Ekta | wisdomekta

This book is my second read from Jay Shetty after  Think Like Monk  . As mentioned in the previous book's review, Jay Shetty has become the brand ambassador for bringing vedic wisdom into the modern lifestyle. Due to this amalgamation of varied spiritual topics he presents through his writings, he has become one of my faviourte writers. The simple writings with a direct, straightforward approach to the issues at hand make it seem that he is living his writings, as reflected in the practical guides/ suggestions approach in his chapters. 8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go is not just a guide to finding love; it's a comprehensive exploration of the very essence of love. The book doesn't shy away from the issues we all face in our relationships, making it a relatable and understanding companion on our journey to love. Too often, we navigate the world of relationships with only romantic movies and pop culture as our guides. Inspired by Vedic wi...

“In life, we can’t always control the first arrow. However, the second arrow is our reaction to the first. The second arrow is optional.” Picture yourself walking through a forest. Suddenly, you’re hit by an arrow. This first arrow may be a lousy or hurtful event ( like missing the train, burning food while cooking, spilling medicine, being late for work, etc .), which can cause pain or inconvenience to our inner peace for the moment or an hour or so, but it should get over. But, generally, the hurt of the first arrow isn’t over yet. There is a second arrow , which brings more pain and suffering. The second arrow represents our reaction to the wrong event—how we choose to respond emotionally. For example, we may forgive ourselves for burning the food (1st arrow) and later decide to cook another meal for the day or order from a restaurant. It can also happen that we may become disappointed (2nd arrow) with ourselves for burning the meal and, in reaction, become angry with o...

, “Naam Bade aur darshan chote” (Review in one line!!) Well, I chose this book purely because it is an international bestseller and because I had a fair experience reading Malcolm Gladwell’s Outlier. However, this time it was a little disappointing to read from him. Throughout the book, I found baseless arguments and irrelevant examples trying to prove some or other points. “The tipping point” with a glowing matchstick ‘i’ in “po i nt” (book cover) poofed my interest with the 1st chapter titled Three Rules of Epidemics wherein the point was made that just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. The book is generally written from a socio-economic perspective and discusses how information spreads among people, why some ideas/products spread quickly and effectively, and whether there are kinds of people who are better at transm...

“Unless the company becomes obsessed with constant change for the better, gradual change for the worse usually goes unnoticed.” The title of the last book caught my eye, leading me to pick Employees First, Customer Second (EFCS) by Vineet Nayar. This book is not just a practical guide but a beacon of hope for those seeking to transform their organizations. It outlines how to apply basic business principles such as open communication, honest review and feedback, leading by example, and most importantly, being empathetic. When these principles are applied, they have the power to revolutionize any business unit or organization, leading to the holistic success of the company and the people working with it. This book equips the reader with the tools to make this transformation a reality. Vineet Nayar is the former CEO of HCL Technologies. In this book, he elaborates on the company's deep transformation along the way. While conventional wisdom may prioritise customers, Vineet...

“Diversity and independence are important because the best collective decisions are the product of disagreement and contest, not consensus or compromise.” I finally finished the book “ The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations ” by James Surowiecki, but it took me an odd six months to complete it. The reason is that the book is kind of dry, as it is filled with voluminous data, long anecdotes, and, many times, complicated reading, making me feel lost during the read. The book's central thesis presents “Wisdom of Crowds” as a theory that assumes that the knowledge of a crowd results in better decision-making, innovation, and problem-solving than that of an individual. For the theory to work, a crowd needs to be large and diverse, and individuals within the crowd cannot be influenced by others. The author depicts the four essential conditions that make up an intelligent or wise ...