Author Chetan Bhagat’s latest book is on defying expectations

Author Chetan Bhagat’s latest book is on defying expectations

“‘You will amount to nothing’ - my father.” When such a quote makes it to a book’s preface, you know an intriguing read awaits. However, this is not another work of fiction nor is it an autobiography. Chetan Bhagat’s 11 Rules For Life: Secrets to Level Up (Harper Collins) is a self-help book as well as a memoir.

Bhagat, who was in Bengaluru recently to promote his book, says, “It’s been 20 years since 5 Point Someone came out. As a writer, I’ve reached a stage where I want to write what I truly want to express. Although I’m considered commercially successful, I want to be truer to what my heart wants to say, rather than what my brain says will make the most sense, business-wise. So I tuned into that and this is the book that came out of that.”

The book is not another love story, Bhagat says. “I have had quite a journey myself. I could have written another book, which would have possibly been made into a movie, but then, it would be just one more of those. What’s missing are relatable books on how to navigate life.”

Self-help is a crowded genre and Bhagat agrees, “There are a lot of wonderful self-help books out there. Almost half of any bookstore is dedicated to self-help titles, which is a bit scary too. What I found, was there is nothing written in and for the Indian context. The struggles we have and the family pressures we deal with, make it different.”

The author has been giving motivational talks for many years now, and he says that was the stepping stone to writing a self-help book.

For someone whose novels have primarily entertained the Indian urban youth, Bhagat says, “Even my publisher was skeptical because I’ve established myself as a fiction writer. But I’ve always done different things. I moved from love stories to thrillers and knew not changing is scarier than changing. There are things I’ve mentioned in the book that I’ve not shared with anyone before.”

One of the things this book talks about is how people are addicted to cheap dopamine. When asked how he thinks readers can resist this and focus on long-term goals, Bhagat says, “It has to do with self-awareness and self-regulation. The first thing is to know what is not good for you. People tell me they don’t read books and watch movies and YouTube videos instead. It’s like saying they do not walk but only sit in a bus.”