This post is a review of
the latest book by Martin Medows. A shorter name for the book is Self Disciplined Producer by Martin Medows
I downloaded two free
books authored by Martin Medows. I downloaded the third book by
Martin Medows which was suggested in the books which I had already
downloaded. I have commented on two of his books on this blog. I
communicated with Martin Medows through emails. I checked his YouTube
Displays. I watched a person talking to his audience. Is he the real
Martin Medows? Martin Medows is a pen name of the author. I had sent
him a direct question and asked him about his real name. However, he
skipped the straight answer. He sends newsletters. In one of the
letter, he announced the launch of his new book. He wrote that the
price as suggested in the email would be increased after the
promotional period ends. I bought the book. The book, Self
Disciplined Producer - Develop a Powerful Work Ethic, Improve Your
Focus, and Produce Better Results is the topic of commentary here. Quite a long title. However, the
book is not long at all. It contains 100 pages. I bought it for ₹49.
However, now it is for ₹260. In short, he has made a sale by his
skills.
Martin Medows has
repeated it in his book that he is not much concerned by developing
social media content with the motive of promoting his book. He
suggests a very pragmatic, workable and practical solution and it is,
that an author should come up with a new title at a regular interval.
That sounds a sensible thing. That is the nature of his advice. They
are not elaborate. They are the matter of fact advice. They are
experientialist advice. They are the direct action advice. He
preaches what he practices. That is the hallmark of the contents of
his book. On the other hand, he is not adverse to aggressively market
his product. He has adopted the technique of developing an email list
of interested readers. He brings his work in the multiple emerging
formats of publishing like Audiobooks and podcasts. In short, he
makes a sale by his skills.
Now something about the
book and the contents.
The book is spread over
seven essays. The content includes one Prologue, five chapters and
ends with an Epilogue.
The chapter 1, The Common
Habits, the writer talks about the procrastination and how to deal
with it. He has given his analysis of the feature of procrastination.
The writer has developed his narrative according to his analysis. He
has referred to some sources which are available on the Internet. He
has suggested some solutions to deal with procrastination.
In Chapter 2, If you
can't wait, he writes about necessary sacrifices which one has to
make to achieve success.
In chapter 2, he has made
an observation. He writes, "Different techniques work for
different people, so try few and see what works."
Now, the observation of the writer as
mentioned above is correct about all the Self
Improvement literature. I have already said it in one of my posts.
The writer writes the similar type of the matter of facts statements.
The writer talks about
Krav Maga technique. It seems that he is a rock climber and love this
sport more than any other game. In one of his other book, he has also
talked about some specific feature of self-improvement methods.
Therein, he had informed of a software Xmind to record progress. He
writes about such features in self-disciplining and improvements in a
manner as if he is sharing his own secret. The actual thing is that
one should develop the ability to learn and incorporate different
devices and techniques in his daily life to improve one's
personality. One should drop rigidity. One should remove aversions.
One should stop making the final statements. One should be open to
innovation and experimentation without compromising his morality and
social ethics.
Chapter 3 is titled as
Does his matter. In his promotional letter, the writer has asked a
question for providing a new free ebook by quizzing that which is the
third letter in the book. It was used as another marketing technique.
The central theme of the
chapter is that one should adopt one target approach. One should make
one's task simpler. One should watch for those tasks and acts which
increases the productivity and profit. It is a very pertinent
suggestion. We clutter our mind by numerous rituals and practices
which reduces are output. It is more accurate in case of Indians –
Bhartiyas as they have an instinct to develop rituals and rites about
the general course of actions. The message of the writer is that one
should get melted into one's passion.
The Chapter 4, is called
Go for Extreme. This chapter is primarily about the time management.
It talks about learning the limits of one's endurance in case of mind
and physical strength.
The Chapter 5, is about
the importance of rest.
However, he makes an
interesting observation. While emphasising the need of doing exercise
as a part of one's personality development, he writes, "I won't
bother with citing scientific research about its well-known
benefits." The point for attention in the line is the phrase
"bother with citing scientific research". That is the
thing. He writes about his experiential observations. It is writing
norm which he has adopted that when he makes his statement, he
substantiate with a reference which is termed as research-based fact.
The emphasis of research-based facts; quoting of research-based
reports of some institution, laboratory, universities or science
magazine to authenticate one claim is a fashion, a fad, a norm. A
writer tells about his observations. The writer provides references
from thirty to forty sources. Where should a reader go? Is the reader
expected to check every text? If one goes by scientific temperament
approach, then he or she is supposed to verify the claim. It is not
possible in the art of reading. The writers must say his thing.
However, he should do it in a manner, wherein the narrative itself
remains consistent. There is no need of giving references to
different sources every time.
In the Epilogue, the
writer has tried to summarise his whole work. The feature of the
summary was seen being appreciated by one of the reviewer and
commentator in the comment section at Amazon portal.
I end the essay with an
observation. All these self-improvement books can be divided into two
sets. One set contains books wherein the writer talks about some
gurus, religious scriptures and esoteric philosophy for personality
development. The second set is of such writers who refer to
scientific observations and research reports. Both the groups adopt
an anchoring in a faith system – if one refers to Godly things then
other suggests Scientific things. Nobody talks about the actual
person. One should tell that it is YOU who have to change. Even
education system is not able to resolve the purpose of its
endeavours. The society needs the individuals who are trained for
their perfection. For that, the individual should learn to think and
experiment. For that, he does not have to visit a laboratory, or
fitness studio or psychiatrist. His self is with him and within him.
He has to learn how to use the arms, hands, legs and brain. A person
is not a car in which a mechanic will perform the maintenance
operation. A person is a mechanic for himself. He has to develop
faith in himself and improve his skills of a mechanic who can correct
his body and mind machine. All the gyms, doctors, laboratories and
psychiatrist can be a help. However, the deciding factor is the self.
The need is to develop
the man in the man by the man.
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