From Strength to Strength - Book Review

Book Review #41

I picked up 'From Strength to Strength; Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life' by Arthur Brooks with the usual gusto of a mid-career professional (who still assumes that AI cannot replace his unique book reviews). But the book's message was clear: whether you're an everyday professional (like most of us) or a high-achiever, we are all ultimately doomed to face a terrifying professional decline and a crisis of purpose🤦‍♂️ 

Brooks even gave this misery a name: the 'Striver's Curse.' For me, the book was at the same time validating and also horrifying. So, in the spirit of group therapy, I've summarized the diagnosis and the proposed treatment plan for this general condition 🙌

- Professional decline is a reality; for some starting in their 40s and for some in their 50s, and its effects are proportional to your level of success (more pronounced for the more successful). Note: Charles Darwin personally considered his career a disappointment.

- With age fluid intelligence (raw problem-solving ability) wanes, but crystallized intelligence (accumulated knowledge and wisdom) grows. With age, people are better at combining and utilizing complex ideas and are better at telling a story from data. So seek your success in roles that require leadership, mentorship, and storytelling.

- “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.” When you are young, you have raw smarts; when you are old, you have wisdom. A career that relies on fluid intelligence will decline early while one based on crystallized intelligence will decline later

- Many successful people suffer from "success addiction," prioritizing being "special" over being happy, becoming workaholics killing personal relationships.

- 90 percent of CEOs “admit fear of failure keeps them up at night more than any other concern.” Sadly people who fear failure don’t take pleasure from their accomplishments.

- Rather devote the back half of your life serving others with your wisdom. True satisfaction comes not from major achievements but from mindfulness and appreciating small, present moments.

- Strong relationships and friendships are the safety net against the loneliness of decline. The best marker for happiness at midlife and beyond is if you can rattle off names of few authentic, close friends.

- Long-term happiness is significantly influenced by controllable factors like avoiding smoking, managing alcohol, a healthy weight, regular exercise, and coping skills.

- Ancient wisdom, from the Greek concepts of love like Agape, the Vedic stages of life (varnashramas specifically vanaprastha), or Buddha's eightfold path teaches that true fulfillment requires shifting focus from worldly success to spiritual growth, wisdom, and selfless service.

If you have read this far, then you probably need this book 😄 

#BookReview #Mindfulness

Autobiography of a Yogi - Book Review

 Book Review #40

Managing a slow reading pace with an ambitious book list feels like a challenging race against time and the art of prioritization. Autobiography of a Yogi suddenly propelled to the top of my reading list when I recently learned that Steve Jobs pre-ordered copies of the book for his memorial, and soon enough I saw chess prodigy Gukesh receiving the same book from Rajinikanth after his world championship win.

Yogananda Paramahamsa wrote the book in 1946, chronicling his life, blending personal anecdotes, mystical encounters, and timeless spiritual wisdom. A few big themes emerged for me

1️⃣ Being a relentless seeker: Ultimately only the seeker gets the wisdom. From childhood, Yogananda is consumed by a insatiable thirst for spirituality and his quest for a guru leads him to Sri Yukteshwar, the ethereal Babaji and Therese Neumann among others.

2️⃣ The Kriya Yoga: Sri Yukteshwar teaches him the practical techniques of Kriya Yoga, which is the union (yoga) with the Infinite cosmic consciousness through breath mastery. The Self Realization group even today offers this sacred science of breath & energy control, for anyone who seeks to experience the divine.

3️⃣ Interconnectedness: As we delve deeper, the autobiography transforms into a profound meditation on the interconnectedness of all things. He interweaves personal anecdotes with deep philosophical insights, revealing the underlying unity that across faiths, especially Eastern & Western faiths (Hindu, Christian, Muslim, etc.)

4️⃣ The Body's relative lack of importance: Yogananda learns from his guru that the body is a treacherous friend. Give it its due; no more. Pain and pleasure are transitory; endure all dualities with calmness. Imagination is the door through which disease as well as healing enters. Disbelieve in the reality of sickness and the unrecognized visitor will flee!

5️⃣ In your brain vs. In your being: True understanding goes beyond a large vocabulary. Sacred writings inspire inward realization when slowly absorbed, not just read. Wisdom isn’t grasped with the eyes but felt deeply within. The rishis conveyed profound truths in a single sentence that scholars debate for generations. When a truth moves from your brain to your being, you embody its meaning in a transformative way.

