For achieving success, it is important for every person to take simple, straightforward and effective steps, says Chandan Desmukh, a renowned author and ??Electronics & Communication Engineer, in an interview with Elets News Network (ENN).
Please describe about the book “Five Lies My Teacher Told Me” in brief.
Many of us make the mistake of being flabbergasted by the achievements of those who have gone before us. We see them as superiors and consequently, belittle ourselves and thus end up with far lesser than what we deserve. And in this process, we become our greatest enemy.
The book is written with intent to make folks especially students and aspiring professionals understand and recall a simple fact is that you can’t measure success on the basis of one parameter. Wanting success is universal and thus in the nature of human but it may mean different things for different people.
Furthermore, “Five Lies My Teacher Told Me” is a story about a below average student who has a problem in his life and studies, and how his teacher will help him towards success; the story which most of us can relate to. It is targeted to all the students and folks who want to achieve success in life, irrespective of the age. The book aims to make you think about tactical solutions of the problem.
What is the inspiration behind the book?
Going by the facts India’s literacy rate has increased by 25 times in the last century, we have been taught “TO” study and succeed but we have never been guided on “HOW” to study and succeed.
The continuous pressure from parents, teachers and institutions which every student gets in our society motivated me to pen the book as a one-stop solution for their problems. And the solutions are not limited to students only but also help other stakeholders – teachers, educationists and parents involved in the education system.
The book is an amalgamation of my experiences of my childhood, stories narrated by my friends, and the extensive research I did in New Jersey and Pennsylvania libraries.
How do you think the book may help students to be successful in their life?
There are many books in this genre, and candidly speaking, most of them are boring for the students who are already busy with tons of curriculum books.
‘Five Lies My Teacher Told Me’ is a practical and fool proof book whose thoughts are easily followable from the day 1. The book speaks about how our genes has nothing to do with studies or success, how you can achieve anything, how going to extra tutorials is a bad idea, and explains many shortcut study methods such as memory techniques, time management etc. to ace the examinations. To add salt to taste, the book is full of illustrations and is a page turner.
For students, what are the most common challenges they face and how those challenges can be resolved?
Most of the students are, as the study says, ‘average’. It makes them feel that they cannot scale up to the next level and excel. Students feel themselves as ‘special’ and above everybody else in their school/college. When their results suggest otherwise, they get depressed.
Furthermore, students tend to miss out on co-curricular activities assuming that they ought to ‘only’ study and nothing else. Myths like these are busted in the book with back stories and facts.
This is your second book. You are going to write more such books or you will shift to another genre? Also, please share some insights about your future projects?
This is a genre where you can write forever. My next book will help students choose career. Post that I’ll take a break to write romance.
Do you think publishers should push for such titles more and more as it sort of work like guiding light for Students and aspiring professionals? What can be done in this direction?
I believe most of the publishers are doing justice to this genre. The only challenge is the visibility of these books in the market – as predominantly fiction takes an upper hand in most of the book stores. One actionable is to make these books approachable with a catchy cover, illustrations and the title – where Westland has supported me to the fullest.
What message would you like to give students for pursuing their hobby or dream along with studies or career the same way you have you are doing it?
Call me insane, but I believe in the saying ‘You are what you do on a Sunday.’ On any week day, a person may be obligated to do something for a living, be it a student, janitor, teacher, architect, etc. But does any weekend go by without you thinking about the one thing, one unusual thing, which you always dreamt of doing and are unable to do on a week day?
A Sunday Project is any project that when explained to someone for the first time is likely to bring out a response of ‘wow!’ That must be something which you always wanted to try.
Examples of a Sunday Project may include:
- Mastering an unusual yet interesting hobby
- Trying to get your book published
- Writing (blog, screenplay, stories, articles, poems…)
- Starting your own business
- Playing the guitar at a nearby club
- Mountaineering on a hillock
You may feel that you could take up multiple projects on a Sunday to find your passion. What if a single person thought to start Google, Amazon, Uber, and Apple companies all at once? It would have been the biggest flop.
Any idea, if given proper channel and energy, has the capacity to turn into one of the world’s most successful and innovative project. So, choose only ONE idea for your Sunday Project and give it your everything.
Everybody has to have a Sunday Project. So, go for it!
