Books | My Work

AWS Data Engineer Associate – Preparation Guide

Posted on by Nikhil Anand

It has been a while since I last published a post on this website, and it has also been a long time since I last authored and published a book.

I have worked at AWS for 6+ years now, and I have managed to clear all AWS certifications – the AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate being the newest addition to my cabinet.

I authored and published this preparation guide earlier this year, and if you are looking to ace this certification, this is all that you need.

AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate validates skills and knowledge in core data-related AWS services, ability to ingest and transform data, orchestrate data pipelines while applying programming concepts, design data models, manage data life cycles, and ensure data quality.

How will this certification help?

This is an in-demand role with a low supply of skilled professionals. AWS Certified Data Engineer – Associate and accompanying prep resources offer you a means to build your confidence and credibility in data engineer, data architect, and other data-related roles.

The book is live and available to purchase on Amazon.

Also available on other AWS marketplaces around the globe.

7 Books You Should Read For Self-Improvement

Posted on by Nikhil Anand

Growing up, I was never an avid book reader. I used to think of my sister as a boring soul only because she was a bibliophile. Over the last couple of years though, I have realised that books are our best friends. No matter what mental state you are in or where you are, if there is something that can give you a perfect company in every situation is nothing but books. Life is a journey which is meant for you to understand the tricks and trades of life as it comes your way. And there are some books which can be the perfect guides for you in this journey of life. Here is the list of books I have found to be great for self-improvement:

The 48 Laws Of Power

laws of power

Penned down by the writer Robert Greene, the book is full of inspirational stories and anecdotes from different perspective of life. The book contains all the motivational quotes, probably the best ones that you could ever read! Right from Goethe to Caesar, from Tsun Zu to the anonymous quotes; this book has everything in it! It will help you rebuild yourself as an individual and grow in every aspect of life.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

7 habits

This book by Stephen R Covey is known for its simplicity and authenticity. The book tells you that different people in the world have different perspective and hence the importance of putting forth your viewpoints is highly essential. Do not curb your ideas. Let them flow. Because these are the habits of highly effective people! This book teaches you the real meaning of wisdom and it is its clarity of explanation which makes it one of the efficient books which most people love to read including the entrepreneurs!

Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time

EatThatFrogCD

We all know how to procrastinate things. No, do not be ashamed in admitting this as it is one of the most common habits of the people of the present generation. We believe that there is no urgency of doing any work at any stage of time. We procrastinate big time. Read this book by Brian Tracy and you will find a million effective ways to manage your time in a fruitful manner and get the best of both worlds in everything that you do. Tracy has beautifully described how to effectively deal with procrastination before this particular evil paralyses us. It is one of those books which would help you set your priorities right and also teaches you the efficient ways of segregating the important and unimportant tasks accordingly.

The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind

Attention Revolution

This book is written by Allan Wallace is one of those books which will give you spiritual wisdom and the ability to think wisely. Wallace has focused on the “Shamatha” which is a Buddhist meditation state of mental peace. This mental condition is free from any vague thought or any sort of distractions. This book is a great inspiration for all the young people as it clearly shows the powers and the ability of the human brain to do great things. You will understand your own capabilities when you end up reading this book.

How to Win Friends and Influence People

How-to-win-friends

This book is one of the hot favorites for the people of the business world. But the claims and powers of this book is not limited to the business and entrepreneurial class. A juggernaut among all books, this book is the most sought after book for self-improvement. Dale Carnegie penned down this book about 78 years ago in 1936 and this book is still shaping the modern entrepreneurial world. Over 15 million copies of the book have been sold and the numbers are still counting. The book describes how to charm people and influence them for your ideas. Warren Buffet read this book when he was 20 years of age and we all know what he has achieved in life!

Thinking, Fast and Slow

thinking fast and slow

Author Daniel Kahneman has penned down all his life experiences and his accounts in this beautiful book. How some of the life experiences taught him to think wisely and effectively, is discussed in this book. The author has won the Nobel Prize and that itself speaks volumes for his hard work. So no wonder why this book is a good pick to read for you if you want self-improvement. He is the founder of behavioral economics – the way our psychology affects our decisions – and explains in simple prose how our thinking is divided in two systems: one fast and one slow.

The Power of your Subconscious Mind

This is one of the recent books that I read, and I found it quite motivating. The book by Joseph Murphy oozes positivity like none other. It teaches you a way of life where you dictate terms. Whatever you wish to get in life, in your professional life, personal life, or anywhere else, your subconscious mind has the power to get it done for you. Beautifully written with many examples. It is an international bestseller with translated versions as well.

Image result for power of subconscious mind

Which one did you find motivating?

The post was originally posted on tiptoplifestyle.com in 2014. I had penned down this post for Dose Media.

Make Your Own Diet – A Nutrition Guide

Posted on by Nikhil Anand

Sports |Fitness has always fascinated me. Ever since I started working out, I realised how important a role nutrition played in getting to that shape you wished to be in.

