The Monk and the Riddle: The Art of Creating a Life While Making a Living

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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 650 EAN: 9781578516445 ISBN: 1578516447 Label: Harvard Business School Press Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 208 Publication Date: 2001-07 Publisher: Harvard Business School Press Studio: Harvard Business School Press
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Editorial Reviews: What would you be willing to do for the rest of your life...? It's a question most of us consider only hypothetically-opting instead to "do what we have to do" to earn a living. But in the critically acclaimed bestseller "The Monk and the Riddle", entrepreneurial sage Randy Komisar asks us to answer it for real. The book's timeless advice - to make work pay not just in cash, but in experience, satisfaction, and joy - will be embraced by anyone who wants success to come not just from what they do, but from who they are.At once a fictional tale of Komisar's encounters with a would-be entrepreneur and a personal account of how Komisar found meaning not in work's rewards but in work itself, the book illustrates what's wrong with the mainstream thinking that we should sacrifice our lives to make a living. Described by Fortune.com as "part personal essay, part fictional narrative and part meditation on the nature of work and life," "The Monk and the Riddle" is essential reading on the art of creating a life while making a living. 'Belongs in a category by itself...The best thing I've read all year' - "San Francisco Examiner". 'A timely book' - "USA Today". 'A self-help manual and business fable rolled into one' - "The Times, London".
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Riddle: Who spends good money on a bad book? Answer: Me Comment: If I had to sum it up, I'd say it's 1/100th E-myth (by Michael Gerber)--a great book by the way; 1/100th Laws of Success (by Napoleon Hill); 1/100th Money and the Meaning of Life (by Jacob Needleman)--which I do not recommend; and 97/100ths fluff, to borrow the commonly used word of my college English teacher when referring to such works. I give this book 2.5 stars only becuase the venture capital story line is a little interesting. But, this is not a book for the entrepreneur. It's more of a Chicken Soup for the Business Unsavvy Soul meets Monkisms that Don't Hit Home. The venture capital story line is the only real interesting part of the book, yet this story fizzles so dramatically at the end that I thought I actually felt my stomach ulcer relent a moment when I closed the book--or maybe the book was causing the pain? I don't know. The monk's answer fails to deliver on multiple levels: first, the question (oh yeah, the monk's answer is a question) is judgmental wonderment by a man so far removed from the "rat race" and normal stressful life that he could have no other view than that of a little child; second, the so called journey that leads one to the answer/question is at best askew to the venture capital storyline; and third, a person looking for an answer to a pretended great question will find no mystery unfolded in this book. My suggestion, save your money! Buy a Chicken Soup for the Soul book (this will take care of the good feeling you were supposed to get when reading this book) , read one of Napoleon Hill's books (this will put in the "money" frame of mind), and one of Michael Gerber's E-myth books (this will help you structure your would-be business), at least you'll know what you were getting and feel like a more significant person after reading any one of these other books. Customer Rating: Summary: I'll sum it up in one paragraph Comment: You can't be happy in life, being an entrepreneur, unless you find a way to find meaning into you business. Venture Capital, post "the bust", is very hard to come by; finding meaning in your business will be a key component in providing you with the drive necessary to overcome the many obstacles inherent with owning your own business. VC's know this and want to see it when your giving your spiel before they fork over the cash. There you go; save your money. Define it and use it as your central drive in life and business. I was a little duped into buying the book. Babson College requires it for one of their entrepreneurship classes. What's with professors making you buy books that tell you what they (the professors) can tell you in just one paragraph? Customer Rating: Summary: Quick Read, Great Idea! Comment: After reading 4- hour work week by Tim Ferris, I am a big fan of NOT living the Deferred Life Plan. Tim recommends this book so I read it in a few hours. Other critics like to say negative things about what the book wasn't, but I am going to tell you about what it was. It was a little slow in the middle due to all the story telling about the his life and experiences intermingled with a few characters he was currently dealing with. It was enlightening on how the VC business works and what one goes through when deciding on who to invest in. My favorite quote in the middle was that Randy believes in the "Romance not the Finance." The bottom line has to be more about something than just making $! But most of all it hits home for so many people who are doing what they have to do now, so they can do what they want to do later. Chapter 9: The Gamble is where it gets good. I found the words he uses to describe the differences of business risks and personal risks to be exactly where I am in life (28 with a great job that I could continue to make $, but have to compromise my creativity, work with people I don't respect, working for a company who's core values are different than mine, and doing something I don't care about). Or seek out that other career that is not so certain but is my passion and I could see myself doing it for life. Thanks Tim and Randy for the words. I am a Whole Lifer Now! RC Customer Rating: Summary: Metaphysical Capitalism Comment: Liked the author, enjoyed the insight into the world of venture capitalism but this book could have been an article in a magazine. It seemed to me like a long walk for a short pay-off. I get the point but felt like the author was purposely stringing you along for some bigger pay-off that did not happen. Customer Rating: Summary: This book is about self discovery moreso than business! Comment: Randy did a great job of taking the readers through a seris of conversations that first started with Randy and Lenny than later to introduce Allison. Looking beyond the business venture and the excitement of starting a company, the few imporant points that caused me to refoucus were-What really excites me enough to want to do it for the "rest of my life" and Create YOUR onw meaning of success not what someone elses meaning of success. I also like Randy's thoughts about defering life so you can chase a pot of gold IS NOT the answer. If you're going to work hard you may as well work hard doing something you love and that something should make a difference in the lives of others or IMO, it's not worth doing. That was a wake up call for me. I am all about building wealth but I had to get my priorities straight as it relates to the path I was talking to get there! I was Lenny in the flesh. Thanks Randy, I appriate the book! More Reviews