Make Change That Lasts (Color Illustrations): 9 Simple Ways to Break Free from the Habits That Hold You Back

by Rangan Chatterjee

Bestselling author Dr. Rangan Chatterjee returns with his most innovative book to date, revealing how to make positive change that actually lasts

We all have things we rely on going our way to help us feel calm and happy. Your partner waking up in a good mood. No traffic on the way to work. No lines at the supermarket. And no rain on your day off.

But what happens when things don’t work out that way? We fall back on soothing habits. A trip to the cupboard for snacks. Scrolling social media. A few beers or a couple of glasses of wine after a stressful day.

Make Change that Lasts reveals the hidden ways day to day life causes these responses—and shows you how to respond to them consciously
Hearing and understanding the music of our own bodies Letting go of hero worship Embracing discomfortLearning to take less offenseExpecting adversityAccepting that you are not your past Decoupling busyness from successGiving more than you get
Blending ancient philosophy with a deep understanding of health, host of one of the most popular podcasts on the planet, Feel Better, Live More, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee provides a personalized approach and simple techniques for reducing our reliance on the chaotic and uncertain outside world—to help us become an expert in ourselves so we can finally unlock true, long-lasting health and happiness.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Health, Personal Development, Psychology, Audiobook

272 pages, Paperback

Published February 25, 2025

About the author

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee is regarded as one of the most influential doctors in the UK and wants to change how medicine will be practised in years to come. He has been called a pioneer and is changing the way that we look at illness. He is known for finding the root cause of people's problems and he highlighted his methods in the ground-breaking BBC television show, Doctor in the House, which has been shown in over 70 countries around the world. In 2017, he was placed 8th in the Pulse Power 50 list for influential GPs.

He is the author of the international best-seller, The Four Pillar Plan which has already become one of the top 10 selling Health titles of the past 5 years.

He has co-created the brand new RCGP accredited Prescribing Lifestyle Medicine course which was delivered to 200 GPs and specialists for the first time in January 2018 providing doctors with a framework to apply Lifestyle Medicine principles in clinical practice.

He regularly features on BBC news channels and has given an inspirational TED talk on making diseases disappear. He writes for The Huffington Post, Mind Body Green and has a monthly column on lifestyle medicine in Top Santé.

Reviews

[Marianne Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a long time devoted follower of Dr Chatterjee and this latest book does not disappoint. It explores why our own approach to life, outlook and reactions impact our health and happiness. Wise words worth reading.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect time to read this at the start of 2025. Dr Chatterjee guides the reader through 9 practical steps towards minimal reliance and ultimately to form habits to make lasting change. While the principles are explained simply they’re also backed up by evidence and real life examples drawn from Chatterjee’s medical career. I will no doubt revisit this book throughout the year as quite a few of these principles will require a lot of work to really become habitual. Great read and recommend to anyone looking to make some positive change this year

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note to self (Jan 2025): chapter 1 - trust yourself, chapter 4 - embrace discomfort, chapter 9 - give more than you get.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Make Change That Lasts is the latest release by Dr Rangan Chatterjee and it’s probably the most enlightening to date. A book whose purpose is to create a minimal reliance on others and to trust ourselves more.


Chapter 1 - Trust Yourself - Reliance on Experts. The only person who knows what you need is you, don’t rely heavily on outside sources.

Chapter 2 - Give up Your Heroes - Reliance on Perfection. When we look at public figures we look up - royalty, actors and actresses etc they have an entourage who make them look perfect for events. They are normal people like us. They have the same issues that bug them, just like the rest of us. In public they have to be nice, but behind closed doors they may have negative beliefs about themselves, be angry or someone we wouldn’t admired

Chapter 3 - Be Yourself - Reliance on Being Liked. Stop being a people pleaser to fit into a social circle or to be accepted by society. In our modern day world with social media, we have become a society that is heavily dependent on outside sources of being liked! Does it really matter if only a handful of people like us for being and showing up authentically? Isn’t this better than being liked by everyone we meet, but they only get a glimpse of who we are?

