We Are What We Read (Part 2)

It’s mid of the year already and also a time for me to share my reading list. The last few months have been quite choppy with the pandemic strains on my family and friends but my Kindle and my daily train ride to work have kept me a disciplined reader. I have improved my ability to remember important parts in a book (thanks to the highlight functionality). This is helping me make more meaningful and richer conversations with my network. 

My reading list for Q1 and Q2 is shared below for my network. Hope this inspires some of you to pick one from the list and get going. Please share your recommendations as well.

#anandjindalsreadinglist2021 

1. Range by David J Epstien: The author makes a strong case for gaining early multidisciplinary exposure. Repetition works best in kind learning environments where patterns repeat but when the patterns change frequently, creative achievers use breadth of experience to their advantage.
2. Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel: Beautiful book and I loved the ease with which the author has connected the reader to everyday worries and their resolution. If your are perpetually stressed about small things and decision making is difficult, this is the right book for you.
3. Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio: Best line in the book “Life will give you what you deserve. And does not give a damn to what you like”. You get the idea. Heavy reading but very impactful.
4. Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher : A good book on negotiation and will teach you how to separate people from the problem, focusing on interests and not on positions, generating options and most importantly setting an objective standard. If you are in a role that requires frequent negotiations this book offers a goldmine of advice.
5. From Noida to Nainital by Arun Jindal: This book is authored by my uncle and provides a good summary of his life, learnings from his career and deep dives into the Jindal clan of which I am proudly a part of.
6. To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink: This is a great read for any sales person. The A, B, C’s of sales are redefined as Attunement, Buoyancy and Clarity.
7. Think Again by Adam Grant: One of the best books that I read this year. Grant in his usual style gives numerous examples of how adopting a Scientists mindset of trial and error is superior to preaching or politicising. I found concepts like building a challenge network, “Mount Stupid” and joy of being wrong very interesting.
8. Superforecasting by Tetlock and Gardner: A technical book if you want to learn about quantitative forecasting. I particularly enjoyed the part where the author covers human bias in forecasting and adopting a balanced view. Best line “when the facts change, I change my mind”.
9. The Leading Brain by Friederike Fabritius and Hans W. Hagemann: This book uncovers the biochemistry behind the DNA of peak performance. The science behind Reward, Arousal and Focus is explained is great depth. Heavy reading and I would not recommend it unless you are very serious about this subject.
10. Freakonomics by Levitt and Dubner: A classic. I had to read it sometime. Somewhat funny and interesting insights are covered like “why do drug vendors live with their parents” or “why the real estate agent will always undersell your house”. Concepts like “white collared crime” and “correlation vs. causation” are also enjoyable.
11. Originals by Adam Grant: This was my second Grant book for the year. Core idea is that we rationalise status quo as legitimate and the hallmark of originality is rejecting the default and exploring a better option. Absolutely loved the concept of “Vuja De”. Read the book to know more.
12. Essentialism by Greg Mckeown: The author is a strong believer of focused pursuit of less and advocates the elimination of the unnecessary. If you are unable to meet deadlines or have a problem of prioritising what’s important, this book is for you.
13. Atomic Habbits By James Clear: Very good book for anyone who wants to form good habits. The author explains how to create better systems that lead to results. The four stages of habits: Cue, Craving, Response and Reward are covered in great depth. Would strongly recommend this book.
14. Measure What Matters by John Doerr: A very famous book and is a valuable read for anyone in middle or senior management. Objectives and Key Results model of goal setting is explained. Most successful companies are following this approach already and are witnessing great results. The concept of “light weight” performance reviews is also very interesting.