Musings on a book...

For the last few years (or may be even more) my new year resolution has stayed the same. "Read more, Write more"

To be fair to myself, I am doing it fairly good. However, me being me, I strongly believe I could do far better.?

So this year, I gave myself an head start.?This year, I started my new year reading, well before the new year ;) :) Right after Christmas actually!

I am already done with 4 fiction books. Usually, I read books for the same reason, I watch movies.

To forget reality, to be in an alternate universe(companies, mythical lands), vicariously live the lives of others (biographies of business leaders or the action heroes/sleuths) and sometimes in their head(leadership thoughts, attention economy and so on)! . However there was one alternate reality, I was very hesitant to enter.?In fact, I think I spent more time wondering and thinking, should I buy this book, should I read this book than the time taken to read the book and write this post!

Yes, it is the book by the famous Indian shark, self proclaimed national youth icon (well he calls himself that in the book) and the controversial founder (can he be called that? or does he deserve a better noun and adjective?)?

I am not a big fan of him and I judge folks who are fans of him. After reading the excerpts and some content from the book, felt it might probably do more harm to the startup ecosystem. (More convinced about it after reading the book). We already have too many folks who do more damage. Some do it inadvertently and some intentionally. Sometimes, most of us are like the scientist, who cut all the legs of the frog and concluded, frog becomes deaf, if you cut the legs. My biggest fear is people would read the book and take the wrong lessons. Many would think this is how one should be! I did I did not want to contribute to his royalty by buying the book and invest/waste my time by reading it.?

Yet, I bought and read it. Nope, am not a masochist but believe you could learn a lot from the bad folks than the good folks. I also live by the philosophy, the best way to beat the temptation is to give it in.?

So here I am writing the article, why you could probably read the book and may be what (not) to take from it!

• You are mostly defined by your past. You are better off, if you can let go off the past. Especially, if it gives a chip on your shoulder. I guess, his not so good qualities outweigh the good qualities, if any.
• In your autobiography, if you have to dwell a lot on your formative years, if you have to talk in detail about your college, how you chose your life partner, say you were better than your siblings in school and so on, may be you are too young to write an autobiography!
• Especially don't write in detail about your fights with spouse, how your spouse lays conditions that only men should be around you in vanity vans, dressing down you in public for your casual remark on you could have married a film star. [I think there is something about IIT Delhi Authors and their inclination to portray their spouse and their extended family in unflattering light, while they think it is cool and cute Yes, am talking about Chetan Bhagat]
• If it sounds more like a transcript of your job interview or your year end appraisal asking for promotion or bonus probably, there is much to be done to claim you are successful and you have arrived!
• All autobiographies are self centered. They tell their perspective, their view. It is natural to praise the people who stood by them and not to spare anyone who they think wronged them. [Spoiler Alert: In the book, except for the family, everyone in the whole world is out to get him]
• The book is a good read if one wants to get a good understanding, insight and ringside view of how valuation, fundraising, startup ecosystem works. It also has a lot of important nuggets of information such as Turakhias have a big place in London and host the son-in-law of President George Bush, the cars Deepinder Goyal owns(owned) and he owns, salaries of folks, names of people allegedly dated by his rivals. Some of them are really mind boggling[ like how he demoed how UPI works to a leading VC]
• His dining table is 150Kg and 5 lakhs and he will be happy to sell it to 10 crore!
• One usually say, the first crore or million is difficult, after that rest happens without much effort. I believe, this book and his life is a testament to it. You can see it in more close quarters how the rich become richer. So all you have to do to become super rich is first become rich!?
• One thing, I will give the man credit is, he is one hell of an investment banker. He knows how to raise the money and raise money he did. I don't think anyone else could have done what he did with that ragtag team (One founder in team was convicted for credit card fraud in US). He literally started raising money for himself rather than others and became rich in the process. The one good take away I would say is, Identify your core strength, leverage that for yourself, make that work for you rather than using that skill for the benefit of others. [Hopefully that skill is a million dollar skill!]