Chapter 4 - Embrace Discomfort - Reliance on Comfort. The only way to change life is to stop falling for what we know. We won’t experience life without feeling some level of discomfort. Feeling discomfort is the way in which we grow.

Chapter 5 - Take Less Offence - Reliance on Being Right. We all have a difference in opinion, political views and even the football team we support is bound to irk someone. We don’t always need to be right in discussions, we can listen to others without getting judgemental or feel hurt when we don’t agree.

Chapter 6 - Expect Adversity - Relying on Things Never Going Wrong. We all make mistakes and life always throws curve balls when we least expect them. How are we meant to grow as humans if everything was perfect all of the time? It’s how we learn to be resilient and not give up at the first hurdle.

Chapter 7 - Let Go and Move On - Reliance on the Past. Unfortunately we all have some level of trauma in life and for some it’s worse than others. We don’t need to hold on to the pain of trauma. It’s happened and you can’t change the past. What you can do is change how you show up in the world. You could have changed and been more like those who caused the trauma in the first place - evil, self centred, intimidating or you can remain true to yourself. Treating everyone with kindness and compassionate. By not being angry towards others or bitter. The past has happened, it’s in the past. Don’t torture yourself by letting what happened eat you up. Learn to move on and help others who are struggling to see they are more than what happened to them.

Chapter 8 - Reclaim your Time - Reliance on Busyness. Learn to slow down and not be constantly on the go or doomscrolling on your phone. At least once a week have a slow day away from phones and reconnect with the things that made you happy - a hobby, spending times outdoors or with family and friends.

Chapter 9 - Give More Than You Get - The Gift of Reliance. Minimal reliance where you can count on a few people to be there for you or you for them, but not taking each other for granted. Being friendly with others you meet - the coffee shop employee, the stall holder, cashier in a shop or someone walking past.

Make Change That Lasts did resonate with me a lot

[Kylee Alemdar · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ rounded up for Goodreads
A self help book with useful tips for everyday life. I found this book to be interesting and motivational, without becoming overly redundant as many books in this genre do. I listened to this on audiobook and enjoyed having the author narrate the book.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like I resonated with the advice from the beginning of the book and as it continued I didn’t feel as much of a connection with what he was saying. Good breadth of topics covered

[Bruna Schutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Audiobook) 3.75 stars

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. I like the way he reminds us of what we know by reframing it

[Cayli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book on Quitters Day, because I figured what better to keep me from being a quitter. Probably closer to 4.5 stars. There were a lot of things in this book and some I wasn’t sure about. So I am taking the things that resonated with me and leaving the rest, which feels like what the author was suggesting in the first few chapters any way and is what we should always do with books like these.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of both Dr Chatterjee, his podcasts and his books and this one was no exception!

Unlike his previous books, this one is not just about physical strategies but doing the deeper, inner work 💙

I love his focus on “minimal reliance” - the idea that we should give more than we expect to receive, and to live a life that is less dependent on our invisible reliances (wanting to be liked, achieving perfection, being right, being busy & many more).

I found it so interesting how minimal reliance isn’t about not relying on other people - nourishing yourself with close connections and asking for help is key - but not relying on the parts of yourself that you think you need but are in fact preventing you from living a fulfilled life.

there are definitely parts of this book that I’ve worked on over the last few years and parts that I could work better at in the next, and it’s definitely one to come back to when you feel yourself slipping into a bad or old reliance.

a really inspiring and beautifully photographed book ✨ I felt so calm and mindful just sitting and flicking through the nature photos as I read.

definitely one to add to the list if you love self development books 📖 (or want to start reading one but need a practical one not a cliche one!)

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked a lot of the book, but there was lack of sensitivity when discussing auto immune conditions & relationships in my opinion, especially for a ‘self help’ type book where people are likely to already have issues in these types of areas and wanting guidance on how to move forward, not all the negativity about how they got there. Just my perspective!

