Everybody needs to read some or the other self-motivational, personal improvement and goal fulfillment related books at some or the other point in their lives. Many claim that such a book changed their life for good, and forever. If you have never read any such book, here is one – Breakthrough by David C.M. Carter. The author is known as the world’s leading personal mentor. He has over the years mentored many leading CEOs around the world. However, if you have ever come across any other book on this theme, then you have already read Breakthrough as well. That, in other words, means that this book has nothing particularly radical to offer to a reader who might be looking for ‘real’ breakthroughs. The book talks about 20 essential breakthroughs in human life that are capable of changing the entire course of action and bringing about a positive impact on an individual’s thought process, can help in setting the right and clear goals and pushes you to give your best shot at it.
In short, the book claims to have the potential of bringing the very best out in the reader. The 20 breakthroughs that the author talks about are 20 things about your attitude that you can change with a very small effort and the result is magnified into your personality and you can become a completely different individual in the process.
The author claims that the final destination in the journey that this book recommends is about closing the gap between where you are and not just where you prefer to be, but who you truly are.
These 20 breakthroughs have been listed under 20 different chapters, each explained in very simple, uncluttered language. Each lesson is well complemented with ‘how to tools’ to help the reader in implementing the lessons that are sought to be imparted.
Moreover, the author clarifies that there is no particular sequence in which these breakthroughs should occur in anybody’s life and hence, the readers are encouraged to fan through the pages of the book to find out a breakthrough that suits them the most. This will also keep the readers energetic and enthusiastic to work upon the learning received in this book.
Once you have read the book and started looking for any of these breakthroughs in your own life, the exercise given at the end pages will help you keep a visual tab on your performance and push you to beat your own best performance. In this way, you get connected with yourself in a conscious manner and start assessing your strengths and weaknesses in an absolutely unbiased way.
Hence, it serves as a complete package to take care of your self assessment and personality grooming needs where right from the initiation to the end point, the author holds your hand through every breakthrough.
However, despite all the riches that the book contains, it lacks in examples, illustrations and case studies to substantiate the thoughts of the author. In the absence of these critical tools, the reader finds it very hard to connect with the writer. Moreover, the book seems like a sermon delivered from a pulpit for mass consumption. In this scenario, it is assumed that they are not supposed to question the preaching and follow it whole-heartedly without raising any questions.
Since millions of books have already been written on the subject, this book fails to deliver any differentiated content. Every single word of the book looks like something that you have read somewhere before.
On the other hand, when a reader comes across any such book, he is first of all looking for some case studies, examples or visual imagery to fully understand the subject matter and then he expects a small expert comment made by the writer to get deep and hidden insight.
This helps the reader get familiar with the concept and to create a visual imagery of the idea in his mind. This in turn goes a long way in making him actually use the techniques discussed in the text.
The books lacks in any such appeal and hence, it was asserted in the very beginning that if you have ever come across any other book on this particular theme, then chances are that you have already read Breakthrough as well.
Author: David C.M. Carter
Publication: Piatkus/Hachette
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-07-4995-955-5
Pages: 336
Price: Rs 399
