THE LAW OF OUTCOME

Pradhan examines what he sees as the factors that drive decision-making and the practices that lead to happiness.

The author begins with the insight that if the outcome of one’s beliefs and actions is not happiness, there must be something wrong with them; he likens this to a recipe with an unpalatable result, in which one must find the ingredient that needs to be changed. He posits a similar question regarding generally unhappy lives: What needs to be changed? “Remember the way you think, your consciousness, your belief system—it is not you. And when it is not you, it can be changed,” he advises. The book’s first half explains the three mental elements that he believes direct our decisions—strong desire, compulsion, and confusion—as well as resultant actions and emotions that result from these. The concepts encompass an original philosophy based on the author’s observations; he doesn’t claim any authority as an academic, spiritual teacher, or cultural leader, but he does conduct seminars and workshops based on his ideas. He includes allegorical stories to explain these concepts—including an extended piece about an eventful Sunday—which are multiple pages long and somewhat dense. Despite this complexity, the book has practical value—particularly in its 10 practices that the author claims will lead to a happy life, which include early waking, exercise and yoga, a healthy diet, proper hygiene, and other activities. Indeed, the second half of the book might have been more effective as a standalone guide, as it’s more accessible than earlier sections.

An overly complex philosophy of life, followed by a more persuasive guide to finding fulfillment.