[Amber Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. There are some chapters I feel like everyone could benefit from reading! I listened as an audiobook, but I liked it so much I’m going to buy it as a book that I can re-read and refer back to when I need it. 100/10

[Sharon Gausch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr Chatterjee has such breadth and depth of knowledge when it comes to health and medicine, and the ideas he lays out in his books are without fail commonsense and easy to implement. This latest book, Make Change That Lasts, focuses on a concept he calls Minimal Reliance, and the content really resonated with me. He clearly makes the case that things such as perfectionism, needing to be right, and needing to be liked damage our physical, mental, and emotional health; even an overreliance on comfort and convenience can prevent us from thriving.

The content of this book is once again fantastic. It's fresh, not recycled or a rehash of earlier books, although there is of course overlap and he does refer to his other works occasionally. But those references are subtle and never feel like he's pushing either his books or his podcast.

Sadly, I do have one big complaint though. All of Dr Chatterjee's earlier books are beautiful paperbacks, printed on glossy paper that is not only tactilely pleasing but that also makes all of the gorgeous photos really pop. This book for some unfathomable reason has been printed in black and white on paper that looks and feels like newsprint. While it contains the same large number of photos, they don't look gorgeous at all, they are muddy and flat. I can't understand an editorial decision like this, and it definitely detracts from the pleasure of reading this book. I can't bring myself to give it less than 5 stars, but the style and quality of the book were a huge disappointment.

[Anais Tomlinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful insight and advice. Some I already do, so that was validating! The only chapter I had issues with was the forgiveness one. I don't think some people deserve forgiveness and I think it would have been more helpful to advise on being at peace with these people rather than forgiving them. I really liked his podcast episode with Dan Harris where he went over this book. He summarized it pretty well, but obviously the book went into more depth. A lot of what he says is similar to other self-help/therapy books I've read, so they must all be quoting the same science or studies, which is nice since I like data. I really like his insight and outlook on life and hopefully I can make changes that last, haha

[Finlay Dove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Call me cringe, but found this very useful! A self help book with real, thoughtful ways to improve everyday life.

[Cori · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked about this book was that the framework — reducing what he calls reliances, things that stand in the way of forming habits — was unexpected and unlike other books in the genre. For that reason, it’s worth reading.

Also, what I like about his books in general are the examples of his patients where small changes in their habits and mindsets added up to big health and wellness gains.

That said, I would have liked more of his usual health and wellness perspectives alongside the exploration of the various reliances.

Overall a solid and quick read, but I’d recommend some of his other books more.

[Carri · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Zahida Zahoor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some nuggets of great advice and wisdom. Especially about increasing resilience and increasing our capacity for discomfort.

Downside too many pictures of Rangan barefooted

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thought provoking, well written book that delves into the main reasons why people find it hard to change. The only weird thing is that there are pictures of the author all over the place in it.

[Suzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listening to Make Change That Lasts, by Rangan Chatterjee on audible. One free audible book with my Amazon Music subscription.

The next few paragraphs are taken from the book

This book started off about a doctor called Helen who wanted to discuss something with Dr Chatterjee.

Helen explained she had a run in with a patient that left her deeply upset.
This patient was pre-diabetic and, she was talking to him about modifying his diet.

There weren't many Gp's who were more knowledgeable than Helen about the damage that too many ultra process and sugary foods can do to the body.
She was a true expert in the field, always up to date with all the latest studies.

