‘Ignore the Cynics’ 

Express News Service

Your latest, The Everyday Hero Manifesto, is part memoir, part handbook. Please elaborate.  The book is a manifesto for anyone who wants to live in a way that is beautiful, soulful and brave. There are hundreds of insights and tactics. I share methods on making ethical ambitions real, including an entire chapter called ‘The Troll Deconstruction’. The key is to remember that the opinions of others are simply opinions of others. 

And we shouldn’t let the chatter of critics stop us from pursuing and creating the lives that feel right to us. Cynics are defeated dreamers. Let’s ignore them. The Monk who Sold his Ferrari is having a silver jubilee relaunch. How has the book managed to stay relevant? 

The book continues to only grow in readership because of its story format, timeless principles for success and the fact that the techniques in it really work to help any human transform. And that strange title helps!
You worked as a litigation lawyer until the age of 25. How did your career as a writer begin with your first self-published book Megaliving (1994)?

I wasn’t happy as a lawyer. I’m more of an artist and a spiritualist. I self-published the book as a completely unknown author. Many people laughed at me. My first editor was my beloved mother. My first seminar had 23 people in attendance… 21 were family members! Yet, people found the book to be very helpful. And more so with The Monk. Word of mouth spread. And things just grew from there.

Why do you think self-help books is such a popular genre? How has the pandemic catapulted this popularity?  I think human beings have always reached for the stars. We are most alive when we are reaching for the higher angels of our greatest promise. We feel happy when we know we are going and leveraging our days for progress. What are now called ‘self-help books’, were once called ‘philosophy and wisdom books’.

They serve as guides for people seeking to lead their finest lives. The pandemic, however,  has changed everything, in so many ways. People couldn’t go out so they went within. So many used the time of the pandemic to rethink their lives and ask themselves some very deep questions. This led to so many human beings leaving jobs, relationships and countries. Amid such change and transformation, good self-help books helped people stand strong, stay focused and protect their hope.

The Everyday Hero Manifesto: Activate Your Positivity, Maximize Your Productivity, Serve the World
By: Robin Sharma
Publisher: Thorsons
Pages: 400
Price: Rs 249