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No Reason To Fear Change, Authors Say

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By MICHELLE SINGLETARY Washington Post Writer's Group

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 8, 2008

As the economy continues to slide, many people will face unwelcome changes in their lives. People already have lost jobs, homes, cars and, in some cases, hope.

But with all this change comes the chance to turn a negative situation into an opportunity to live for what you love, Bob and Melinda Blanchard say.

"The desire to change course is often the result of some kind of wake-up call," the Blanchards write in "Changing Your Course: The 5-Step Guide to Getting the Life You Want" (Sterling, $14.95).

No question the housing market is shaking people up. And that's good for some because that wake-up call was needed to change how people used their homes. We now know a home isn't a bottomless piggy bank for people to shake loose money whenever it is wanted. Maybe this housing crisis will make people better money managers.

After selecting books over the past two months about the debt hole Americans have dug for themselves, I thought I would lighten the mood a little in June by choosing "Changing Your Course" as the Color of Money Book Club pick.

An Inspirational Handbook
This is an unapologetic feel-good book. The Blanchards lead you through the five steps to "DREAM," which stands for:

•Decide what you want to change.

•Research options about what you want to accomplish.

•Evaluate which is the most feasible option to pursue.

•Act to make your plan real.

•Maintain your dream to make sure it lasts.

Yes, this is another self-help book, but, hey, a lot of people could use an inspirational handbook to deal with the emotional and financial fallout from the economy's slowdown.

I think about the thousands of workers throughout the country who have lost their jobs because of the downturn. They can whine that they've been done wrong, or they can find a way to turn the situation into an opportunity.

What if this is your problem? You've got a job, but you want to change careers, except you're afraid you won't be able to pay your bills.

Think about this, the Blanchards say: "Don't be afraid of making less money. It's a serious mistake to sacrifice passion for a larger paycheck, even if that means sacrificing some of the things you enjoy."

This book is packed with stories of people who changed careers or employees who decided to become entrepreneurs. As young adults, the Blanchards left low-paying state jobs to open a kitchen-supply store. They eventually sold that business and opened a restaurant in the Caribbean. They now commute between Vermont and the island of Anguilla.

Makes Life More Fulfilling

But this book isn't just about following a dream of entrepreneurship. It's about shifting in a direction that makes life more fulfilling, financially and emotionally.

And the Blanchards aren't naive. They know change can be difficult. I know it, too.

I've spent two decades trying to get people to be better money managers so that they can handle the times when the economy sags. But many don't change because it means hard work and getting rid of the behaviors that get them stuck in one financial mess after another. For example, many stay in jobs they hate because they're too broke to move on.

"People use all kinds of excuses for not making a change, and most people list fear and lack of money as their biggest obstacles," the Blanchards write. "But it is lack of information that usually turns out to be the culprit. Ignorance isn't bliss; it's scary."

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