Introduction: The Diamond Cutter
The Diamond Cutter: The Buddha on Managing Your Business and Your Life
I would now like to spend a few minutes talking about The Diamond Cutter: The Buddha on Managing Your Business and Your Life by Geshe Michael Roach. I seem to choose a lot of very difficult books to read. This book gave my brain an intellectual workout, but it was well worth the read. The Diamond Cutter is one of the best books that I have read. As those who read this blog all the time know that I read a lot of books.
I particularly like the section where Roach lists what he calls 46 typical business problems and their solutions, according to the wisdom of the The Diamond Cutter
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For example, business problem #5, “No matter how big or interesting your business gets, you always have the feeling that it's not enough; you feel driven by a sense of dissatisfaction.” The solution: “Never begrudge others the results of their own efforts; stop comparing yourself to others, just enjoy what you have: be your own person and appreciate what you have yourself.”
Looking at business problem #18, “People around you don't step forward to help you out when you most need it.” The proposed solution, “This again is a result of taking some kind of unhealthy pleasure in other people's problems. At best, try to step into every situation where you could help out… At the very least, keep a close watch on your mind and refuse to indulge in that morbid fascination with other people's problems.”
One of the ideas that I really appreciated from the book, is that the author, Geshe Michael Roach, decided to work one day less and didn't contribute less to the company. This is important in an age where many employees are on call 24/7. How productive can they be working those very long hours?
Final Thoughts: The Diamond Cutter
The Diamond Cutter forces you to think and reflect while you read, and I am sure that as you read the forty-six business problems you will nod a few times because you can relate to them. Wouldn't it be worth the effort if you tried a different approach even if it appeared simplistic?
