Book review ‘ WORKING HARD IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH’ by TGC Prasad
-Reviewed by Anmol
Ratan Sachdeva
A phase often clicks to our mind when we are demoralized by
failures in life.- ‘Working hard is not good enough’. Will working hard lead me
to achieve what I want? Will it make my life like I have always dreamt of?
The book ‘Working hard is not good enough’ by bestselling
author and a consulting firm manager, TGC Prasad takes the above question in
full limelight where the author brings home the idea that by mere stretching
yourself to your extremes admist heights of pressure will not let you achieve
success in the long run.
The summary of the book presents the fact that less than 2%
of entrepreneurs and less than 15% of employees are successful in getting hikes,
promotions and profits accompanied by less than 1% in the group of students and
professionals seeking top colleges or senior management posts. By presenting
the facts in an analytic and statistical term the book grabs the attention and
curiousity of every single person as he goes through the above facts. This book
emphasizes on factors needed with hard work to embark and complete the journey
of success.
The book is presented in a manner which will let you get a
feel of the international standard writing with an easy language that can be
understood even by a high school student. The target audience seems to range
from graduates preparing for management competitive courses, professionals
seeking a perspective of mix that can lead to success, to a layman who wants
the idea about management as a stream which the book has the power to capture
efficiently. The basic theme of the book is the focus on a journey called
entrepreneurship which the book neatly presents and can provide deep sense of
self awareness among entrepreneurs, both young and old. The book is etched with
plenty of inspiring examples including stories of prominent personalities
accompanied by Havard Business Reviews at many places throughout the book. The
content of the book is mature enough with an inspiring and motivational tone.
The theme of looking at your strengths and working towards development of your
talents is neatly presented by the way of various examples. One example worth
mentioning is the typical mentality of people is highlighting weakness of an
individual more than strength as in case of Indian parents criticizing more on
the lower grades of their ward than appreciation of subject which he excels at.
This in a way demotivates an individual as his strengths are not being given
proper credit and in the long run he tends to loose his natural talent. The
above point of playing to ones strengths is also exemplified with the life
stories, success and failures of personalities like Bill Gates, Nelson Mandella
among others.
It is a kind of book which you never regret reading as it is
richly filled with many aspects in the journey of life which along with hard
work are important for success of an individual. Some of the factor that the
author focuses along with the hard work of the individual are health of an
individual, energy needed to work, loneliness in the path of success which one
has to tackle, the need of a trustworthy confidiate to share and discuss the ups and downs of
journey, along with the transition phases of ones life which have the power to
change life forever and the decision he needs to take everyday out of his own
intelligence to be successful in life.
The use of examples and flow of the basic theme throughout
the book was impressive and binding. All in all this book is a worth read at an
affordable price which you would never want to miss if you are a person with a
deep insight towards life and success. The core message of the book is
presented towards the reader in a manner which you will not forget soon and
that has the power to change your view towards success and towards life.
A 4.5/5 will be a total justice to the efforts of the author
in the view he presented in a crisp form.