Curiosity has taken me places. And the curiosity to learn more about the science of nutrition took me a Professional Diploma course in Sports Nutrition. This was on my to-do list for quite some time. In September 2019, I managed to complete this course from Napier-Edinburgh University and now, I am a proud holder of a Professional Diploma in Sports Nutrition course.

So what next?

Well, now that I had a sound knowledge in this field (or so do I claim, bleh!), it was time to make it count. I penned down my third book – Make Your Own Diet – A Nutrition Guide – to summarise what I learnt in this course.

Make your Own Diet – A Nutrition Guide

This book can help you make your own diet plan based on the macro-nutrient needs of your body. The book will not tell you what to eat or what not to eat; rather it will tell you the nutrients you are supposed to take to ensure you meet your goals – be it weight gain, or weight loss, or maintenance. 

Unlike most health books, this does not stick to one individual, and instead, can be used by each and every one irrespective of your gender, body type, or age.

This is a short handbook which should be a two-hour read. It is not one of the books that you read and trash down. The correct way of using this book would be get back to it every time you are preparing a diet chart for yourself or for someone else. This will involve some basic calculations and hence, a calculator would always be handy to have when you are working with this book. Also, do have your pen and paper to jot down the numbers you figure out for the calculations, and then formulate your own diet. Needless to concede, once you have your diet chart ready, stick to it, follow it religiously, never cheat on it, and of course, show it off to others – to inspire others, and certainly to feel good about yourself.

Book is now available on Amazon –

Show some love 🙂

Also, do check out the other books that I have penned down in the past!

Hired!

Posted on by Nikhil Anand

I have seen a lot of people struggle at the interviews. Some of my friends too, have often approached me to assist them in clearing the interviews. With experience of clearing every interview that I have ever attended, I felt it was high time for me to pass on the ‘tricks of the trade’. Hence, I published – ‘Hired’, after having published my first book on Fitness Training.

‘Hired’ is a quick handbook that aims at helping aspiring graduates and post-graduates get their dream jobs. The competition is getting intense with every passing day, and there are several applicants for one job role. How does one ensure that they do not fall in the same league as others? How do they ensure that they stand out as unique compared to others at the interviews?

Being technically proficient is no longer the only aspect on which a candidate is judged in an interview. There is a lot more that is evaluated. 

This book deals with those aspects which are not often talked about, but are highly important. Excerpts from the book introduction:

“It is not the technical proficiency that the candidates are often judged at. Surely, it is the key area, but not the only area. This is where most candidates fail to get their act together. They have sound knowledge in their field of study, and there are a few who study day-in and day-out before they head in to the interview. So, they do have the knowledge to clear the interview. What trick do they miss? It is safe to assume that all candidates who appear for the interview know all of this, and have studied the topics thoroughly. So, what exactly do the interviewers look out for?

They look out for the answers to the other questions they ask, and the way you handle those questions. If you master the art of answering those questions, you will ace every interview that you attend. This book helps you cover those questions.

It is a short handbook with no-non-sense, to-the-point answers. The first chapter describes how to use this book, and the subsequent chapters deal with specific questions, and the perfect way to handle them.”

Glad to have received the Foreword for the book from Mr. Ajinkya Chopade – the Director of Target Campus, one of the leading placement agencies.

Here is a link to the book:

And here is the Paperback version. The paperback version is available in international markets and ordering it in India might incur additional delivery charges. For any orders in India and to buy it at subsidised rates, please feel free to contact me.

Here is the link to the Paperback version:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1688344365/

Fitness Guide for the Absolute Beginner

Posted on by Nikhil Anand

After having waited for quite some time, I finally decided to pen down my first book. I have a lot ideas to write about, but before I jump to the fiction category, I believed writing a non-fiction book would be a better deal. This will help me understand how the markets work, and also give me an idea about publishing books. So here it is, my first book – Fitness Guide for the Absolute Beginner.

‘Fitness Guide for the Absolute Beginner’ is an ideal guide if you are just getting started with your workouts. The book covers almost every aspect that you should be aware of, when you start hitting the gym or start following a fitness routine. The hard-gainers, i.e. the people who find it tough to put on muscle and mass, will find this book very useful. The book has a lot in store for people looking for information on workouts, types of workouts, nutrition, diet, supplementation, and other daily habits that impact our fitness.

The book has tailored workouts listed as well, along with an appendix that has pictorial representations of every exercise mentioned in the workout. 

Similarly, sample diets have also been included in this first edition of the book. 

The book makes use of minimal number of jargons, i.e. the gym terminologies as it is intended to be used by the beginners. 

The book covers the exercises you should start with, the different levels of workouts you must follow, the diet, the supplements, the extra shots, and much more. If you are already a pro in building mass and muscle, losing fats and chunks, this might not be the ideal book for you. However, in that case, you can feel free to gift this to someone who might need this. Surely, they would be thankful to you to the moon and beyond. 

This book should ideally be a 5-hour read, but one to keep for quite some time. You can keep coming back to the book to refer the exercises, and the diet, and everything else that the book has to offer.

Here is the link to the book listed on Amazon:

Disclaimer: The cover of the original book is different to the image used in this post.