I Am a Failure

by Akhil Sharma

Have you experienced failures in your life? Is your startup business facing a downturn? Is your dream partner telling you she hates you? Don’t despair. Failure encages us all.

Akhil, born with a plastic spoon in India, was specially designed for all failures life can bring. Growing up like everyone, the more he tried for success, the more he failed. Not until when he redefined his stupidity and started listening to his heart, his failures brought forth his keys to freedom and made him discover that ‘Failure encourages us all’.

This book is about his transformation from being a failure to the creator of the award-winning technique ‘The Art of Failure’. It talks about his technique, hidden in the form of an entertaining but true autobiographical story. It is helpful for everyone who wants to become a fearless failure warrior rather than being a usual success hunter.

The narrative is set against the transformation of India - from its analog days to the digital age and bubbling startup economy. One thing which hasn’t changed with time though is the hatred and fear towards failure and how it has been eating up our enormous innovation potential for ages. It is time to accept failure as a part of life – where there is no failure, there is no growth. Learn from your experiences and move on!

151 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 14, 2018

About the author

Akhil Sharma aka ‘The Failure Guy’ is a renowned award losing entrepreneur, speaker, inventor and innovator. Specially designed for failure during his decade long career, from mariner to a technologist, he is now known for ‘the art of failure’ workshops through which he has helped individuals to keep up the spirit of trying despite failures and coached them how to listen to their hearts and find their real inspiration.

In 2016, the United Nations and iCongo chose him for the Rex Karmaveer Chakra award and Global fellowship, and he is often called upon to talk about it for free on various platforms in India.

Reviews

[A.V. Osten · Rating 5 out of 5]

We live in a fast-paced, high-technology world and at very early age we’re taught we should succeed at something in our lives. Success is expected of us by our family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, etc. We start expecting it ourselves, and with this expectation comes the fear of failure. A lot of people are so afraid of failure that they don’t even attempt to do whatever their heart wants; others get depressed when they fail at something and stop trying, losing their self-worth in the process.
Part autobiography, part non-fiction, I Am a Failure is an account of numerous failures, starting from the author’s school age through his college years to his adulthood and the different ways a person can perceive and handle failure. The main idea is to embrace it as a part of life; find inspiration from it by listening to your heart, and keep trying without fear of failure.
The book is full of sophisticated self-deprecating humor, satirical comments, original thoughts, and a lot of inspiration. It made me laugh and it put me into a deep thought, as well.
Definitely a new take on the inspirational / self-help books, which I highly recommend.

[Steve Pillinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book with a serious purpose, presented in the form of a witty partial autobiography. (Partial, because selected episodes from the author's life are described in order to illustrate the serious points he is setting out to make. There is no consistency or completeness to the autobiographical material.)

To quote from the biographical summary at the end of the book, "Akhil Sharma aka 'The Failure Guy' is a renowned award losing entrepreneur, inventor and innovator" who conducts 'The Art of Failure' workshops across his native India, "through which he has helped individuals to keep up the spirit of trying despite failures". He has received a United Nations award and fellowship for this work.

I only came across this information after reading the book, and I wish I had seen it earlier because it put a lot of things in perspective. When I first started reading, I had no idea what to make of this book. He was clearly poking fun at attitudes and institutions in India (and indirectly elsewhere), especially the 'success' culture, to such an extent that it wasn't at all clear if there was any serious purpose to it, or if the book was simply a rather rambling mix of autobiographical reminiscences and not-too-deep philosophical/religious discourses. Was it meant as an autobiography? Or as a philosophical treatise illustrated from his life? Or did his relaxed, witty style (when I understood the humour!) mean that it was intended as comedy?

"… why I am writing [this book], is because I want to fail again and when I end up being a failure, I have actually succeeded in my intentions."

It's statements like these that make the book hard to understand. Partly this is because of the way he has chosen to communicate his philosophy—in terms of "wanting to fail", which is not easy to get your head round in the beginning. But partly it's because the variety of English Sharma uses is not any of the standard international varieties.

Whether this is due to the hate relationship with English that he confesses to having at school; or whether it's simply the variety of English spoken in his part of India—or a mixture of the two—is not clear. But what is quite clear is that, even apart from the frequent spelling and grammatical errors, he often does not describe or explain things as a native English speaker would, leaving many of his statements obscure. You read a passage and every individual word is understandable, but as a whole it makes no sense.

