MINDSET - The New Psychology of Success

Mindset – The New Psychology of Success

By Carol S Dweck, Ph.D.

Ballantine Books (2007)

This is definitely one of the better ‘motivational’ books that I have read.  The cover states that the book is about how we can learn to fulfill our potential in such areas as parenting, business, school and relationships.

In this book, Dr. Dweck explains that our beliefs about ourselves are just as important, if not more so, than our abilities and talents.  These beliefs are what constitute our mindset, and this can be classified into ‘fixed’ and ‘growth’ mindsets.

There are lots of examples throughout the book of both types of mindsets - like how praising our children’s abilities and talents doesn’t necessarily foster self-esteem, but may actually jeopardize their success - and how to achieve success with the right mindset.

The book teaches us how to recognize our own mindset and if necessary how to change it to ensure our success.   We can also learn to recognize the mindset of others and how to deal with them.

This is one book that I would recommend to anyone that has to deal with themselves as well as other people, i.e. everybody.

The Leadership of Muhammad

The Leadership of Muhammad

by John Adair

(Kogan Page Limited - 2010)

  

What better to read during Ramadan then something about the life of the Prophet (PUBH).  While I didn’t expect this book to be about a biography of Muhammad (PUBH), I was hoping to acquire some knowledge about his leadership style.  In this, I was a tad disappointed.

I’m not very familiar with John Adair, but his biography inside the book makes him out to be a leadership guru and with over 50 books to his name.

Having served in the Arab Legion, he has acquainted himself with Bedouin culture and he uses this knowledge to piece together desert life in this book.   To me this book is more about how these Bedouin beliefs have influenced the leadership style of the Prophet which would, at best, be considered ‘Tribal’.

Anyway it still is an interesting read.

Welcome...

Recently I started to catalog my collection of books.  I realize that I have not even attempted reading many of them and many others I've already forgotten what they are about.  I thought therefore, that this would be a good place to record my take on the books that I read and maybe, just maybe, it would be of help to anyone who is thinking of reading the same.