If success was a real person, what all would you have done to befriend him? You definitely would have asked him to stay in your life. When he is far, you would have gone in search of him. When he is near, you would have celebrated with him. Burra Venkatesham IAS's new book, Selfie of Success, personifies success, hence setting it apart from numerous other self-help books.
The book, divided into five parts to capture the various facets of success, is an easy read. Each chapter has interesting anecdotes from the lives of successful people. Before taking the reader into the depth, the book offers a space for self evaluation—a section dedicated for writing one's own success stories.
Selfie of Success moves away from the usual 'do this, do that' narratives of self-help books. Instead, it roots its philosophy in the view that the journey towards success may be different for different people, and there is no fixed template for success. It moves away from the idea that “the aftermath of success is all enjoyment, glory and greater happiness in the lives of successful people”.
The book gives ideas to change the attitude towards life, so that one continues to stay in the path towards success. It also describes signs of success one has to look out for to know whether he is headed in the right direction. The key is to see whether you are finding great value in yourself.
The book also dedicates a section to discuss what are the side effects of success. “The most important side effect which will affect you a lot, would be a sudden rise of self, the ego or the attitude of 'I know all'", it states. The book gives the warning that increasing personal self esteem may often lead to arrogance. The book also discusses the evil effects of success citing the examples of what happened in lives of celebrities like Michael Jackson. Envy, pride, arrogance, greed, wrath... it lists the sins associated with success.
The final part of the book gives tips to pursue the next journey—from being successful to becoming great. And the key step is to share your success with others.
Venkatesham tries to present a comprehensive and distinct perspective of success in this book. And he is successful in this effort.
