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Category: Excerpts

Read an exclusive excerpt from Tiny Rice Grains

Posted on by simransingh

Tiny Rice Grains explores the human side of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). 

Given the business case that diverse and inclusive organizations thrive and drive better performance, the question begs to be asked: why are so many organizations still struggling to implement and embed DEI in the workplace? The book explores this question and tackles how DEI strategies are often approached. as standalone initiatives rather than being woven into the fabric of the organization. Too many people are still afraid to have brave conversations and confront uncomfortable truths in the realm of DEI.

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Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable 

I started playing tennis not too long ago and have since been taking classes to improve my game. Recently, in one such class, I was practicing a new serve that my coach wanted me to try. It felt really uncomfortable and unnatural. When I told him about how it felt, he replied, ‘Yes, and you’ll find that after three or four tries; you’ll slip back into your original form because that’s what feels comfortable.’ 

When he said that, I paused our session and said, ‘I have to write that down for my book!’ My coach laughed. I don’t think he realized quite how insightful his comment was. Our mental muscles that control our behaviour, behave in much the same way as our physical ones. They tend to return to what is comfortable, unless we consciously practise and form new habits. The three Cs approach is a way to consciously practise and engage our mental muscles, so we do not slip back into our old habits and biases. It’s a way to bring us out of System 1 thinking and activate System 2 thinking. 

Start With Care, Lean into Courage, and Show Curiosity 

There are many ways in which care can be applied to create inclusion. These range from an organization’s policies to how your leaders support you to care for yourself. Courage is about the action we take to demonstrate inclusion. Curiosity is making the choice to understand from another’s perspective, and also the willingness to pick up new knowledge on an area with which we are unfamiliar. 

When we are working to create inclusion, it is easy to slip back into our old patterns of behaviour, but remaining where it’s comfortable and not shifting our mindsets or changing our behaviours isn’t going to lead to the outcome of care that we’re aiming for. 

While policies and interventions at an organizational level can help, it is in how the policies are delivered, by leaders and colleagues who care about the impact, that change is really seen and felt. We have to be curious and positively disrupt our normal patterns of thinking and behaviour. We must have courage to take action that may feel uncomfortable but lead to the right outcomes and commit to doing the right thing when it’s hard, not only when it’s easy. 

*** 

The book explores this question and tackles how DEI strategies are often approached. as standalone initiatives rather than being woven into the fabric of the organization. Too many people are still afraid to have brave conversations and confront uncomfortable truths in the realm of DEI. 

Get your copy now.  

 

Read an exclusive excerpt from The Longing

Posted on by simransingh

In The Longing, memory is not just something you inherit — it’s something you survive.
Spanning three generations of women bound by blood, sacrifice, and silence, this quietly devastating novel traces how familial duty and hidden desires shape a legacy across time. In this excerpt, we’re transported to 1957, where seventeen-year-old Ah Lam’s future is being quietly negotiated—her heart caught between a factory worker’s promise and her family’s pressing need. What begins as a story of matchmakers and marriage quickly unfurls into something deeper: the uneasy tug-of-war between personal longing and generational expectation.

The Longing is a story about three generations of women who find what they need when intergenerational trauma and family memories haunt their lives and ties to others.  

*** 

In 1957, just when Ah Lam turns seventeen, Ah Wong decides it is high time for her to get married. The family’s need for financial profit and reduced costs is growing, as with nine children the struggle is arduous. Although their small shop does nicely—and the girls help further by taking sewing and embroidering orders, while the boys taking turns running the tobacco delivery from one neighbourhood to another—the children have growing appetites, and soon they will need to send the boys to the Dutch school, which will cost twice as much as the Chinese-language school. 

Ah Wong has kept silent about Ah Lam’s secret relationship with the factory worker, for it seemed harmless enough. Everyone who had mentioned it to him, hoping to be the first, said ‘How sweet,’ and ‘Don’t worry, it won’t last.’ 

‘The boy works hard and could do well for himself,’ Ah Bao once said.  

