I often avoid autobiographies and success stories because they seem idealistic, too much to take in one go (read: 'Gyaan pelne vale'). Success is either glorified and celebrated too much or failures are completely denied. But, for the first time, my perception shifted for good after reading Doglapan - by Ashneer Grover. To me, it's 'a lived story'. One that made me walk in alleyways of failures as much as it made me imagine the satisfaction of succeeding in what you love to do.
I so agree with Ashneer Grover saying 'Truth is stranger than fiction.' The truth of failures, mistakes, lessons learned the hard way, burnouts, long hours of wait, and falling on our way up isn't something we shed light on. We try too hard to portray that 'There is a stairway to success.' We're uncomfortable accepting that we did make mistakes and too self-absorbed to acknowledge the contributions of other people.
What stood out to me about this book is the brutal honesty with which it's written. Quoting the man himself, 'Mai measured ya politically correct bande ka banda nahi hun.'
This book made me think that success isn't as fancy as it seems from a distance. What goes behind the success celebrated is often too difficult to put into words. You could be a 'persona non grata' any day you wake up. But, if you're prepared to fail as much as you are prepared to win, and believe in the bigger picture, better opportunities await you.
People might let you down, backstab you, and your naivety might not see through it at the right time, but do yourself a favor and remember this: 'Loyalty is tested and needed in bad times.' Allow yourself some time to find the loyal ones when the going gets rough.
Another thing that I noted while reading this book is that numbers and designations might be powerful but the most powerful acknowledgment would be 'The only thing lavish about me are my dreams and my ability to achieve them.'
I could relate a lot with:
'In bad times, the people you will find standing beside you will be your family. You cannot even rely on your friends of twenty years - they may go completely silent on you.'
I'm glad I read this book as my first book of 2023! It was like waking up after a 2022 slumber and 'taking things at face value.'
You can be 'a late bloomer.' However, once you get going, what matters is your faith in yourself that you're worthy of blooming in both the smooth and rough terrains of life. So, you might as well 'live your story.'
