The One Choice Rule: Transform Your Life and Work By Changing Your Mindset and Behavior

Introduction

f a trusted authority figure said you needed to make several difficult and enduring changes in the way you think and act, and if you didn’t your time would end soon, could you change when change really mattered? Yes, you say? Well, according to Dr. Ray Levey, founder of the Global Medical Forum, The scientific odds are nine to one against you.

Consider a teenager, who suffers a drug overdose from synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or spice. After being rushed by ambulance to the hospital, fighting for his life, all his family was able to do was stand aside helplessly and watch the team of doctors work to stabilize him. After several long and grueling hours, he was finally considered out of the woods. Later that evening, he was somewhat lucid and able to understand how close he came to facing a dreadfully avoidable demise.

After spending a week in the hospital, this young man was admitted to an area inpatient drug and alcohol treatment facility. This option failed. He was then admitted to an intensive outpatient drug and alcohol treatment program. This option failed. He was then admitted to a residential treatment facility across the state, where he lived and received both behavioral counseling and treatment for addiction. This option also failed.

Upon arriving back home and experiencing a forced withdrawal from high school—because that was where the overdose happened—his behavior became even more out of control. After continued and reckless drug use, endless bouts of couch-surfing, hanging in trap houses, running from police night after night, all while lying, stealing and completely defying all rules—his parents were at a loss for what to do. They were deeply troubled about how this erratic lifestyle the family was now living would affect each of them, and agonized over various suggested paths from professionals and countless well-intentioned friends. They finally made the arduous and painful choice to no longer allow their son to live with them, as long as his careless behavior continued.

To his parents’ dismay, their son’s rash behavior didn’t slow. Over time, invitations to crash from his friends diminished, where he chose to then seek evening shelter in his car with the engine on, shivering with a barely working heater in below zero temperatures. Eating anything he could find—which included dumpster diving—and bathing where he could—whether it was at the local YMCA or even at the edge of a nearby pond on slightly warmer days—he became an emaciated form of himself.

Over time, as fate would have it, the police began to better understand his routine and habits. The cycle of being arrested, obtaining probation, breaking probation, having a warrant out for his arrest, and eventually wearing orange also became a pattern—coupled with limitless tears and an unthinkable number of broken promises.

He spent his 18th birthday behind bars.

He spent his 19th birthday behind bars.

He spent his 20th birthday behind bars.

The truth is, changing behavior is difficult. And just because you want behavior to change, it doesn’t mean it will. Behavior change doesn’t work that way. It certainly didn’t for one young man I love dearly. And whether we face a daunting change we know we need to make ourselves, or we are desperately trying to persuade someone we care about to change a negative behavior that is holding him/her back, we know changing behavior isn’t easy for anyone. The odds of making change happen are stacked high against us; yet, we are all confronted with it personally and professionally.

The exciting news is that in this book, you’ll discover groundbreaking insight and tools for action to help you overcome the odds and successfully change behavior, one choice at a time.

Maybe your spouse works too many long hours and isn’t there when you really need him/her, causing animosity and hardship for you and your family. Perhaps a candid conversation with a co-worker is needed due to her/him consistently challenging decisions, both those you make and choices framed by your team, negatively affecting relationships, productivity and performance results for all. Or possibly, you realize you need to make a lifestyle shift due to the increased amount and frequency you are choosing to hit the bottle, in an attempt to numb the unparalleled stress you are experiencing. It