Pages: 297

Price: Rs 450

Author: Octavius Black and Sebastian Bailey (Co-founders of The Mind Gym)

Publication: Time Warner Books

Available: Oxford bookstore – Leela Galeria

The book is refreshingly different from the regular self-improvement books on the stands today. It is more relevant and simpler to assimilate. The design of the book follows Albert Einstein's maxim 'Everything should be made as simple as possible but no simpler'. The arty colour and the snazzy double cover will draw you to the book at the very first glance. Also, the name of the author(s) is not mentioned on the cover and one has to hunt for it somewhere in the end pages.

The idea for this book came from the 90 minutes Mind Gym workshops. It draws largely on the thinking of some well known psychologists of the last century like Yerkes and Dodson, Hans Selye and more recent ones like Richard Lazarus and Sue Folkman. Most examples used in the book is from their theories, which we see put into practice here. Though the content draws from well researched psychology, not once does it undermine reading by stating the hard to follow theories themselves. But at all times gives you the very core essence of the theories in question.

The book is very interactive, almost as if a mind gym training programme is in session. Anyone can plunge briefly in the book and take something away for himself. It is written with thoughtful craft and each chapter or section can be read in isolation. With a well organised programme and a questionnaire, the reader can customise the book to his "current priorities". It even provides self-assessment questions at the end of every chapter preparing him for the consecutive new thoughts that ensue. It also provides an exercise called "I Spy" and "I Try" to get the reader to practise what has just been learnt.

This books draws a parallel with body gym. The idea being, its not just your body but also the mind which requires a workout. Like Plato said "An able mind in an able body". It provides easy to relate and exciting examples like an individuals character type as seen in the popular television comedy 'Sex and the City'. He even says people can't be classified into watertight compartments when it comes to a particular personality because it is the situation and motivation which is the deciding factor.

The tone of the book is designed to involve the reader. Its simple, clear and accessible. Its flows like a presentation with well designed boxes and pictures to keep and hold your attention. With interesting anecdotes and humor it simply drives the point home. The book also uses exiting terminology to pep reading and cut through the mind numbing task on how to improve oneself.

The book helps the reader understand the situation from the very crux and then provides ways to deal with it. It provides reason on why that particular way is beneficial. When he states a point he also counter proves the consequences. It also helps the readers come up with the answers with simple prodding. The book by itself states nothing new but with the right amount of humour, simplicity, reasons & counter-reasons and examples from the real-world it makes it that much more motivating for an individual to use and act.

One can even access the website for more useful tools. The idea of the website is to maintains a continuous conversation with the reader. The book comes with a personalized password.One can consider it to be an extension of the website or vice-a-versa. A very well designed interactive tool, it offers you more in value than what you payed for.

The book also provides simple tips and techniques to reinvent your inner being. Chapters like breathing right and visualisation of a personal relaxation technique for tranquility was to me of real value, where my productivity was maximised by following what the book had to offer. In the chapter 'Stress', he says stress is good and goes on to classify the type of stress and helping one find which category of stress one falls in, followed by how to deal with it. With categories like the chill zone, thrill zone, spill zone and the kill zone no self-improvement book can get more interesting. In today’s deadline ridden business world, this book is an useful tool. The question is if you'll make the most of what’s inside...The book as well as the mind.

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