A small example: I know what "groceries" are, and I know what "atrocities" are; but what are "grocery atrocities"?? This may have been intended as a humorous expression; but having no idea what he was talking about, the intended humour passed me by, leaving only the humour of someone coming up with such a ridiculous phrase.

I actually wish Mr Sharma had written the book in Hindi and employed a translator to produce an understandable International English version. Because you can see the outlines of a funny, enjoyable book that makes some serious points: yet this constantly gets swept away by the author's impenetrable English. And between those impenetrable parts there are some perfectly clear stretches. I find it sad that it's nearly there, but doesn't quite make it.

Having said all that, there are gems of insight scattered through the book:
"Motivation generally comes from success, whereas inspiration comes from failure."
"…the real became virtual and the virtual was becoming real to me."
"I just want to rest and be happy with whatever little I have. I want to do what I love to do and leap without looking."
"I might have failed temporarily, but I am not done failing yet."
"…failure is a far greater teacher and a friend than success itself."

And then there's the humour, which, when understandable, definitely brightens the book up:
"[I] would have beaten him black, blue and yellow, if he had not been stronger than me."
"It took three long months and two short-skirt girlfriends to overcome my emotional trauma."
"Living here in India, whenever we want to do something for our nation, we pay taxes and when we don't want to, we still pay taxes."

I would love to rate this book as an unqualified success. But sadly, it isn't. Maybe it's fitting, in view of its title and overall message, that it should be rated at least a partial failure. I shall therefore give it 3 stars, and hope that that's still cause for rejoicing from one perspective or the other!

[Hock Tjoa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author speaks in the first person and disarmingly remarks that there might be those who are "stupid enough to consider himself a wise man but wise enough to believe that he is a stupid man." Could his fate be determined by the stars? Alas, his birth happened a day after "one of the greatest alignment of the stars." Can one change one's birthday?

In a previous life the modest narrator, born in India, had been an elephant. Now he lives as an "ele-infant." But he spares us the details. He only drops hints in a manner that reminds me of magpies collecting objects that glitter.

He alludes to a TV series on Lord Ram, based on the folk classic Ramayana - so popular that violence in the streets dropped whenever it aired. He hints of the conjunction of Ishq (love) and Mushk (scent) in what appears to me to be a vague reverie of the teenage discovery of the Other Sex. Other adolescent ventures, escapades seem modeled on the filmmaker's art or craft. There are reshoots, script re-writes, etc.

Despite the wit of the author and fluency of the writing, I tired early in my reading. I felt uncomfortable not knowing what this book is supposed to be - a lament? A parody? A confession? I wished for a story, a lesson, a purpose.

Before the author arrived at the mysteries of startup financing in India, explained as "X amount on paper and Y amount under the table [for] the commitment on the basis of X plus Y and generally five or six times of it in less than two or three years," I was driven to conclude that I could connect with none of the characters or aspects of the many situations [no Ishq] because they had been dealt with so briefly, kaleidoscopically as to be devoid of any sense of time, place or any attraction [no Mushk].

And I kept thinking of what actors say - dying is easy, comedy is hard.

[Caitlyn Santi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part self-help book, part autobiography, and part novel this was an engaging and enjoyable read. I think most readers will find this book relatable as we have all experienced failure in life, and I personally found myself relating to many things in this book. The author seems to be saying that the important thing is how you respond to failure, the attitude and frame of mind you have when faced with failure. I completely agree, and I loved how the author encouraged the reader to always keep trying and moving forward no matter what failure they may be facing. I applaud the authors' writing skill and willingness to use his own stories of failure to encourage and inspire others!
Overall, I am a Failure is a great book, which I very much enjoyed reading and will very likely be reading again in the future! Highly recommended.

[Mariyam Hasnain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second nonfiction book in a row after reading back to back fiction. I must say that the author has done a good job in creating a scene of India, in terms of cultural indifference and attitudinal mismatch.
The writing flows well and that's the best thing about the book. It’s a spontaneous effort that straight comes from the author’s heart.
However, there were times when instead of a self-help book this felt more like a romance read with author’s numerous failed attempt in finding the heroine of an imaginary movie that plays in his mind.
The book at times felt like a sarcastic commentary. The author tried hard to put humor in the book but it really couldn’t help making it an interesting read to the readers. I felt drifted at times and had to struggle to come back and read it again.
However, I enjoyed the author’s love story part and how the cupid struck right into his heart out of the train toilet.
That said, unlike other self-help books which all the time preach about ways to succeed, I Am a Failure indeed tells us how being a failure help in achieving success. It’s better to be a failure than a hunter who runs after success and accolades.

