10 Short Life Lessons that can be Learnt from the Book “Failure is not an Option” by Veer Sagar

Published by Bloomsbury, “Failure is not an Option” by Veer Sagar is just not a rambling account of his fifty-six year corporate and entrepreneurial journey or a window to his past life. Rather the book is a collection of learnings & lessons written in an autobiographical / memoir style. The book is for everyone because he was neither a techie nor an MBA. Veer has a point to make that life is a learning process and we should learn from all. However at the same time, through this book, he emphasizes that there is no substitute for learning on the job.

In his vast array of corporate tenure and then finally as an entrepreneur in pioneering medical BPO in India, he made some strange choices (away from comfortable positions and hefty pay cheques) but succeeded anyway. So the book is about what he call ‘successful failures’ or how to convert failure into success.

The scope of learnings and lessons can be implemented to all walks of life, in office, in a startup, in exploring and understanding the sole essence of life and much more.

1:

Differentiate yourself. If you want to stand out, pick a niche and excel in it. Be the best in the world.

2:

Connect with people. It is critical to connect with people to create an impact. People tend to believe those that they connect with. Talk what they want to listen to, it eases the mind gap and builds a comfortable rapport for long term.

3:

Believe in yourself. One must have unconditional self-belief. If you back yourself and believe in yourself, anything is possible. Beat the odds. We all face defeats in life, but what’s important not to let them defeat us.

4:

Look for opportunities in every problem. Play to your strengths, not your weaknesses. Keep it simple by diverting your attention to strengths. Never approach from a position of weakness. Everything can be worked out with an efficient strategy, planning and a will to succeed.

5:

Create a perception. Perception is more important than reality. Manage your perception. People don’t know what you know, but what is more important is what they think you know.

6:

To get your way, offer a solution and not the problem. When you want something done, don’t approach your target with a problem. If you go armed with a solution instead, nine times out of ten, your work will get done.

7:

Life cannot be rushed. It does not work on a strict schedule. We pass through different phases, and each phase is a lesson. Time is not measured by its passage alone but rather in the lessons that are learnt. Learn from everyone. There is no shame in acknowledging ignorance. Denying it can cause problems.

8:

Don’t undervalue yourself. Put a high price on yourself. You get what you negotiate, not what you deserve. Stand your ground for what you believe is yours by right.

9:

Build a team with people smarter than you. Master the project, institutionalize and then delegate. Delegate but don’t abdicate. Create a feedback loop. Build up a successor and empower him or her. The difference between success and failure is a great team. The strength of the team is each member.

10:

Have trials and practices runs. The more you practice, the easier it becomes. Have a plan B to handle any surprises. Manage your boss. The most important feature in a boss-subordinate relationship is predictability, reliability, and trust.