6 - What does it take to be an author? - Amish Tripathi on Transitioning from the Financial Services World to Writing

How did Amish Tripathi go from being a banker to a bestselling author? You might think that making this transition would have involved a life altering event. But sometimes, unknown to you, the seeds of transition might be nurtured in your life, through your lifestyle, habits, hobbies or the even the milieu around you.

What motivates a bestselling author? In this short nugget, hear Amish speak about the philosophy behind his writing, his views on failure and success and what can make you truly ‘unstoppable’.

So you have found your passion but undecided when and how to take the plunge? Hear Amish talk about how he transitioned to being a full time author from a banker. Discover how ‘pragmatism and positive vibes’ guided this transformation.

Confused about listening to your heart or your head? We all face those crossroads in life and Amish did too, especially while facing initial rejections from publishers. Dealing with failure, enlisting support, recognising what works for you and ultimately making it work for you: Amish touches upon these important themes in this nugget.

For every famous sportsperson, there are hundreds who didn’t make it big. For every published author, there are hundreds who met rejection after rejection. How does one deal with being in a profession where a few “winners take it all”? Hear Amish talk about the reality of being an author and how his initial rejections made him go against the grain and market his books innovatively.

In this nugget, Amish elaborates on the one important question you should ask yourself before transitioning to a new profession. For eight years before he switched to becoming a full time author, Amish focused on only three things- his job, his writing and his family. What drove this level of discipline and commitment? Hear on.

How easy it is these days to be distracted? Just one minute on Facebook or Twitter and there goes the whole morning! In such an age of distraction where our attention spans are becoming lesser and lesser, how does Amish find the time and space to write? Hear his tactics of getting the momentum going. Hint: there is also something about a sugar rush in there!

How did a self-published debut author’s books reach the best seller list within a week of launch? Undoubtedly, the book was good but behind the scenes some new, innovative and thoughtful marketing techniques also contributed. As Amish expresses, leadership is not about having the best ideas yourself but being able to pick good ideas when you come across them.

Culture is contextual and non-transferrable. Know the culture of the organisation and industry you are planning to join. Amish talks about the Chandravanshi and Suryavanshi cultures and discusses how organizations could think about their culture?

Can competitiveness and calmness reside within you side by side? Why should one’s mind and heart be aligned? Listen on to find out what things, Amish thought, were not taught enough in B-schools.

Thinking of a transition in life? Reflecting upon your purpose in life? Living a life that someone has decided for you? Amish shares a powerful quote from the Bhagavad Gita to conclude this conversation and urges people find to their own uniqueness and ‘swadharma’.