Day -202

Chasing Success

ROBIN SHUKLA, a senior Journalist and writer, reviewed the book Chasing Success in The Afternoon, evening paper from Mumbai, on 4.10.2010. Reading that will give some inputs to the reader relating to spiritualism, hence it is reproduced for information.

 Invaluable applications for today's marketplace

Chasing Success by Dr. Bala Chandran is a book that focuses on how to achieve joy, health, happiness and harmony without in any way missing out on the fun. The author is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of   the Indian institute of Banking & Finance and has written several books on motivation and on finance, which could be invaluable for application in today’s market place.

 All the kings, rulers ,corporate leaders, religious leaders have touted their own methods to reach success and thereby tried for their own levels of happiness. When own efforts failed, they sought the guidance of experts, gurus, consultants, net workers, brokers connections, astrologers, and even spiritual gurus. The last category advocated very simple and direct methods, which are found to be highly complicated by many viz. Learn to be free of stress, Give up Desires, Reduce tension, Live in the present, Live and let live, Embrace simplicity, then- Everything will be okay.

 Here the sceptical minds are not able to accept these simple dictums They need something esoteric and complicated, like Sheershasana, hence their search continues for new books, training, gurus, places, hoping to get the pill, potion, mantra, method which will give them the key to success and therefore the happiness they clamour for.

 Our country has many millionaires, and quite a few billionaires and many Indian names feature  in the list of the richest on the planet. In spite of Lacs' of people attaining financial, material and social Success very year, there is something lacking in those moments of high-sung glory, there is always something amiss. This is borne out by the number of divorces, attrition in organisations, overall discontent in personal and public life

 The author has written seventy thee interesting essays on a wide range of subjects in simple and pleasant language that lets one understand and grasp  the distinctive quality of  true happiness.

  So there is 

• chapter 1 on Success Quest,   which has 60 essays that dwell on personal effectiveness and excellence 
• Chapter 2 on Happiness Quest,  with four essays on happiness in life 
• Chapter 3 on Spiritual Quest, with eight essays on grace from the supreme power and 
• Chapter4 on Crystal Gazing that has an excellent piece on looking ahead with a realistic outlook.

 There are  many quotes proverbs maxims interspersed in the essays. the others are reactions to articles appearing in various newspapers. In a light vein in Miracles: Once a German who was a total atheist came to India and told someone that he now fully believes in God. When pressed further he added that if not for the presence of God, how is this country going ahead?

 JRD Tata is quoted in True Freedom as saying- I Don't want India to be an economic super power. I want India to be happy country.

 The essay Motivation has some real gems. 

• The author has some splendid views every corporate gladiator should try to understand for his/ her own sake. 
• Success is a sweet seven letter -- Many suffering from the “achievement syndrome” believe that more work is the key to success. 
• Time alone will reveal the truth of their belief. By that time, unfortunately youth and even life would have ebbed away.
•  This book is an attempt to take a peep into the dynamics of achieving sustainable success, work-life balance  and ecstasy in one's life- sooner than later.

(Chasing Success- Taxmann Publicatons,2010)

 

 Reflecting on such thoughts of the reviewer will be fruitful.

वन्दे मातरम्

ॐ शान्ति: 

8 AM