6️⃣ Reflections on Life’s Purpose: "Autobiography of a Yogi" helps you look beyond material existence and connect with a higher consciousness. It emphasizes meditation as a tool for self-discovery and underscores the importance of discipline, devotion, and divine will.

7️⃣ An Invitation: "Autobiography of a Yogi" is more than a biography; it is an invitation to explore the uncharted territories of our own inner being, to question our limitations, and to awaken our infinite potential.

The book cements the universal relevance of Indian spirituality which transcends dogmatic definitions of religiosity which sadly often finds appeal.

#bookreview #kriyayoga #spirituality #interfaith
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Poor Charlie's Almanack - Book Review

 Book Review #39

After reading "Poor Charlie's Almanack", I wondered what is an 'Almanack' or 'Almanac'. The etymology is obscure and it typically means a regularly published listing of current information about one or multiple subjects. The only other Almanack I read (Naval Ravikant's) was based on his tweetstorms whereas Charlie Munger's Almanack is basically wisdom from 11 of his speeches. While not a brisk read, the book is undoubtedly packed with wisdom. The book is like a dense proteinaceous meal that has to be chewed and digested slowly. And if you cannot read it yourself here are his key pearls of wisdom

— There is no better teacher than history in determining the future. There are answers worth billions of dollars in a $30 history book. Charlie was a biography nut and says that if you make friends among the “eminent dead” who had the right ideas you will be better educated

— Munger believes a successful investment career boils down to only a handful of decisions. If he likes a business, he takes a large bet and holds the position for a long period

— When it comes to investments, instead of making superficial stand-alone assessment's of a company’s financial information, he analyses both the internal workings as well as the larger, integrated ecosystem in which it operates. He calls the tools he uses to conduct this review his multiple mental models

— Understand the power of compounding and the elementary math of permutations and combinations. If you don’t then you go through a long life like a one legged man in an ass kicking contest

— It is not enough to think problems through forward. You must also think in reverse. “Invert, always invert”. For instance, if you want to help India, the question you should consider asking is not “How can I help India?” Instead, you should ask, “How can I hurt India?”

— You must think in a multidisciplinary manner. You must routinely use all the easy-to-learn concepts from the freshman course in every basic subject

— Life can be brutally hard. The three things to cope life's challenges: Have low expectations. Have a sense of humor. Surround yourself with the love of friends and family

— Three things to look for in a career: Don’t sell anything you won’t buy yourself. Don’t work for anyone you don’t respect and admire. Work only with people you enjoy

— Intense political animosity should be avoided because it causes much mental malfunction, even in brilliant brains

— The psychology of misjudgment is a terribly important thing to learn with about 25 little principles that interact. Terribly smart people make bonkers mistakes by failing to pay heed to it. In fact, you never get totally over making silly mistakes

— Lollapalooza is Charlie's favorite word. Preparation, Discipline, Patience, Decisiveness when they come together form the dynamic critical mass for a cascading of positive effects (the lollapalooza)

Enjoy this intense book if you can. 

#bookreview #lifelessons #investing #CharlieMunger

The Emperor of All Maladies - Book Review

 

Book Review #38

Over the past 2 months, I read a very serious book on Cancer titled "The Emperor of All Maladies". Siddhartha Mukherjee attempts to answer questions like How old is cancer? Where are we in our war on cancer? Can this war even be won? Here are my learnings from this mammoth volume

- Cancer is not a modern disease. Autopsies on 1000 year old mummified bodies have shown bone tumor (osteosarcoma) and 2 million year old jaw bones show signs of lymphoma.

- Cancer comes from 'karkinos', the Greek word for “crab.” The tumor, with its swollen blood vessels around it reminded Hippocrates of a crab. 'Onkos' or tumor means a mass or a load - oncology comes from this word.

- Cancer is an age-related disease. Civilization did not cause cancer, but by extending human life spans—civilization unveiled it.

- Cancer is caused by uncontrolled growth of a single cell unleashed by mutations/changes in DNA . Cancer is built into our genomes: the genes that unmoor normal cell division are not foreign to our bodies, but rather mutated, distorted versions of the very genes that perform vital cellular functions. Mutations in cancer genes accumulate with aging; cancer is thus intrinsically related to age.