But after learning that Tan Kwee has almost no family inheritance, Ah Wong decides Ah Lam should set her sights higher. There are costs for food, housing, children, and festivities to anticipate. And there’s unpredictable rising costs in the market, always coming out to hit everyone without any warnings. Once a week, Ah Wong delivers rice to a wealthy Chinese family who runs a successful packaging company for the Dutch—rice, flour, and sugar. 

Since Ah Wong has always made his deliveries on time, the owner, Cheng Mui Gek, a widowed businesswoman who can smell money from a mile away, grows fond of him, and often talks to him about their respective children. Her youngest son, Cheng Lei, has just turned twenty-two and spends his days playing Chopin, Brahms, and Beethoven on the piano or arranging roses, gerberas, and chrysanthemums in a vase. 

‘He thinks that’s what he wants to do all his life and nothing else,’ Cheng Mui says, ‘but I know better. That boy of mine needs a wife.’ 

***  

This heartfelt story is one you don’t want to miss.  

Get your copy today.  

 

Read an exclusive excerpt from Letters From Gaza

Posted on by simransingh

Letters from Gaza is an intimate collection of personal writings that bears witness to one of the most devastating humanitarian crises of our time. This one-of-a-kind compilation comprises real-time reflections that uniquely capture the voice of people living through the conflict as a vital record of resilience in the face of adversity. Compiled by acclaimed Gaza-based writers Mahmoud Alshaer and Mohammed Zaqzooq, this book is an unflinching account of war told through the words of those living it—offering a deeply personal, urgent, and essential perspective that gets often lost in global headlines.

Read an exclusive excerpt below.

 

Know more||

 

Unable to Convey the Sound of the Explosion

by Husam Marouf

Translated by Soha El-Sebaie

Every evening, she would come with her face pale, her features

almost disappearing because of frowning, and throw her body on

the sofa I was sitting on as if she was throwing a bag of wheat.

After the sound of the collision passed, she would advance towards

my left thigh, and lean her head on it without a word between us,

as if telling me I still love you, I still choose to rest in your embrace.

I could hear the sound of a devastated waterfall pouring from her

head onto my thigh to the point that one time I felt the dampness

on my skin.

The one with delicate, tender features, eyes the colour of green

grapes, and a vibrant spirit that seeped into every cell of my skin.

She dreamed of becoming an interior designer—a dream the city

of Gaza could not accommodate. So, she sought an opportunity to

travel to Europe to work there. But the war came, and her family’s

house was bombed over their heads. Her father, mother, and little

brother, whom she adored, died. Perhaps, it’s for his sake she was

postponing the travel.

 

 

 

 

Read an exclusive excerpt from Happy Ever After

Posted on by simransingh

Happy Ever After: Transform Your Leaders, Teams, and Organizations with HAPPY System™ is a robust book based on leading industry research on what it takes to create sustainable change, bringing together the latest breakthroughs in neuroscience, wisdom from ancient philosophies, thought leadership on coaching and experience of working with hundreds of leaders across the world. 

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How Can Organizations Develop a Culture of Coaching?  

Creating a sustainable culture of coaching in an organization goes beyond one off initiatives for leaders to work with external coaches—it requires embedding coaching and being coach-like in our daily interactions as a core organizational value. The following steps outline how organizations can cultivate this culture, from defining a coaching philosophy to aligning coaching practices with strategic objectives.  

  • Defining the coaching culture 

Begin by establishing a shared understanding that coaching is essential for growth and development of individuals, teams, and organizations at all levels. This sets a foundation where employees and leaders alike see coaching as an integral part of their developmental journey.  

  • Training managers in coaching skills 

Equip managers with coaching skills that enable them to ask powerful questions, encourage self-discovery, and provide constructive feedback. Trained managers model a coaching approach, inspiring others and gradually infusing coaching into the organization’s daily interactions.  

