We Are Not Immortal, But Our Work Can Be.

Imagine your book is winning an award, and an iconic Bollywood scene plays in your home. Your family is standing in front of your garlanded photo saying, "Aj Tum Hote To Kitne Khush Hote (Had you been here today, you would have been so happy)."

Imagine your family living by the royalty of your book, while you are on an onward journey to the next life.

Imagine your children and grandchildren proud to belong to your lineage of scholars and experts who contributed to the world of literature.

We have all seen some very well-known authors who have become famous only posthumously. One of my favourites is Jane Austen. She was a revolution of her time, but not as recognised as the generations today consider her. It is often true that most of the time creative work is not valued in your generation. At the same time, business literature finds relevance in your generation, NOW- when things are happening.

But come to think of writing any kind of book,

Most often people at the tail end of their lives think of writing their book only to expect that it will do wonders once it is published.

More often people live with ideas for all their living life thinking their ideas can hardly make a difference to anyone.

Mostly people who are confident in their ideas would procrastinate for lack of desire, passion to execute, or want of funds.

More often than not people are entangled in the rigmarole of life, work, priorities, and responsibilities and they slide towards an uncontributing mindset. I will start tomorrow, next year, perhaps when I turn 50, if not what will I have to do after my retirement... but write a book!!

I keep telling my clients there is a relevant time for every book and if you have not captured the essence of this time, your book is just adding to the ISBN records, albeit being published.

Imagine you are an HR Employee Engagement Expert and writing your book on 'Curtailing the vulnerability at workplaces during Covid.' Today post-covid when everything has turned to normal, this title or topic will not turn eyes eyeballs. Had the book been published in the heat of the moment- when COVID was disrupting our lives, it could have been a top seller.

After a decade or two this book can only do justice to some researcher who is digging back in history to know the state of employee minds during COVID-19. One citation of your book or work will be your earned credit. But what beyond that? Who lives to see what credits our book receives, or awards it wins or even for that matter what royalty it makes, after you are dead? Accept it, we are not immortal, but our work can be.

The point is, to germinate the idea that you have now, and foster it into a plant when you are young enough to reap the fruits. Who knows your book might be that shade in your old days that brought you comfort, fame, royalty, and makes you feel proud and accomplished.

Relatives of some deceased influential people come to me to write a book on the deceased past life. Teenagers are enthusiastic about seeing their books published. The elderly post their retirement are writing books.

The only self-imposed STOP commences when you rage with the struggle called life in your 20s, are looking for the best in your 30s, and settling for no less in your 40s. Whereas your 50s are lost to choosing to exercise or to meditate.

Ironically, the 20s-50s are the years of action, years of wisdom, and times when you can express with all alacrity, passion and engage an audience. This is the time you can promote your idea, build your readers, contribute your expertise, and revolutionize a change.

We are all obsessed with tomorrow, fraught by an unsaid fear of what if, and dwell in a cocoon of perhaps and may be.

Live to see your book published. Live to see it being accepted. Live to soak in all the accomplishments the book shall bring, and live to say, I am an Author!!