[Marco Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

... perhaps not this time ...

This book may not have a particularly promising title, but is a surprisingly engaging read. The style can best be described as pedantically self-deprecating, if such is at all possible, a curious mix of delusional wisdom and masochistic narcissism. At times quirky, silly or funny, it also dives into deep pools painful experience. And the occasional glimpse, taste or smell of India between the lines spices it up nicely.

In short, not everyone will or can succeed, but anyone can and will fail. What we do with that failure, is what really matters. You can’t really fail with that message...

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free digital review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Book Cover

I think the cover goes well with the words inside. It shows the author well put together but in fragments as well. He fails, but there are some successes and failing is part of life and what makes you the person you are today.

First Thoughts

I’ll admit this isn’t the typical story I’d pick up on my own if I saw it in the bookstore. Though it intrigued me enough when the author reached out to me. We all fail, so I knew it was definitely going to be something relatable.

Plot

This is a non-fiction memoir piece about the author by the author. He describes his life in detail from the moment he’s born up until now.

Details about his life, events, places, and people, are prominent as he describes his life’s ups and downs.

I found this to be an interesting topic for an autobiography because it’s one we can all relate to. We all fail in life multiple times, from something simple to something much bigger. The question is, how do we overcome it and move on? The author explains how he overcomes failure – how he expects it – and it’s done pretty well.

Writing Style

The writing style is easy to read. The story is written in block text (much like blogging) rather than indented paragraphs right after another.

The tone of the narrator seemed to fit right in with me. It was almost as though he knew he was talking to the reader. We just sat down in a coffee shop one day and he told me his life story. It felt natural and well done.

I’ll admit there were a couple parts here and there that seemed to slow down. Some parts might not have needed as much detail, but it was pretty good all the same.

Overall

This was certainly an interesting read. It was well written and the context is something everyone can learn from. It’s quick at 160 pages so if it piques your interest, please give it a try.

Favorite Quote:

“We were scared of death back then and we still are. For us, it’s still the circle of life and not the circle of death, although both are one and the same thing.” -Akhil Sharma, I Am A Failure

*This review was originally published on RachelPoli.com

[Laura Koerber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Am A Failure is a combination autobiography/philosophical work by a man who grew up in a middle class Hindi family in a small city in India and is now, I suspect, quite successful as a leader of “workshops through which he has helped individuals to keep up the spirit of trying despite failures and coached them how to listen to their hearts and find their real inspiration”, as he states in his bio.
Don’t let the philosophical aspect of this book put you off—it is not a heavy or turgid tome by any means. In fact, the writing is lively, often funny, and sometimes satirical. The weird humor shows on the cover where the title, I Am a Failure, is followed by this quote: “History is written by winners. I am going to change that.”
I enjoyed this book, but I would have enjoyed it more if I had been reading it for a discussion group. As one would expect of a book that takes on The Meaning of Life, there’s lots of layers to the text: the author’s voice which is sarcastic, self-mocking, and humorous; the references to Hinduism; the ways Western mass culture are affecting India; and, most of all, the author’s thoughts on success and failure. Any one of those topics could be grounds for an interesting discussion with the author or other people. Since I know very little about India or Hinduism, there were times when I really wished I could talk to the author and request clarification.

It is tempting to write this review in terms of my responses to the author’s thoughts, but I don’t think readers will be interested in that. It is more important to tell readers that this is the kind of book that provokes thoughts, even though much of it is quietly funny.

So who would like this book? I’d say adventurous readers who like to think about what they read, who are curious about ideas and cultural values, and who enjoy different perspectives. I am very glad I read it; I would like to have more connections through literature with people who live in places I don’t know much about

[B.B. James · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I saw the title of this book. To be frank, I found it a little off-putting, its self-defeating tone leading me to expect perhaps some kind of self-help book. The author’s assertion at the outset that ‘you will find no purpose in this book’ was no doubt made tongue in cheek, but could be taken seriously by some and seemed to me a rather risky statement to make. However, once I reached the nitty gritty of this part-lifestyle, part-autobiography, I found it is an interesting read.

