Saturday 6 August 2011

Book Review: The Mind Gym – Relationships

I read the bulk of this book towards the end of 2010 and then left it in London and kept forgetting to pick it up and complete the last few chapters. I finally did so this week…

I bought this book because it was recommended (and partly put together?) by the people at Management Today, whose monthly magazine I enjoy reading, and I wasn't disappointed. Strangely though, despite it being a book on relationships, I learnt less about other people and more about myself! That's not a bad thing of course. As well as the content of the book, I liked the way it was structured too – small bite-size chunks (mixed with examples and stories) rather than long narratives.

If any one point stood out for me, it was to worry less about what others think of me and to understand that people think about us less than we think they do! The exception to this – of course – being parents and grandparents who without doubt think about us more than we realise they do. Rabbi-rhamhum 🙌

Here are a couple of nice quotes from the book to end with:
"It's happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust." (Samuel Johnson) 
"Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true." (Robert Brault)

2 comments:

T H said...

As always Deelun, an interesting read!! :)

I think some people thrive on the thought others are thinking about them. This will definitely burst thief bubble! :) lol

adil said...

"... some people thrive on the thought others are thinking about them..."

Hmm, didn't think about it from that perspective: relishing the thought of others thinking highly of us. Good spot. I was looking at it from the perspective of worrying what others are thinking of us. Either way, yeah, spending too much time thinking what others are thinking of us is quite the waste because most likely they're not thinking of us!