Title: The Exceptionals: How the Best Become the Best and How You Can Too
Author: Kumar Mehta
Publisher: Rupa Publications India
Genre: Self-Help, Business
First Publication: 2021
Language: English
Book Summary: The Exceptionals by Kumar Mehta
The exceptional are the few individuals who have achieved an unparalleled mastery in their field. They are the 1 per cent of the 1 per cent. They have reached seemingly unreachable heights. And they may be athletes or Entertainers who are household names, or they may be people who have invented life-saving drugs or won a Nobel Prize by making fundamental advances in knowledge. Or they may have changed the world through Science or music or business by influencing millions or perhaps billions of lives. They are the people who have succeeded in being able to draw out the best talents they have within themselves and have maximized the physical, mental and social potential available to them.
The exceptionals is their story, and it provides you with the blueprint to advance yourself from good to great, and from outstanding to elite. A fascinating and comprehensive look at the commonalities in individuals who have reached an elite level in various professions.
Book Review: The Exceptionals by Kumar Mehta
There are numerous people who we consider superior to others: Albert Einstein has become the epitome of intelligence, Steve Jobs is considered a visionary of unmatched talent just to name a few. But what really makes a successful person? In this book, Kumar Mehta examines the stories of several very successful people and comes up with some interesting conclusions.
In The Exceptionals, Kumar Mehta takes us on a journey through various times and people’s lives to unearth a theory that is both humbling and insightful. It’s not the brightest people who succeed – if you’re successful, the results of your efforts are not just of your own making, but ultimately a product of the world in which you grew up. Kumar Mehta has a look at how our path is influenced by the circumstances we evolved from. We easily tend to relate one persons success to their intelligence and abilities, but fail to see that most of them underwent a long process of hard work.
This impressive book takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of ‘exceptionals’ – those at the top, the most famous, and the most successful. Kumar Mehta illustrates how they become exceptionals in response to factors like dedication, talent, personality, and opportunity all coming together in a synergistic mix to propel their success.
The Exceptionals is a well-researched subject put down to plausible conclusions through inductive reasoning. Kumar Mehta did a commendable job in bringing this subject of success into a logical paradigm that is both palatable and eye-opening. Above all, this book is really smoothly written and a joy to read. You’ll learn new things, you’ll get some more encouragement to keep practicing at whatever it is you want to achieve professionally or hobby-wise. And it might give you some conversation topics too.
The point of the book is not to explain away success stories. But rather it is to learn from these stories, and use this information to help everyone be more productive and successful. The author shows several instances where proactive steps were able to ameliorate the effect of negative cultural legacies. Kumar Mehta, with poignant examples and rational assessments, makes a tremendous case for a broader picture, one in which individual grit and tenacity are indeed a large part of success, but they are only one part.
The Exceptionals is well written and entertaining and at the same time informative and educational. This book gave me a new perception on how to see success. What make someone a super achievers have less to do with the smartness and more to do with the hunger of doing hard work for prolonged period of time. Citing case after fascinating case of successful people, Kumar Mehta’s point becomes unforgettably clear: successful people are often talented, intelligent, and ambitious, yes, but these traits always converge with opportunities. Being in the right place at the right time. Hard work combined with opportunity is everything.
In The Exceptionals, Kumar Mehta delivers a thought-provoking, insightful analysis describing the nature of success and who rises to the top. Kumar Mehta seems to have a way with drawing out unseen and seen ideas of road to success. He helps his readers perceive familiar information in entirely new ways. Definitely recommend to those who are curious.