Written in the first person, it takes us through the cultural background of the author’s experiences as a Hindu in an Indian city. Within the family there is an expectation to do well and a wall in the home is dedicated to trophies, medals etc. on which the family’s achievements are displayed to visitors. Of course, Sharma fails to add to the collection, and this sets the tone for the rest of his life’s journey, the defining characteristic of which seems to be that success manages to bypass him at every turn.

Sharma has his own philosophical take on this: for example that life is like acting in a film of which you are also the director. The story is told with humour, and I found many of his analogies both apt and amusing. The text flows nicely and the book has a lively feel to it.

I did wonder whether the author’s dismal track record was the result of trying a little too hard at everything while failing to enjoy anything. In my view, enjoyment is a prerequisite to success. Maybe the pressure prevented him from taking pleasure in his ventures? Perhaps the focus on winning doomed him to failure before he even got started.

Unfortunately, such questions are left unanswered. I would have liked more from this book. It was interesting in places, and I liked the way the chapters were divided by subtitles, but in the end I was left feeling unfulfilled, wondering exactly what purpose this piece of work serves.

[Scott Spotson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't see this as a self-help book. I see this as a memoir, hence I enjoyed it. Through it, I learned a first-account rendition of growing up in India in the 1970's to the present day. Some aspects of modern Indian culture (without the eager "travel guide" or "cultural" offerings by others exploring India's culture, such as the masterful ancient painters and their art, or a historical tidbit on a war that existed five hundred years ago) are explained throughout this book. If you like hearing how an American boy grew up with Buck Rogers and home-delivered milk and alien scares in the 1950's, this is the book for you, just that it's in India.

The "I am a failure" mantra is meant to make the book humorous. It allows us to become smug, to condescend upon the author. That's a reason why so many movies and television series feature insipid characters, such as Kramer in Seinfeld (actually, all four main characters) and Gilligan in Gillian's Island. I think if the author presented this more as a memoir, rather than any pretence of moralizing (which isn't very much present throughout this book anyway) then it might be easier for the reader to identify with.

Actually the author isn't a failure. A true failure would be someone on the streets, alcoholic, someone totally unable to compose a book. Someone cast out by family and unable to get the health care he needs. No, the author is normal. He just has dreams, like millions of us. Under that vein, he is no different from Archie Bunker of All in the Family, or Ralph Kramden of The Honeymooners.

I had fun reading this book. To me, that was the purpose. The title's just a way to suck you in someone's memoirs, something to make you think it's different. It was a fun way to tell a story, just like famous celebrities and politicians tell self-deprecating stories. Only this time, this guy didn't make it to stardom.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s not as though there was nothing to love.

I particularly enjoyed how the author imagined his younger self’s quest for love as assembling a movie. The entertainment industry shaped most of my thoughts as a child, and looking back, I imagine that I was desperately trying to create my own movie as well. By utilizing this framework Sharma created maximum engagement for me as a reader. Another standout was the author’s father’s “car” metaphor for life. I would have never thought to draw that comparison, but found myself nodding along as I read. There were many other lovely parts that were clever or profound in their delivery. Sharma also possesses a wry sense of humor. The comedy was inherently self-deprecating, but it was delivered in an intelligent, sophisticated manner that held up well throughout the book.

However, (as other readers have appropriately noted) the book suffered from an identity crisis that overshadowed many of its effective features. At its heart, it was a memoir, but it frequently deviated into other territories - like philosophy, the inner workings of the author’s mind,and motivational speaking, to name a few. As these have aspects that can merge well a memoir, I see how they could have worked. Yet the way in which they were used here was disorienting. One tangent led to another, and when we, at last, returned to the book’s main focus, I couldn’t recall what I had previously been reading. I lost track of the amount of times I was forced to backtrack and reread.

Overall, I’d say that Sharma has a lot of clever, unique ideas about storytelling. He is relatable and can make even ordinary subjects interesting and humorous. A restructuring of the way in which the information is presented and perhaps a removal of the less-relevant aspects could go a long way in improving the reader experience.

