Bridges Transition Model
Updated 2026-08-15
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
William Bridges distinguishes change, the external event, from transition, the inner psychological process, and divides the transition into three stages: ending, letting go of the old; the neutral zone, the confused, exploratory, uncertain middle; and the new beginning, accepting the new. The model is a psychological map of change, and its practical warning is that the neutral zone's chaos is where the adaptation actually happens.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Mark which stage: name whether the person is ending, in the neutral zone, or beginning. - Tend the ending: acknowledge the loss before selling the new. - Stay in the zone: support the messy middle rather than rushing past it.
Anchor fast decisions
External change is instantaneous while inner adaptation takes its own time, and the two clocks are why people appear to lag the plan. The neutral zone is where the old identity is released and the new one is not yet formed, which is why it looks like low efficiency and is in fact the work the new beginning will be built on.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Bridges_(authorverified
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