- The foundational work on cancer was done by German pathologist Rudolf Virchow. He stumbled upon pathological hyperplasia—cancer, uncontrolled growth of cells, looking at cancerous growths through his microscope. Uncontrolled cell division created masses of tissue (tumors) that invaded organs and destroyed normal tissues. Tumors also spread from one site to another—metastasing—in distant sites, like the bones, brain, or lungs.

- Sidney Farber is the father of modern chemotherapy and in 1947 he used aminopterin discovered by Yellapragada Subbarow to induce remissions among children with leukemia. Before chemotherapy, doctors had only two strategies: excising the tumor surgically or incinerating it with radiation (Curie's radium). Just imagine antisepsis and anesthesia were only discovered around 1846.

- Mary Lasker and her group of activists (Laskerites) started the war against cancer, lobbied to get the 1971 US National Cancer Act passed. This has led us to a better understanding of cancer in the next 4 decades. Proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressors are the molecular pivots of the cell. They are the gatekeepers of cell division. Gene by gene, pathway by pathway, we now understand the biology of cancer. Complete maps of mutations in many tumor types will soon be complete, and the core pathways fully defined

- Early detection and Prevention are also major strategies in the war against cancer

- Even the discovery of major oncology drugs like Herceptin, Gleevec were providential and went through major activism and overcoming internal challenges before their commercial success. The war on cancer is far from over but we have made huge strides.

The book is an essential read for anyone wanting to understand this killer disease 

#bookreview #oncology

Strategic Blueprint to High Performance - Book Review

Book Review #37

Is sports the world's largest religion, or is it just the opiate of the masses? With its passionate followers, dramatic rituals, and global reach, it’s at the very least a great unifying force. But beyond the spectacle, sports offer us profound insights into human behavior, resilience, and strategy.

Imagine distilling the wisdom of sporting legends, performance psychologists, and military veterans into a single, potent volume. That could be a playbook for success, not just for the locker room, but the boardroom too!

That's precisely what Wayne Reuben has done. And he graciously asked me to share my thoughts on his first book, a rare privilege. So let me summarize my key takeaways from the book

1> John Buchanan, architect of Australia's golden era in cricket, built a winning culture fueled by high-character individuals and relentless pursuit of excellence. Buchanan advocates for reimagining KPIs (e.g., scoring shot percentage for batters, dot ball percentage for bowlers) to uncover true performance drivers and to maintain an insatiable drive for improvement.

2> Three-time Olympian Sami Kennedy-Sim emphasizes the crucial blend of passion and discipline for sustained peak performance. By forging a mindset of dedication, resilience, and relentless effort, you can not only endure pain but thrive under pressure.

3> Rugby legend David Ballard preaches relentless improvement, urging teams to cultivate a "better and better" mindset. He also stresses the power of "engineered fun moments" in forging strong, resilient squads.

4> Stroke survivor and performance psychologist Ali Flynn reveals adversity as the secret ingredient to high performance. By nurturing physical, mental, and emotional well-being through self-reflection, mentorship, and strong connections, we can transform challenges into triumphs.

5> Air Force veteran Clifford Morgan urges us to harness "focus" as our secret weapon. He insists that a mind laser-locked on the target will outmaneuver any opponent.

6> Wayne believes that Curiosity is your compass. Explore diverse fields, then apply your findings to your world. High performance demands a zero-tolerance policy for mediocrity.

7> Pearl says that mastering strategic agility is essential for success. She emphasizes a customer-centric approach, the ability to thrive in uncertainty, and fostering a positive mindset towards change as key ingredients.

Overall an enjoyable, brisk read. I think I have read enough leadership books this year and will move on to other genres at least for the rest of the year. 

#bookreview #leadership #sports

Good Leaders Ask Great Questions - Book Review

 Book Review #36

One of the unsung heroes of almost every Indian student's academic journey are textbook guides (at least during my times). They were trusted sidekicks in our never-ending battles against exams. These guides are similar to Cliff's Notes in the US or Jacaranda in Australia or Longman Singapore. 