 

  • Democratizing coaching access 

Make coaching available across all staff levels to develop an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. Access to coaching for all employees unlocks their potential, leading to higher engagement and a more resilient workforce.  

 

  • Implementing a systematic approach 

Develop structured coaching systems tailored to the organization’s needs. This might include creating a global network of coaches, cultivating in-house coaching capabilities, or establishing partnerships with local providers. Define success metrics to ensure these initiatives have measurable impact.  

  • Aligning coaching with business strategies 

Integrate coaching with organizational goals, ensuring that coaching initiatives are designed to support broader strategies. This alignment maximizes the relevance and effectiveness of coaching, reinforcing its role in achieving the organization’s vision.   

  • Embracing learning and celebrating success 

Deploy coaching in a way that feels natural by celebrating success stories, sharing testimonials, and highlighting real impacts. This encourages employees to embrace the value of coaching, making it a part of the organization’s fabric.  

  • Providing support structures 

Offer ongoing training, supervision, and recognition for internal coaches to maintain high-quality coaching standards. Integrating coaching into organizational processes ensures it remains a vital part of the work environment.  

  • Engaging stakeholders and building partnerships 

Engage key stakeholders and establish partnerships with external coaching experts to enrich the organization’s coaching capabilities and ensure seamless integration of coaching initiatives.  

Together, these steps build a coaching culture that empowers employees, drives growth, and aligns with organizational goals, positioning coaching as a strategic asset for organizational success.  

*** 

This book re-defines the way we relate to ourselves, our teams and life itself. It is a must-have book for any leader who wishes to turn possibilities into reality for themselves, their teams and organisation. Get your copy now.  

 

Read an exclusive excerpt from The Wisdom of Yolo

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What if money wasn’t the obstacle, but the opportunity?
In a world where we’re constantly told to grind harder, save more, and never stop chasing the next big thing, The Wisdom of YOLO lands like a breath of fresh air, and a wake-up call. Nikki Jurado’s bold new book doesn’t just ask how to build wealth, but why we’re building it in the first place.

Part manifesto, part financial guide, and part soul-searching workbook, The Wisdom of YOLO challenges the conventional hustle narrative and invites you to rethink what a “rich life” really looks like. If you’ve ever felt torn between living in the moment and planning for the future, this book might just be the roadmap you didn’t know you needed. Read an excerpt below to know more.

***

First things first: YOLO isn’t just about living for the moment. It’s about living fully and intentionally, with an understanding that our time here is precious and limited. It’s about making choices that enrich our lives and create lasting happiness.

So, how does money fit into this picture?

Money, in its essence, is a tool. It’s not an end goal but a means to achieve the life you desire.

When you shift your perspective from chasing money to making money work for you, everything changes. Imagine having the financial freedom to pursue your passions, spend quality time with loved ones, and experience the world without the constant worry of financial instability. This is where the wisdom of YOLO and smart financial practices intersect.

Consider this: What are your core values? What brings you true joy and fulfilment?

The first step in making money work for you is aligning your financial goals with your life goals. It’s about clarity and purpose. Ask yourself, how can your money support your dream life? Rather than getting caught up in the grind of earning and spending, think about investing in experiences, knowledge, and assets that grow over time.

Investing is a key strategy here. But let’s demystify it: Investing isn’t just for the Wall Street elite. It’s a powerful way to make your money work for you, no matter where you start. Whether it’s stocks, real estate, or even a side business, investing can create streams of passive income that free up your time and energy. Imagine earning money while you sleep or while you’re off on your next adventure. Isn’t that the ultimate YOLO move?

But wait, there’s more. Let’s talk about the mindset shift required. It’s about breaking free from the pay cheque-to-pay cheque cycle and embracing a mindset of abundance. This means being wise about your spending, yes, but also being bold in your investments. It’s about taking calculated risks that align with your long-term vision.

What if you could turn every dollar into an ally, working tirelessly to build the life you want?

***

Learn more in depth about these tips in The Wisdom of YOLO. Get a copy now and watch your life transform for the better.  