She was carefully explaining to this patient how excess sugar can increase his levels of inflammation.
When he said to her why should I listen to you? You're fatter than I am.
Helen pointed out to Dr Chatterjee that her patient was right.
She said it was so humiliating she didn't know what to say. She's lecturing him about the harmful effects of sugar when she has a bag of Cadburys Giant buttons sitting there right at her desk.
Helen has been trying to control her chocolate habit for years but it clearly hasn't worked.
She knows sugar is harming her health but she can't stop. She doesn't know what to do! Being knowledgeable wasn't enough, she had to find out the root cause of her everyday habit

Most of the chronic diseases we are suffering from today can be directly linked to our reliance on comfort.
Type two diabetes for example currently affects seven million people in the uk alone.
It's a condition that occurs because excess fat accumulates inside our bodies which damages our metabolism.
This can cause our blood glucoses to rise which results in kidneys, eyes, circulation and nerve problems.
A condition like this could only exist in a world of comfort.
For most of our existence, humans would have to move their bodies every day to acquire their food and cook it. It would have been almost impossible for excess fat to build up inside our bodies over a long period of time, with all the damaging effects on our health that this causes. Our bodies still expects this kind of daily exercise and movement.

Today however most of us live our lives of excess physical comfort.
With our sofas, jobs, cars and home deliveries and anything you could possibly imagine, from food to books to lightbulbs and it's killing us.

Scientific research shows us clearly, lack of movement is one of the leading causes of premature deaths globally increasing our risk of Cancer, obesity, heart attacks and strokes and type two diabetes. The problem is while we need a certain amount of movement to be healthy, the brain is programmed to conserve energy whenever, wherever possible. This is because we evolved in an environment of scarcity, With periods of involuntary fasting would have been inevitable.

The swedish psychiatrist Anders Hansen explained in Dr chatterjee podcast as well as being lazy, the brain wants us to be anxious and fat, In times of survival.
Being anxious enables us to identify danger while putting on fat, allowing us to store precious energy.
Unlike us, our ancestors didn't have to seek discomfort intentionally.
Life was fully discomfort and our minds and bodies still thrive best when we're regularly doing kinds of things we already have to do in a much more hostile and difficult world that our ancestors inhabited".

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for 52 Book Club Challenge 2025 3) Title starts with letter “M”.

I assumed that this would be a book about habit forming, like Atomic Habits by James Clear or Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg, but it was a very different animal. Dr Chattejee has been listening to influential thinkers on health and psychology on his podcast for years and he has drawn them together with his own personal & clinical experience to form a philosophy of 'minimal reliance' to promote health & well-being.

He identifies 9 areas:
1) Trusting yourself (reliance on experts, especially on social media, rather than listening to your body and brain to find out what is right for you individually)
2) Giving up your heroes (reliance on the highly-damaging myth of perfection)
3) Being yourself (reliance on being liked and therefore not setting boundaries)
4) Embracing discomfort (reliance on comfort linked to chronic diseases, whereas controlled discomfort like physical exercise, cold showers, learning something new etc can teach us we are resilient and capable)
5) Taking less offence (reliance on being right means criticism & different views are perceived as threats and puts our nervous system on high alert - instead adopting a learner mindset and reframing criticism)
6) Expecting adversity (reliance on things never going wrong is completely unrealistic - minimising complaining, managing conflict and reflecting on death more helpful.)
7) Letting go & moving on (reliance on things past can mean getting stuck with old ideas & emotions)
8) Reclaiming your time (reliance on busyness and the myth that busyness equates to success - instead embracing rest, and trying to find a better
balance between work, family, friendship, health & passions. )
9) Giving more than you get (the gift of reliance through community, friends, family & partners.)

Dr Chatterjee gives lots of ideas of small daily practices that he believes could have big downstream benefits. Lots to ponder here and slowly embed.

[Periplus Bookstores]

Dalam keseharian yang penuh tekanan—mulai dari kemacetan, antrian panjang, hingga cuaca yang tak bersahabat—kita sering kali tanpa sadar mencari pelarian melalui kebiasaan yang tidak sehat, seperti ngemil berlebihan, kecanduan media sosial, atau konsumsi alkohol. Make Change That Last menawarkan sembilan strategi sederhana namun ampuh untuk membantu kita melepaskan diri dari pola-pola destruktif tersebut dan membangun kebiasaan yang lebih sehat. Menggabungkan filosofi kuno dan wawasan tentang kesehatan modern, pendekatan yang disampaikan bersifat personal dan mudah dipahami, tanpa jargon medis yang membingungkan.

