An author who started with self-publishing and became a global bestseller, surely has something to offer. That’s why we have picked ‘The Disciplined Mind’ this week.
Zoey’s immense hunger to succeed came from the time her father left her at the age of 14, after giving her just 30 dollars to live on. Naturally, her books have self-experiential themes such as strengthening willpower, developing mental toughness, controlling thoughts and getting rid of your inner critic. Her own story of resilience prepares you to accept what she’s saying. She writes, “whatever you think about creates your reality. That’s what I always warn myself- to be careful of what you think- because one day it may come true.”
The Disciplined Mind has a total of 10 chapters in which the author shares her journey. It starts with her schooling in Hungary where she earned a scholarship but couldn’t even afford the food! How does one rise up from there? The author also uses excerpts from the lives of other people who broke barriers. Mohammed El-Erian is one such example, who had a decent $100 million per year salary but he left that behind to spend time with his daughter. The book highlights the message, “Every choice has a price. The bolder the choice, the bigger “opportunity cost” one has to pay.”
Five key takeaways from the book-
1. “The world is not responsible for you, you are responsible for yourself in the world,” an excellent reminder when we are tempted to complain.
2. The book is also a reminder that having a disciplined mind eventually pays off. Everyone is a ‘work in progress’ and mistakes will be made, but those will turn into learnings with time.
3. “It is important to spend more time developing your own ‘real’ identity instead of worrying about a few opinions,” she remarks about social media. It is crucial for your mental health and a disciplined mind to be at peace with your virtual life.
4. Try to check your boundaries and keep re-evaluating yourself to make yourself up to date with.
5 . Zoe is not a native English speaker and she was only 20 when she wanted to write books while doubting whether she had any wisdom worth sharing. But she took her time and found her purpose in life. And like the advice she gives, instead of focusing on results, she believed in herself and lived in the present. She highlights the value of small efforts, disciplined actions. The big takeaway of the book is to rise after every fall.
Today, Zoey has a whole line of personal development books available on Kindle Unlimited. She has helped people all over the world. And the only way to enjoy an upward-running career and peace of mind is to take responsibility for yourself.
Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta is a columnist and bestselling biographer. She is credited with the internationally acclaimed Red Dot Experiment, a decadal six-nation study on how ‘culture impacts communication.’ On Twitter @OfficialReetaRG.