 

Read and exclusive excerpt from The Art and Science of Peak Performance

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If you had the opportunity to become the best version of yourself—physically, mentally, and emotionally—would you be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it? Would you commit to mastering your habits, upgrading your mindset, and optimizing every area of your life in pursuit of peak performance?

Art and Science of Peak Performance is a comprehensive playbook that will arm you on how you should think about and address sleep, nutrition and supplementation, movement and exercise, mental health and brain optimization, disease and injury prevention, and biohacking and longevity. 

***

The Morning Ritual for a Good Night’s Sleep  

Ironically, getting a good night’s sleep starts the moment you wake up.  

There are a number of people that I have been following through the years, none more impactful to my sleep and morning daily ritual than neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman,7 known as the podcaster who ‘got America to care about science’. Also a Stanford School of Medicine associate professor, Huberman hosts Huberman Lab, one of the top health podcasts in the US. His much-followed morning protocol has spurred numerous videos on YouTube documenting how they ‘did the Andrew Huberman morning routine for X days/ weeks and this is what happened’.  

When people start writing and vlogging about following something that you do that makes them want to change their life, you know your research and protocol has reached a certain cult status where people have sat up, listened to, and actually done the work.  

One of the main things that Huberman discusses in his work is how to set up one’s self throughout the day so you can get a good night’s sleep at the end of it. I have followed his advice and created this morning ritual for myself, with my own personal assessment and with feedback from other experts. 

Evening Ritual: Protecting Your Sleep  

Your evening ritual, suggests Helene Patounas, should focus on doing things pre-bedtime that would ‘protect’ your sleep, so you get the right quality and amount of shuteye that the body needs to recharge. For Chien Han How, a medical entrepreneur who founded the Sleepwake Centre in Singapore—and a guest/subject matter expert featured in my podcast and previous book Methods to Greatness—the same is true. He recommends getting into a relaxed state before going to sleep, and working on your ‘sleep hygiene’, which essentially is about timing one’s sleep schedule so that your body naturally cues you on when it is time to go to bed and when it is time to wake up. 

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Learn more in depth about these rituals in The Art and Science of Peak Performance. Get a copy now and watch your life transform for the better.  

Read an exclusive excerpt from Ageless

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Ageless aims to bridge the gap between the bench and bedside, to further Dr Michael Khor Kok Seng’s legacy of service to the community and to educate the reader by promoting healthy living and informed choices. Here is an excerpt from the book. 

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Gut dysbiosis 

The gut is very important to us. We use the word ‘gut’ in both literal and abstract ways. These are all abstracts using the word gut. 

  • No guts = scared, running away  
  • Gut feeling = instinct/intuition 
  • Having guts = courage 
  • A kick in the guts = a big setback 

In literal terms, the gut means the intestines or the digestive tract. There are enzymes in the gut that digest the food that we consume. The gut also protects us as a barrier against the bad bacteria that we ingest together with the food that we eat, as well as the poisons and heavy metals that are accidentally taken in.  

Among the essential metabolites produced by the gut microbiome are vitamins, protein derivatives (amino acid parts), bile acids, and short chain fatty acids (SCFA). Sugars like table sugar and lactose (milk sugar) are quickly absorbed in the upper part of the small intestine, but more complex carbohydrates like starches and fibres are not as easily digested and may travel lower to the large intestine. There, the microbiota help to break down these compounds with their digestive enzymes. The fermentation of indigestible fibres causes the production of SCFA that can be used by the body as a nutrient source but also play an important role in muscle function and possibly the prevention of chronic diseases, including certain cancers and bowel disorders. Clinical studies have shown that SCFA may be useful in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. 

The difference in the composition of the gut microbiota can determine how healthy we are and how long we can live. A healthy gut means a good balance of microbes in our body. These microbes have a lot of functions in the body.  

The gut microbiome is a key factor in multiple processes: 

  • It helps to digest and absorb ingested nutrients. 
  • It protects as a barrier against harmful organisms. 
  • It allows the passage into the body of beneficial agents. 
  • It produces essential metabolites like vit B and K. 
  • It provides signalling of peripheral and central nervous systems. 