Fueled by copious amounts of chai and a heavy dose of last-minute desperation, these steroidal learning capsules, transformed clueless schoolkids and undergrads to exam-slaying ninjas 🏹😜 

John Maxwell, the author of 'Good Leaders Ask Great Questions', has sold 24 million copies of leadership books but would have never imagined someone calling his book as a perfect example of a beautiful exam guide. In my opinion, if you have a leadership interview next week and you want to quickly brush up leadership concepts and best practices, I will strongly recommend you read this book. Primarily because John has intended this book to his book of books. Major part of the book is structured as responses to questions answered in a selfreflecting style making for an easy reading experience. So here are some major takeaways from this title

1> Before you attempt to set things right, make sure you see things right. The future belongs to the curious. The ones who are not afraid to try it, explore it, poke at it, question it, and turn it inside out

2> Good questions inform; great questions transform! Example, next time you meet a new person ask him/her "Whom do you know that I should know?"

3> Three questions people ask of their Leader: Can you help me? (competence). Do you care for me? (compassion). Can I trust you? (character)

4> Every Leader should have their own set of questions they ask themselves regularly. Here is John's own list

 Am I Investing in Myself? (Personal Growth)

 Am I Genuinely Interested in Others? (Motivation)

 Am I Grounded as a Leader? (Humility/Stability)

 Am I Adding Value to My Team? (Teamwork)

 Am I Staying in My Strength Zone? (Effectiveness)

 Am I Taking Care of Today? (Success)

 Am I Investing My Time with the Right People? (ROI)

5> The Most Effective Daily Habit for Any Leader to develop and practice - Give more than you receive

6> You can be a leader no matter where you are. You don’t need a title or a position or even formal education. All you need is the desire to lead and a willingness to learn and ability to influence.

7> It is critical to discover your purpose. First you need to know yourself. Your unique purpose must be built on your strengths and aligned to your values

8> A person with a clear purpose will make progress on even the roughest road. A person with no purpose will make no progress on even the smoothest road.

9> Lead well long enough, and people will shift from giving you no credit, to giving you proper credit, to giving you too much credit

10> No job has a future. Only people have a future

I think you get the drift. So, when are you getting your copy? 

#BookReview #Leadership #Purpose #Questions

Man and His Symbols - Book Review

Book Review #35

Confession - I wrestled with 'Man and His Symbols' for 1.5 months. Apparently, this was Carl Jung's attempt to write an easy-to-understand book for the masses. My take - he somehow ended up with a book that makes an Ikea instruction manual look crystal clear 🙆‍♂️🙅‍♂️.

Three hundred plus pages later, I realized that Carl Jung and associates merely took the first few steps to understand the unconscious mind and it is clear to me that we have an incomplete understanding of ourselves. Nevertheless, the book had a number of useful lessons

- Modern humans are disconnected from our unconscious minds (a vast realm containing information and instincts). Dreams, using symbolic language, offer a bridge to our unconscious. By understanding dreams & symbols we can achieve "individuation", a state of wholeness where the conscious and unconscious work together.

- Ancient myths express universal human experiences and psychological struggles. By analyzing myths and their recurring motifs, we gain valuable insights into our own unconscious minds that can help us navigate the complexities of life.

- Individuation is essential for psychological well-being and a deeper connection to us and the world. Dreams, beyond reflecting current concerns, hold a deeper pattern. Individuation involves integrating the conscious mind with the unconscious through dream analysis and facing unconscious content to achieve a sense of wholeness.

- Jungian therapy leverages dream analysis, understanding content symbolized by recurring imagery, deciphering these symbols within the context of the patient's life and facilitating individuation.

- Visual art forms express universal human experiences. Throughout history three major motifs have reflected our deep psychological needs: the enduring significance of the stone (stability, strength), the animal (primal instincts, connection to nature), and the circle (wholeness, unity).

- Modern science, with its focus on the rational, overlooks a crucial aspect of the human psyche: the unconscious. This unconscious realm speaks through symbols, especially in dreams and myths. By understanding these symbols, we can bridge the gap between science and the unconscious, gaining valuable insights into ourselves and the human condition.

- Jung emphasizes that integrating the unconscious, not repressing it, is key to achieving psychological wholeness. This requires a scientific approach to studying the unconscious and its symbolic language, ultimately leading to a more complete understanding of ourselves.

Heavy stuff! hashtag#bookreview hashtag#psychology hashtag#carljung