Ekta | wisdomekta

This self-help book can be succinctly summarized as " repackaging old wine in a new bottle ". We Indians have a solid philosophical background and, although, the terms used in this book are new, the basic theme behind them is an age-old Hindu concept which, I guess, is not new for Indian reader.  The book basically says to trust to inner voice/gut (“ sage ”, a term used in the book) when kama (Desire/Lust), Krodha (Anger), Lobha (Greed), Maya (Ego), Moha (Attachment),  Matsarya (Jealousy) and Alasya (laziness) -aka “ saboteurs ”, a term used in the book, start controlling mann ; as Mann (“ judge ”, a term used in the book) later start dictating the life decisions if left uncontrolled. The book does a great job of showing how to shift from a "Saboteur mode" to a "Sage mode" mindset. It explains how to apply positive intelligence and resilience in everyday life using relatable case studies and practical exercises. The book outlines di

Disclaimer- This post is part of the trait-series-for-kids , which I began to search and write for my kids in 2019. With this series of blog posts containing knowledge-slash-experience, I pray from the almighty that our kids have a simple and magical life. The contents of the series are the outcome of some research, readings, first-hand experiences, and self-reflection. Dear Mwana (s) (son in Kenya)!      A s you grow up, life throws all kinds of unexpected stuff at you. You try your best to figure out why things happen and what you can learn from them. Believe me, today, watching you question things and come up with your innocent, unique observations gives me a great chance to learn from you. This blog post is a reminder from your mom that you're one of a kind. Your thoughts, ideas, and actions are totally unique to you, and no one can do things quite like you. I really mean it, and its not just because I'm your mom. So, no matter what anyone says, always stay true

This goody-good book is well-written and well-directed, anecdotes filled, with the attractive title “Give and Take”. A few of the stories and topics that stuck with me are-  "Good Return", wherein the fantastic tale of giver Adam Rifkin, an entrepreneur, is shared; "The Ripple Effect" talks about a humble cartoonist, George Meyer; then a chapter titled "Finding Diamond in Rough" brings about the story of a famous accounting professor CJ Skenderwho who invariably believes in his students. The concepts of "Freecycle" and The "Reciprocity Ring" are also really cool. The book highlights what effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and leadership skills have in common. In the modern working world, the individual drivers of success, i.e. passion, hard work, talent, and luck, depend on how we interact with others. Most people operate as either takers, matchers, or givers. Whereas takers strive to get as much

Disclaimer- This blog post is primarily a copy-paste from a LinkedIn post. Sometimes, all the knowledge gained from reading books seems insignificant compared to the emotionally taxing real-life situations presented by life. Fortunately, there are people in our circle who make themselves available to provide rational explanations of events and help in deriving lessons from such experiences. This blog post is dedicated to all the bosses who are striving to uphold moral standards in the mini pond  called organization against the fishes-impersonating-sharks  of this pond. As Boss's Day is approaching i.e., October 16th, I reminisce about all the "good" bosses who inspired hope and all the "bad" bosses who provided a reality check in my professional journey. The post is re-iterated as : === A colleague of mine texted me in distress. She:- My boss has done me the ultimate dis-service. He has played brutus to me by presenting her idea as his own. Me:- Tha

“If you were to pause and think seriously about the “first things” in your life—the three or four things that matter most—what would they be?” Despite our immediate challenges, we must always maintain sight of the 'first things' in life . This book, First Things First , published in 1994, offers wisdom that remains as pertinent today as it was then. Having read other works by Covey, I found this book to be a compelling addition to his collection. First Things First, as the name suggests, is the stepwise guide to balancing personal and professional life. It is a not-typical motivational cum self-help book but somewhere in between management goals and personal growth.  The concepts are explained with interesting diagrams, pictorial presentations, matrices, etc ( a typical Covey Style! ), e.g. Urgent-Important Matrix (prioritise tasks in terms of urgency and importance.), ABC method ( identifying ‘A’ tasks, which are the top priority, ‘B’ or ‘secondary’ tasks, and the

Disclaimer- After briefing my view on her through the blog post " Who is She  ", this post is an attempt at my introspection on the “status” of the other  "50% " of the population. The basis of the write-up is what I have observed and felt. Is He a Ram or a Raavan? Is He a Krishna or a Kansa? Is He a Kalki or a Kali? Glory is his other name, or is it retirement time for this whimsical term? Since the inception of cultures and civilisations, males in our societies have been set to perform and tick specific criteria. The he-man of our society has since tried his best to live up to this reputation over time. However, nervousness is visible in him, primarily in the current times, when his defined roles are being questioned, and he himself conflicts with the hypothesis of malehood. These defined his-roles are formulated either through self-imposed judgments gathered from the experiences of others or through upbringing notions set in him, leading to specific ima