Begin with a parable to improve your reading habit
At the end of a recent training session where I spoke about the benefits of reading as a habit, one of the participants handed in a little note that read, “This day I will never forget. I fully understand the importance of reading and you are my inspiration. If you don’t mind, give me a book for reading. Thank you.”
When I got back home, I looked at my collection to check if I had any additional copies of few of my favorite parables that include; (1) Fish (2) Who moved my Cheese?(3) Eat that Frog (4) Juggling Elephants. Since I had no spare copies, I decided to buy a new one as a gift for the compliment I received from this young employee who showed profound interest in developing his reading habit.
As I looked around in the book shop, my eyes fell upon a catchy title – “the Napkin, the Melon and the Monkey” by Babara Burke.
I could not hold my curiosity for long enough even to pay that I was already reading this 130 page book while standing in queue at the cash desk. I love parables as they convey universal truths and realities of work life with a humor element (One normally smiles relating his/her own experience of the situation). This is the main reason, I choose parables as gift to people who struggle completing a book but want to improve on their reading habit.
This one is no exception and a MUST READ. What I liked most about this book is that it is a quick read and Barbara’s style of making the readers realize the AHA! moments through her main character Olivia.
Olivia’s list of AHA’s summarized in the last page of the book is given below. Most of these sound so simple, easy, logical and true to life that I decided to include them in my blog page.
Aha! #1: I will always have problems
Aha! #2: It’s not about me.
Aha! #3: Problems can be gifts in disguise
Aha! #4: Just sit there. Do nothing
Aha! #5: There is no such thing as a difficult situation
Aha! #6: When all else fails, have a SODA (Stop, Observe, Decide and Act)
Aha! #7: Withholding judgement allows me to observe what is
Aha! #8: The nicer I am to myself, the nicer I am to others
Aha! #9: A simple apology works wonders
Aha! #10: The less I talk, the more I learn.
Aha! #11: People harmonize when they are tuned into the same frequency
Aha! #12: Great Supervisors follow the GOLDEN RULE “Treat others as you would like to be treated” and DO THE RIGHT THING
Aha! #13: Spreading my wings is the only way to fly.
Aha! #14: Give a little, get a lot
Aha! #15: Remember, we all share the same vine
Aha! #16: United we stand. Divided we fall
Aha! #17: Our stories connect us with each other
Aha! #18: Success comes from bringing out the best in others
Aha! #19: Winners don’t just point out problems. They fix them
Aha! #20: It’s not what happens to you in life, it’s what you do with what happens that counts
Aha! #21: Real freedom comes from letting go of the outcome
Aha! #22: Generous hearts make a difference
I encourage you to read this book to relate and enjoy each one of those Aha! moments listed up there. Kudos & thanks to authors like Barbara who constantly remind and teach you to unplug every now and then in life.
Aha! It would not be fair if I do not mention & thank Gopal – the employee at my client’s who wrote that note after my session. He was the reason I could read this lovely parable and now I am glad he will benefit too reading this book.
Meet me at: www.gettingtodelight.com
