This is a self-help book that shares wisdom designed to enrich the quality of a persons’ professional, personal, and spiritual life. The book contains 101 simple solutions to be integrated into ones’ life. At just 195 pages, the book is a speed read. However to get the full benefit of each suggestion, it is a good idea to read the book slowly. Start from the beginning and read one solution each day. Reading the whole book in one sitting might leave you overwhelmed with information, making it easy to miss the point or forget the tips. That’s how I felt after reading the book
The best part of this book is how easy it is to read. Each solution is a short one to two pages and very easy to incorporate into one’s life. Some solutions are common knowledge, but a great number of them are unique, useful, and insightful. The book is quite holistic and covers a wide arena of topics. Tips like “always carry a book with you” ensures lifelong learning, while “spend a day without your watch” covers slowing down.
The book starts off with a quote from Norman Cousins: “The tragedy of life is not death, but what we let die inside of ourselves when we live.” But the best quote, that stuck a chord in me was when Robin quotes his father’s words “The tree that has the most fruits is the tree that bends to touch the ground”. Meaning the people who know the most and who have lived the most are also the people closest to the ground. In a word, they are humble.
4 Gates of Speech
He also quotes an old Sufi tradition which advises us to speak only after our words have managed to pass through four gates. At the first gate, we ask ourselves, “Are these words true?” If so, we let them pass on; At the second gate we ask; “Are they necessary?” At the third gate we ask; “Are they beneficial?” and at the fourth gate, we ask, “Are they kind?” If the answer to any of these is no, then what you are about to say should be left unsaid.
I definitely recommend this book. If you want simple steps that tell you how to improve your life, this book is it.
Nomad Muse 
3 comments
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October 21, 2011 at 11:57 pm
K.S. Schultz
Sounds like a must-read that will also serve as a good Christmas present. I continuously fall short of the person I would like to be, so any encouragement is appreciated. I will also pass on the tip to read a tip or two at a time to allow for digestion. Thanks!
@KS Schultz – Thanks for your comment. Yes, this book is definitely a must read and a good Christmas gift.
October 28, 2014 at 1:06 pm
Neha Agarwal
Its only advice advice and only ADVICE!!!!! No relation between the title and the story….. I don’t know why people recommend this book. The stories inside are like little fairy tales which ADVICES you what to and what not to do like a old monk advicing a school kid. Really Boring!!!
October 28, 2014 at 1:09 pm
Neha Agarwal
Just what grandpa and grandma had told in our childhood .. which we either didn’t bother to hear or didn’t realize the importance then.
Wisdom, moral science and happy living lessons, nicely compiled by Robin Sharma and packaged in a compact book which makes a reader feel of some out of the world wisdom only to realize later that this is what was taught by our parents and grandparents.
Free advice and free tuition has no value .. its only when you pay few hundred bucks that you realize the value.
@Neha – Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your comments. This is an old post of mine that I had forgot. Though I remember liking the book as it was simple and easy to read. Revisiting this post now makes me remember the quote that Robin Sharma attributes to his father. The actual quote is –
“If wisdom arises in your mind you become humble and modest, as a branch laden with fruit is sure to bow low”
This was said by the Late Vipassana guru S.N. Goenka who attributed the quote to ‘The Buddha’.