[Kathleen Rowland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written in the first person, Akhil Sharma explains his perspectives on failure. Failure can break a person’s spirit. In India a wall is set aside for metals and prizes for the children, and when visitors arrive, the wall serves as a conversation piece. There are many types of failures that erode the confidence and spirit of an individual. At the same time, success and failure or light and darkness aren’t exact opposites. Quoted in the book, I am a Failure, Sharma writes, “We all love light, but we enjoy darkness more because the most enjoyable things, including love in our life, happen in darkness.” Sharma learned from failure. Life is more than the awards and accolades on the success wall.
Various snippets of life in India fill the book which are journeys of various failures. In a previous life Akhil Sharma was an elephant. Is bigger better, he asks. The caste system, still somewhat in existence, puts his family in the middle class with a television. His family watched the Ramayana serial, and the milkman delivered when the program was on so that he could watch it. The author’s mother was able to ensure that he delivered unadulterated milk. Other stories centered on making movies, finding love, and being rejected. “She was like sandpaper to his ambitions, and he was proving to be a pencil sharpener for her.”
Were worlds today ruled by technology? Akhil Sharma states he is an entrepreneur and relates the struggle. It’s like a kid trying to learn a skill such as skating. It’s hard, and empathy from others doesn’t cost them anything. He can’t worry about what happens tomorrow. “Everything starts with zero,” and the author advises to just keep dreaming.

With tons of courage, failure can transform a person to be successful.

[J.B. Trepagnier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am generally of the opinion if you put something out into the world, no matter what the form, it should have a purpose or statement. Pop culture and current music has stepped away from that for the most part, but this review is not about that, it's about this book. Right from the start, in the prologue, the author states you will find no purpose in this book. My immediate thought from the very first page was "Well, then why was it written and why should I continue to read it?"

The book is meant to be non-ficion with fictionalized elements. I don't pick up non-fiction very often, but when I do, I expect to have come away with learning something, either about the subject matter or a profound revelation is reached somewhere in the author's journey that they wrote the book to share. This book didn't really do that. The author states in one chapter that the purpose of school is not to get an education, but to win. This sentence comes several chapters after he's told he didn't get a job because of his misuse of grammar that he should have learned in school. I think I went to school in a different generation than the author, where participation trophies weren't given out and if you wanted too much personal attention from the teacher because you had this idea in the movie, you would be sent to the principal and parents to sort yourself out and stop disrupting the educational process.

The book doesn't end with major lessons learned. The author doesn't really grow up and stop living in the fantasy world that is present throughout the book. No major life changes are made, he's just okay with the status quo at the end

[Nicky Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this nice mix of autobiography and self help style of writing. The author uses his own life lessons to present very positive life lessons. It reminded me on the poem 'never give up' by the Dalai lama. Very inspiring stuff!

[Faith Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a Failure is a narrative recollection by a self-professed failure, who is presumably now a successful public speaker on the inspiring subject of failure, i.e. how to see it in a new and healthier perspective. The theme appears to be that we should all risk failure, even embrace and celebrate it, because it is a process that can be learned from and if you don’t keep trying to succeed, picking yourself up off the ground each time with one percent better adaptive knowledge, you will have abdicated your small stake in the game of life and chosen the banal existence of no-risk neutrality. The great successes all depended on the multiple failures that went before them. I get that. Then again, the story of Robert the Bruce watching the spider fail a dozen times to make a web, then eventually succeed (if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again) is a tried and tested piece of advice. Is this author teaching granny to suck eggs? You might be the next inventor of the plasma engine or you might be the new P.T. Barnum but you’ll never find out what your potential is, what you could have done with your life, if you’re too timid to risk failure. Californian IT companies recommend failure as positive, an attitude inversion that works until the money runs out, but that brings the author to the second theme, geographical difference. The secondary message is that India in particular needs to change its collective attitude to failure because a powerhouse country with all the necessary IT and engineering skills already in place should be producing dozens of world-leading multinationals but simply isn’t achieving at that level. Why? Well, apparently that’s because everyone is so terrified of failure that they won’t even try, on the whole, but if they do want to try then no one will lend them any money or credibility. This is nothing new. In Islamic culture there is a prohibition on borrowing money from anyone, so no one can ask for a bank loan to form a start-up company, so that means fewer initiatives and very slow progress except where it’s bought in from outside. In Jewish culture it’s easy to borrow, lend and invest, so guess which of the two got the reputation for business acumen. Here’s another thought. It was recently discovered that genes in the central nervous system turn themselves on when a person enters a new situation that they have to make sense of, so that means putting yourself in a new situation means the release of new proteins and new neural pathways and coding in the brain, i.e. extra complexity and development. That doesn’t happen to people who remain in stasis. When a number of students with equally impressive qualifications apply for a scholarship to a top university, the institution differentiates between them based on the quality of their life experience. The experience has a value, not whether it was a success or failure, which might be out of their hands. This writer isn’t a failure, in that sense, because he attempted to follow his dreams and, by his own confident account, could have made them a reality if the business plan hadn’t been undermined by lack of support. He tried and narrowly missed the mark. Failure is absolute if you shelve your potential and don’t try to do anything with it, so by that measure this author has completely failed to be a failure and shouldn’t be lecturing us. QED.

