Child, Family, and Community Resilience, a professor of social work at Dalhousie University, and family therapist. He is the author of fourteen books, 135 scientific papers, and a blog for Psychology Today. He has worked with the World Bank, UNESCO, and the Red Cross, and is a recipient of the Canadian Association of Social Workers National Distinguished Service Award.