Harm can occur in the body when: 

  • The composition of the gut microbiota is changed, or  
  • The intestinal barrier is compromised. 

Some organisms may be pathogenic and cause disease. Although the body and the totality of all these microbes live together peacefully, sometimes there is an imbalance between the synergistic and disease-causing microbes, especially in the elderly. This causes a dysbiosis, a disturbance in the microenvironment in the gut.  

*** 

Using a combination of personal anecdotes and thorough research, this book is written with the layman in mind, and lays down the latest scientific evidence in man’s search for healthy longevity. 

Read an exclusive excerpt from The Anti-Procrastinator

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Unlike most productivity books, The Anti-Procrastinator is not a prescriptive roadmap to being more efficient in life. Instead, it will guide you to create your own manual to get things done through the power of self-awareness. 

*** 

After analysing the multiple responses and insights, I noticed three elements were present across the board and kept recurring again and again, like a common denominator of productivity and anti-procrastination: self-awareness, proactivity, and processes.  

Self-Awareness  

The anti-procrastinators I interviewed were highly self-aware. They knew exactly what worked for them, what didn’t, and their weaknesses and blind spots. As if they were going through a procrastination X-ray, they were able to articulate what they needed to do to make things happen and what their enemies and distractions were. There was no hesitation, and they knew how to tackle the frog—and eat it. They also knew that they had to continuously audit themselves to see what was not working and make adjustments. There was always room to improve, and they were always on the lookout for blind spots. 

Proactivity  

This group of individuals was decisive and in control, thinking and behaving proactively. They were constantly thinking ahead, foreseeing and planning rather than reacting to external factors and circumstances. They had a plan B in case plan A didn’t work; they packed an umbrella in the bag in case they got caught in the rain. In fact, they didn’t talk about fighting procrastination as much as they talked about preventing it, being two steps ahead, and setting themselves up for success from the first hours of the day. They were not fighting fires; they were preventing them. 

Flexible Processes  

The anti-procrastinators all had processes, both formal and informal, and there was structure and discipline in the way they approached tasks. Each individual had their own personal recipe developed through trial, error, and iteration. Most workdays looked similar, although not strictly identical, and were pre-planned rather than left to serendipity and inspiration. None of them highlighted motivation as a key driver, but they did emphasize having their own tools and rituals, such as morning and evening routines, calendars, to-do lists, and systems to plan, execute, and measure work. Productivity was calculated and premeditated rather than left to the mercy of goodwill and positive intention. 

*** 

Whether you want to learn a new language, run a marathon, learn a new skill, or launch a business, The Anti-Procrastinator will show you that it’s possible, but it starts and ends with you. Self-awareness is the name of the game. Get your copy to learn more.  

 

Read an exclusive excerpt from Awakening the Advocate

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If you’re looking for a way to make a positive impact on the world, Matthew S. Friedman’s inspiring book is the perfect guide. Through his incredible experiences and tireless activism over 35 years, he shows us that one person truly can create a ripple effect that leads to global change. 

*** 

When an Act of Kindness Goes Terribly Wrong
Some time ago, I received an urgent email from an Indian businessman named Mr Gupta, who was on a work trip in Bangkok. He described a distressing incident that had occurred the previous evening before his departure back to India.  

Mr Gupta explained how, during a visit to the hotel bar, a chaotic scene unfolded before him. A crazed man barged in, shouting at a young woman in Russian and forcibly dragging her towards the exit. Concerned for her well-being, Mr Gupta, along with a few other patrons, stepped forward to help. Within minutes, hotel security arrived and apprehended the man.  

Filled with empathy, Mr Gupta sat down with the woman and listened to her harrowing tale. In broken English, she explained how she had fallen victim to a Russian trafficking gang that had deceived her with the promise of a hotel job in Thailand, only to force her into prostitution. 

