Why Change Feels Impossible

Convincing someone to embrace change can feel like convincing a rock to roll uphill. The challenge isn’t the lack of good reasons but hidden roadblocks. These roadblocks—known as the five horsemen of inertia (from the book Catalyst by Jonah Berger)—keep people anchored in place, despite evidence or logic.

Resistance Is More Than Stubbornness

• Reactance: The more you push, the harder they resist. People cherish their autonomy, and heavy-handed persuasion can feel like a threat.
• Endowment: People overvalue what they already have, making the new feel like a gamble that is not worth taking.
• Distance: If the change feels too far from their beliefs, it’s dismissed outright.
• Uncertainty: New paths bring unknown risks, and sticking with the familiar feels safer, even when flawed.
• Corroborating Evidence: A single data point rarely tips the scale. People need layers of proof to feel secure.

When Facts Backfire

The paradox of change? Presenting facts alone often backfires. People double down on their original stance when faced with new information that challenges deeply held beliefs. Misperceptions grow stronger, not weaker. This is why transformation isn’t a matter of presenting the “truth.”

Transformation Takes More Than Logic

The Greeks had a word for this kind of transformation: metanoia. It refers to a change of heart—a shift that transcends logic and data to include emotions and values. Actual change involves the whole person, not just their mind.

How to Make Change Stick

You should start by dismantling these roadblocks. Empathy and curiosity can unlock reactance, gradual steps can bridge distance, and stories—more than statistics—can invite metanoia.

Change isn’t something you do to someone; it’s something you invite them into. Addressing what’s blocking the path makes space for change to take root.