Be. Do. Live. by Rajeev Dewan

This book is devoid of long-winding sermons that are so typical of self-help books.

Publisher: Rupa & Co

Pages: 260

Price: INR 295

ISBN: 9788129115720

We are growth-loving beings who are constantly seeking an improved life experience. And we want guidance to be
able to do that. However, we don’t like to be preached to.

And that’s what I liked about this book—it’s devoid of long-winding sermons that are so typical of self-help
books. There’s nothing preachy about Be. Do. Live. And this, despite it being a guide to life success. It is replete with practical tips rather than advice.
So, the book is all about what you can ‘do’, so that you and ‘be’ and ‘live’ better. The chapters are short—each not more than 2 – 4 pages. There are hardly any paragraphs of more than a few lines [a boon for those with a short attention span]. All this makes it an easy read, although the topics relate to crucial aspects of your life such as relationships, spiritual growth, attitude towards money and eliminating limiting beliefs.

Another thing that sets this book apart is the freshness of concepts. Although some of the ideas are common, others are really different. For instance, Dewan suggests that we replace the ‘If then’ in our lives by ‘and’. So, instead of thinking ‘If I make more money then I can feel successful’, we learn to think ‘I feel successful and I intend to make more money’.

“Due to the new perspective that comes with this approach, we are much more effective in the world. Also, because we’re tapping into our optimal feelings, we are happier, more satisfied, and have more fun,” writes Dewan in the book.

Caring Quotient is another fresh concept Dewan introduces in the book. He defines it as a measure of the breadth and depth of your caring—I liked the idea of measuring caring.

The style of writing, the relevance of the topics to your day-to-day and life and the simplicity of the tips really appeals to you and makes you think “I’ll start doing that from right now”.

The only thing I found a bit out of place—although a lot of people might like it—is the use of diagrammatic depictions of ideas. Every chapter has either a pie-chart, or a table or a circle diagram. To me, the diagrams lend the book a text-book like feel, which might put off some of us. It unnecessarily makes simple things look complicated and the book could certainly do without those.

It’s a great travelling companion. One that comes with recommendations from stalwarts like Brian Tracy, Stephen Covey and Anthony Robbins. In fact, the first 11 pages are testimonials by CEOs, self-growth experts and other celebrities—it’s something that might impress someone who’s just started his journey of self-growth but annoy others who are eager to begin reading.
All in all, a good book—worth adding to your personal library.

Shiv Joshi
Shiv Joshi is a seeker of inner treasures. He loves the printed word and has a knack to pick up languages.

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