Moved by her plight, Mr Gupta made a compassionate decision. He offered to purchase a ticket for her to return to Russia and planned to accompany her partway on the journey. They would fly together to Hong Kong, after which he would return to India while she would continue her journey back home. 

However, things took a turn for the worse when the woman found herself alone in her hotel room in Hong Kong. Gripped by fear, she began to have second thoughts about going back to Russia. She was terrified that the trafficking gang would track her down and harm her and her family. Her anxiety escalated, leading her to resort to excessive drinking.  

In her drunken state, she reached out to Mr Gupta, who was staying in a separate hotel room, and made a distressing threat. She claimed that if he didn’t stay with her, she would falsely accuse him of rape and attempted trafficking. Faced with a challenging situation, Mr Gupta tried to persuade her to return to Russia, but her behaviour became increasingly erratic. He feared that involving local authorities would result in his arrest.  

Feeling desperate, Mr Gupta sought help through a mutual contact, who connected him with me. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, I reached out to a colleague at the United Nations who stepped up and swiftly intervened. The woman received the necessary assistance from trained specialists and was safely repatriated to Russia. Mr Gupta, profoundly shaken by the experience, returned to India, having learned a valuable lesson. 

While Mr Gupta’s intentions were noble and rooted in compassion, he underestimated the profound trauma experienced by the trafficking victim. This scenario, unfortunately, is not uncommon. Well-meaning individuals encounter trafficking victims and feel compelled to help. But due to the intricate nature of these situations and the extreme trauma endured by the victims, it is crucial that ordinary people refrain from intervening independently. Doing so can inadvertently create further complications for both the victim and the well-intentioned individual. 

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In this book, you’ll learn how a once-shy boy from a New England town dedicated his life to battling the scourge of human trafficking in over 40 countries. Get your copy of this incredibly moving book today.  

Read an exclusive excerpt from B.E.S.T. Marking

Posted on by simransingh

B.E.S.T. Marking presents a powerful new Leadership Paradigm to navigate the complexities of this new normal environment- and win it big. It’s more than a framework; it’s a revolution in leadership. A call to action for leaders to conquer emerging challenges. 

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Why is trust important in leadership and followership?  

Trust is essential for great leaders, especially in the post-pandemic world. The pandemic has created a number of challenges for leaders, including:  

  1. Increased uncertainty and complexity: The world is more uncertain and complex than ever before. Leaders need to be able to make decisions quickly and effectively in the face of changing circumstances. To do this, they need to be able to trust their team members to provide accurate information and to execute on their decisions.  
  2. Greater need for collaboration: The pandemic has shown that leaders need to be able to collaborate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers, and government officials. To build and maintain successful collaborations, leaders need to trust their partners and to be willing to share information and resources. 
  3. Increased focus on employee well-being: The pandemic has also highlighted the importance of employee well-being. Leaders need to create a work environment where employees feel safe, supported, and valued. To do this, leaders need to trust their employees and to be willing to give them the flexibility and autonomy they need to succeed.  

 

In the post-pandemic world, leaders who are able to build and maintain trust with their team members and stakeholders will be more likely to succeed.  

 

There are many benefits to trust in leadership and followership. Some of the key benefits include:  

 

  1. Increased employee engagement: When employees trust their leaders, they are more likely to be engaged in their work and to feel motivated to do their best.  
  2. Improved productivity: Trust allows employees to work more efficiently and effectively. When employees trust their leaders, they are more likely to take initiative and to go the extra mile.  
  3. Higher-quality decisions: When leaders and followers trust each other, they are more likely to make better decisions. This is because they are more likely to share information openly and honestly, and to consider all sides of an issue.  
  4. Reduced turnover: Trust helps to create a more positive and supportive work environment. This leads to lower turnover rates and higher retention of top talent.  

 

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Learn more about the importance and benefits of trust in leadership and followership along with other crucial information in B.E.S.T. Marking by Jerome Mangadap.  

 

Get your copy today.