[Andreas Michaelides · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am A failure by Akhil Sharma is a book that depends on what you expect and wants it will either please you or disappoint you.

The author tried to present a lot of issues that troubled him over the years. From since he was in elementary school, then college and all the phases a person goes through his life.

His intentions I believe are sincere and I genuinely think that he tried presenting with this book the fact that we will always have failures in our life. What we do with them is the secret that will define our future failures or successes.

I did enjoy the stories from India and events from everyday life. The milk delivery, the caste system, trying to find a girlfriend and ending up joining a gang.

The incident with the cow that left him a severe scar. His attempts to try a girlfriend through internet were also very amusing.

His efforts to try and sell their service or product in India was also something that I found interesting to read, what really annoyed me a little is that he never reveals what they were trying to sell.

The book has excellent material to become the best selling one. In my opinion, there are some issues the author needs to address first if he wants his book to become better.

First, the English used in the book is not the English of native speaking people use (U.S.A. – U.K.- Canada – Australia, etc.). Because of this a lot of humorous situations in the book are not understood, and this devalues the whole picture of the book. Furthermore, the book’s reading flow is negatively affected by this.

Second, the book has not a specific goal, you need to have a purpose, a target something that a reader will benefit from. The lack of a particular didactic conclusion made me want to stop reading at some point.

I believe that the author will come back in the future with a second edition that will show the real potential of his writing.

I truly believe that the book has the potential to become a wonderful self-help non-fiction guide with the proper edit.

[Harlyn Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Am a Failure by Akil Sharma is a book about, well, failure. As you follow the narrative you keep hoping for some big redeeming win that just does not happen. This harsh reality makes it hard to stay engaged though the writing itself is very witty and sharp. The stories that are shared from childhood, first love, being the odd man out due to social castes and just being ugly are endearing. This child is so determined to be something more that he goes through great lengths to try to make that a reality and though he suffers many defeats he never lets go of that hope. When life kicks him down he rearranges the plan. When he is bullied he flips it around. When he loses he shrugs it off because over time he has accepted his lot or that the avenue chosen just is not for him.

The ultimate lesson learned here is that though you may fail numerous times it does not mean that you give up. Failure is what makes us great. It drives our determination. My own reference to this is looking at all of the aspiring stars that didn’t win at Star Search when I was a kid. It drove them to perfect their crafts and they ultimately became superstars. This does not end with some glorious achievement but the author makes it clear that the story is not yet over. You keep pushing forward. You do not end just as your dreams do not.

The closing of I Am A Failure was the most potent for me. Zeroes and Ones. There may be many zeroes (losses) but you only need a single one (win) to be your breakthrough. It’s hard to find an investor for a startup. Don’t let that stop you.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akhil Sharma writes this book with a little bit of everything included in it. We learn about his childhood and wanting to reach many goals, the opposite sex, and success. But sprinkled with his biography is an observation about success and mainly failure. We all want success, but are we willing to do what needs to be done to reach it? Mainly, fail.

One thing many of us fear is failure. We have dreams and goals but many of us don’t wait to fail at them so they are never pursued. But true success comes from what we do when we fail and what we learn. What did we learn about ourselves? What did we learn NOT to do? This knowledge is mixed with stories of Akhil and the failures that he has experienced. At times humorous, sometime bitter, but all of it was a learning experience.

This book is based on Akhil’s life so we learn a lot about India and it coming into technology of the world. We also learn about Akhil and his sense of humor, a little odd for some people. I will admit that I thing that there might be a little lost to translation because some of the things he was talking about seemed to go over my head.

But this is a great read that will make you think about yourself and your own goals. Hopefully it will motivate you to go after your dreams and goes and not to fear failure.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

[Erik McManus · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book came off as very creepy since the main character was talking about their life as a movie and they were trying to find a girlfriend to be their other main character.

They also talk about their startup company but never tell you what the product is or what type of startup it is so that is annoying as you learn about all the meetings and such they went to but have no context.

Yea, this book was just not for me.