The Road to Success?

There are probably millions of books out there telling you how to be a big success. Most people interested in personal development apparently own around twenty books on the subject. Most have not been read past Chapter Three! Here is information about a differengt kind of personal development book. No, it's not written by me! Are You Ready to Succeed? asks Srikumar Rao

Published in the UK by Rider (Random House) Published in the USA by Hyperion

Can a ‘mystic' physicist show you the way to personal success?

He holds a degree in physics, an MBA and a marketing doctorate and runs a course called ‘Creative and Personal Mastery' at Columbia Business School. So he has some impressive credentials, but can they translate into a sensible approach to personal develoment?

Subtitled ‘An unconventional guide to personal transformation in work & in life', this book threatens to overturn your current notions of reality.And it may even lead you to believe in miracles!

Beginning with a discussion of the journey the reader is about to embark on, the book promises miracles in language calculated to excite even a jaded cynic such as me. It then strays perilously close to conventional ‘personal development' speak. At this point I found myself thinking, "Uh, oh, here we go again." Thankfully I was wrong and Mr Rao swiftly finds his way again, ploughing his somewhat unconventional furrow.

The book gets you to look at your world-view from a new perspective. It covers some familiar territory but does so in fresh ways. For instance, the voice in your ear; causes of stress; freedom; self interest - all are discussed from Srikumar's unique angle. Also unique are the appendices. They include an ambitious one-year reading list, and a supplementary list that includes such topics as creativity, business and even mind over matter.

Srikumar's approach to 'reality' is refreshing. He covers the difference between our mental model and the real world, plus the problem of the little voice that never goes away (our 'mental chatter' he calls it)and shows methods of controlling our perceptions and thoughts that are as startlingly effective as they are swift to show results. But perhaps the most remarkable and useful section of this book is Chapter Five - 'You can change the universe!' This comes complete with an exercise for creating your own miracles. And you will just have to judge for yourself how effective that is!

I read and review a lot of self help/personal development books - this one is in a class by itself. As accessible as Carnegie's 'How to win friends and influence people', as up to date as tomorrow's newspaper, it deserves to be on YOUR list of books to read and read again. It will help you discover who you really are and hoiw you really see the world. More than this, it will help you rediscover the effortless ease of living that you probably lost somewhere before your fifth birthday!

So, having read the book do I see any sign of miracles? Yes, actually.