REVIEW: Working Hard is not good enough

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.