“A Force for Good” by Daniel Goleman and Dalai Lama – Changing Your World

Deep down inside, most of us really want this world to be a better place, one with less suffering and more happiness. Truth be told though, very few of us actually have a plan, and even less have an idea how to go about it.

After all, it does feel like a hopeless and impossible task, something virtually none can actually achieve... a pipe dream for us all. At the same time though, we still realize that there would be no other way of enacting such dramatic changes; each person must play his or her part, regardless of what they believe others to be doing.

In A Force for Good by Daniel Goleman and Dalai Lama, we are introduced to the latter's philosophy on this matter. In this book, the Dalai Lama discusses on ways in which people can harness positive energy and direct it outwardly to help transform their environment into something much better.

Much of the focus is placed on the concept of compassion and actions that are driven by it. He attempts to convey the idea that for a more peaceful and harmonious world, acts of compassion are absolutely necessary, no matter how small or trivial.

Now, I know some of you may think that this sounds like the type of book that describes an idealistic world while being out of touch with modern reality, but that certainly isn't the case. As it happens, the current Dalai Lama is actually rather invested in current affairs and modern values, and tries to guide the reader towards practical actions they can take in order to improve various facets of their lives.

For instance, he goes in-depth on subjects such as the need for transparency and accountability to break systemic inequity, the need to replace violence with dialogue, the need for a new economic system that works for all, reforms needed in education systems to place a larger focus on self-mastery, ethics and empathy, how to dissolve the “us vs. them” mentality, just to name a few.

Going even beyond that, the book is also chock full of testimonies from various people who tried to enact the Dalai Lama's ideas and suggestions, detailing how things actually worked out for them.

As much as I'm certain the Dalai Lama would love to make everyone in this world as compassionate as he is, he doesn't force his ideas down your throat in any way. The book is written in a very soothing, relaxing and neutral language, one that invites the reader to think about the ideas and issues portrayed within and perhaps arrive at their own conclusions.

Ultimately,A Force for Good ends up being a rather moving piece of literature that goes way beyond your typical lessons on compassion and empathy. Goleman almost treats it as an actual science and does his best to capture the ultimate depths of the Dalai Lama's reflections on the subject.

This makes for a book that has a lot to teach about the world and making it a better place, one I would recommend to anyone yearning for a better tomorrow.

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His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama Personal site The fourteenth man to be heralded as the Dalai Lama bears the religious name of Tenzin Gyatso, and despite his seemingly ancient approach to the world, his insight into the human nature can only be rivaled by a few, and he even took the time to write a very interesting book, simply titled The Art of Happiness.

Daniel Goleman Personal site Daniel Goleman is an American psychologist, science journalist and author who wrote for The New York Times for twelve years. He authored over ten books on subjects such as education, psychology, and the ecological crisis. Some of his best-known works include The Varieties of the Meditative Experience as well as Primal Leadership: the Hidden Driver of Great Performance.