Pembaca diajak untuk lebih peka terhadap sinyal tubuh, berani menerima ketidaknyamanan, dan memahami bahwa kesibukan tidak selalu berarti kesuksesan. Selain itu, refleksi mendalam tentang ketergantungan terhadap figur idola memperkaya cara pandang kita terhadap pencapaian dan identitas diri. Dengan gaya bahasa yang lugas dan penuh empati, buku ini menghadirkan panduan praktis yang bisa langsung diterapkan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Meski dicetak dalam edisi hitam-putih, kekuatan pesannya tetap kuat dan relevan. Ini bukan sekadar bacaan sekali duduk, melainkan teman reflektif yang layak dibaca berulang kali untuk memperkuat perubahan positif dalam diri. https://blog.periplus.com/2025/04/21/...

Keywords: Personal Development, Habit Change, Self-Improvement, Mindfulness, Personal Growth, Breaking Bad Habits, Positive Routines, Behavioral Change, Emotional Resilience, Wellness, Stress Management, Conscious Living, Healthy Habits, Inner Peace, Life Transformation, Self-Awareness

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Make Change that Lasts by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee explores how daily life triggers unconscious responses and offers strategies to reshape them with intention. Blending ancient philosophy with modern health insights, he encourages self-awareness through practices like embracing discomfort, letting go of hero worship, and redefining success. By reducing our dependence on external chaos, the book provides a personalized approach to achieving lasting health and happiness.

This year, I really want to improve my health—both mentally and physically. I've been working on my mental health with a CBT therapist for nearly six months now, but I also want to focus on my physical well-being: losing weight, building a strong body, and saying goodbye to back pain at 30. Honestly, health comes first, no matter what. Unfortunately, I had to learn that the hard way.

This book feels like a breath of fresh air because it teaches you not to take everything at face value. In a world where everyone is an “expert” in health, nutrition, fitness, or even makeup, it’s such a relief to let go of all that noise. So many people pretend to know everything, but very few actually do.

I really love this book—it doesn’t feel like typical self-help. Instead, it’s like having a conversation with your best friend, who just happens to be a doctor, about how to live better.

I highly recommend it. I waited six months for this book, and I’m genuinely happy I finally got to read it.

[Cherryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Make Change That Lasts" is a transformative and practical guide that delves into the science of habit formation and behavior change. Drawing on his extensive medical background and experience, author Rangan Chatterjee presents a comprehensive and accessible roadmap for creating lasting positive changes in your life.

Unlike many self-help books that rely on quick fixes or gimmicks, "Make Change That Lasts" takes a nuanced and evidence-based approach to personal growth. Chatterjee skillfully blends cutting-edge research with real-life case studies and actionable strategies, making this book an invaluable resource for anyone looking to improve their health, happiness, and overall well-being.

As someone who has read all of Chatterjee's books, I can confidently say that "Make Change That Lasts" is his most impactful work yet. The author's wealth of knowledge and experience shines through in every chapter, and his ability to break down complex concepts into actionable advice has truly made a difference in my personal journey. Whether you're looking to improve your health, relationships, or career, this book is a valuable resource that will guide you toward lasting, positive change.

** Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review **

[Jen E · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book from audible as I had some credits I needed to use plus I'm trying to build better habits in my life and this seemed like it could be helpful. It's not normally the sort of thing I'd buy and I wasn't familiar with the author, although I did check him out online before I purchased. I liked his personable style and easy access communication. Also I like that a medical GP is advocates listening to your gut instincts! I want to see more of this. I'd say he 100% means well with this offering and some bits of it are helpful especially if you're new to this sort of work. The intro seemed to promise a lot but as I made my way through each chapter it began feeling a bit repetitive and same same. He also contradicts himself a lot, and some of his examples aren't actually representative of the thing he claims they are (like his friends stag do and his wife not wanting him to go - boundaries are not something you set for other people!) and some other examples just didn't feel real or ring true. By the time I got to the end I didn't feel much wiser than I did at the start, just a bit poorer. I'd say his target audience are men age between 30-60 or women who've never done much in the way of meditation, journaling, shadow work etc

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am afraid this latest novel from Rangan doesn't tick the boxes of some of his previous ones. I like the good doctor and enjoy some of his podcasts, dependent on the subject, of course, but this book didn't offer me much and felt at times a little too self-congratulatory and self-indulgent. As others have mentioned, there are a lot of images in this book, so many commented on this fact, I counted them, and approximately a hundred pages are taken up by pictures, and half of these are of the doctor himself (does this man own shoes? - there is little evidence if so,and he does advertise a brand on his podcast).
They are very nice pictures, they do complement the book, but it did mean there is a lot less space for words.
There is some interesting information, but much of it is written from Rangan's experience and perspective, much less science than we are used to from him.
To sum up, it was worth a read, though I skimmed the second half and didn't take much from it. I have debated between 2 and 3 stars but went for 3 as I think he is a man that will take the positives from his reviews and consider before he pursues his next writing project.

[Rory · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not for me. I have seen the way Dr Chatterjee has been going over the past couple of years. All mindfulness and journalling. But nothing really practical to help as far as I could see. So I shouldn't really have tried this book but I like to challenge myself.

The blurb was 'This book will help you to become an expert in yourself - finally unlocking true, long-lasting health and happiness.' I didn't see that at all. There's nothing new in it. But then I guess that depends how much you know or read to start with.

Too many personal stories and anecdotes for me. I found it quite patronising in places. I felt a blame for obese people. And then blame for a woman he said got cancer and she was very stressed. He then went to lengths to say he was not blaming her, but I felt he wouldn't have needed to say that if he wasn't. It felt judgemental.

I don't like writing a bad review for anyone but it was the blame that I found very harsh.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful to read at the start of 2025. The concept of minimal reliance is explained.

There is an emphasis on the value of giving to others - proposal is that you decide to give more than you expect in return.

The author talks through four key areas in everyone's lives:-

Friends
Family
Community
A partner

I think the author is sometimes limited in his approach because of his age. So in one chapter he talks about the perspective one might have in your 20's,30's or 40's. That's where he stops. As if because he is in his 40's that's where the vision ends. Slightly frustrated that he couldn't take on consideration of people in their 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's etc if he was going to articulate previous decades. A minor quibble. This was a useful read for me right now.

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh - not sure what all the hype in these reviews is about? Lots of this felt pretty simplistic and/or slightly condescending and/or self-congratulatory to me - maybe partly 'cause all the author and little scene photos had too much of that Simple Perfect Life vibe?

Once I got to the chapter about not taking offense and the reliance on being right, though, I lost any hope that maybe this went deeper than it seemed. The author started with an example of how he had offended a lot of people with a post after George Floyd was murdered, but after "deep reflection" he's still writing in this book that he had a right to share what he did. Maybe take your own advice about being open to discomfort and not needing to be right, and you could learn why your post landed that way?

[Kelsey Grissom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean, it’s fine. The good doctor has a caring, engaging tone and the info is all accurate and on-topic and presented well. But if you’ve read one self-help book, you’ve pretty much read them all, including this one. This author, at least, recognizes that there are times when we may choose to compromise our health (or “thriving” as he likes to put it) in order to sacrifice for some greater good like our family. But if you’re looking for a way to keep your head above water as you frantically doggy-paddle your way through our society’s hellish systems, the answer is still: you’ve got to totally rearrange your life and fight against the grain.