Book Review: When You Begin to Work For Yourself

Book Review: When You Begin to Work For Yourself: Work. Life. Inner Growth.

Author: PVS Suryakumar

Publisher: Prabhat Prakashan | Price: ₹350

Overview

When You Begin to Work For Yourself is not a conventional management manual or rulebook; as the back cover notes, "This is not a book of advice. It is a book that invites reflection." Authored by PVS Suryakumar—a career development banker who served NABARD from 1986 to 2023, retiring as its Deputy Managing Director—the book is organized into five distinct "movements." It explores the intersection between professional systems and inner growth through short, contemplative micro-essays distilled from over three decades of field work, institutional governance, and public policy execution.

Key Themes & Insights

• Initiative & Natural Authority: Essays like When You Begin to Work For Yourself illustrate that real organizational authority is not bestowed by designation, but earned when individuals exercise judgment and step into responsibility before being prompted.

• Leadership in the Open: In One Hundred Eyes, Suryakumar reflects on leading high-profile offices comparing leadership to living in a fishbowl where every decision, delay, and interaction serves as a model for the wider institution.

• The "Bridge Method" of Learning: Navigating Large Organisations advocates for active, experiential learning. Suryakumar argues that effectiveness inside complex systems relies on bridging written policy with lived ground realities by asking simple, observational questions in the field.

• Brevity, Focus, and Psychological Safety: Through Meetings That Matter and The One-Page Advantage, the book highlights the power of crisp communication, 45-minute structured agendas, and creating safe environments (citing Google’s Project Aristotle) where team members can speak up without fear.

• Humility and Community Ownership: In When Design is Not Enough, the author reflects on watershed projects in Karimnagar district, demonstrating how well-funded, top-down interventions fail when they ignore local social architectures, community restraint, and agroecological realities.

Praise & Reception

The back cover highlights endorsements from key academic, regulatory, and policy leaders:

• Prof M S Sriram (IIM Bengaluru): Describes it as "A series of conversations with a reflective friend... the feeling of a spiritual experience without religion, of learning without a sermon."

• R. Gandhi (Former Deputy Governor, RBI): Notes that "Each micro-essay presents insights gained from real-life experiences with remarkable clarity."

• Dr. Chintan Vaishnav (MIT): Remarks that the book "Reveals the choices every leader confronts—offering simple and profound ways to think about the right path."

Structure & Style

• Concise Micro-Essays: Designed to be revisited and tested rather than read passively in one sitting.

• Poetic Closures: Each reflection concludes with a three-line, haiku-style poem that encapsulates its core philosophy (e.g., "Design bows to care / People shape what truly lasts / Lives grow, not just plans").

• Grounded & Interdisciplinary: Integrates real-world field experiences across agricultural credit and rural development with insights from neuroscience (amygdala threat responses), organizational psychology (Amy Edmondson), and nutrition science (Nature Food).

Final Verdict

Suryakumar has delivered a deeply grounded text that bridges the space between organizational performance and inner stillness. When You Begin to Work For Yourself is an ideal read for development professionals, corporate leaders, and public administrators seeking quiet, enduring wisdom on how to navigate complex systems with integrity and care.

I enjoyed reading it.

Formal Grievance Escalation to Mumbai Metro

To 

The Nodal Grievance Officer, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL),

Subject: Vending Machine Failure and Unprofessional Staff Conduct at Siddhivinayak Station

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding a service failure and highly unprofessional behavior by station staff at Siddhivinayak Station on the morning of September 1, 2026.

Transaction Details:

Date & Time: 1st Sep 2026, 08:29 am

Amount: ₹30.00

Merchant: MUMBAI METRO RAIL CORPORATION LIMITED

Transaction ID: 082926595872

Incident Description:

I attempted to purchase a paper ticket via the automated vending machine at Siddhivinayak Station. The UPI payment of ₹30.00 was successfully deducted from my account (

screenshot attached), but the machine failed to dispense the ticket.

When I approached the booking counter for a refund, I was redirected to customer care near the security area. The customer care representative then redirected me back to the booking counters. At that time, there were no other passengers in line. I approached one of the two active counters and explained the situation. I then approached the other lady at the second counter and explained it again.

Instead of providing assistance, the staff completely dismissed my valid issue and openly mocked me. While the unprocessed refund is an operational error, the primary issue here is the unacceptable conduct of your personnel. Station staff are employed to assist passengers and ensure a smooth transit experience—the very foundation of the metro network's operations and revenue. Being mocked by the people whose explicit responsibility is customer service is deeply insulting and reflects poorly on MMRCL's standards.

I subsequently swiped my metro card to enter the station and returned to customer care. The representative informed me they were not allowed to carry mobile phones but had a security guard take a photograph of the digital transaction receipt on my device. No immediate refund or grievance reference number was provided.

Required Action:

A review of the CCTV and audio footage at the Siddhivinayak Station booking counters shortly after 08:30 am to identify the staff members on duty and address their unprofessional conduct.

I expect a prompt resolution and a formal acknowledgment of this grievance.

Sincerely,

Your Customer 

The Moon The Stars and Me

The Moon, the Stars and Me

Song by Dolly Parton in 1989

Tonight I feel a chill in the air

As cold as that look on your face

I hear what you're saying but coming from you

Goodbye seems so out of place

Now how can you stand there and honestly say

There never were any real promises made

The moon is my witness

The stars will agree

They all heard you promise

You'd always love me

I know that it's true

But it's hard to believe

You lied to the moon, the stars and me

And what about all of those warm tender nights

Did they mean nothing to you

And where are the feelings I thought that we shared

Or have you forgotten them too

Did you think I could just put your memory behind

When your words are still so very clear in my mind

The moon is my witness

The stars will agree

They all heard you promise

You'd always love me

I know that it's true

But it's hard to believe

You lied to the moon, the stars and me

The moon is my witness

The stars will agree

They all heard you promise

You'd always love me

I know that it's true

But it's hard to believe

You lied to the moon, the stars and me

I know that it's true

But it's hard to believe

You lied to the moon

The stars and me

Click for the Video

Remove Them To Succeed in Life

Be driven by purpose not controlled by pleasure.

Chasing women: The habit drains your time, money, focus, and future while others are busy building their empires.

Procrastination: Constantly delaying tasks turns into regret, and what you delay today will defeat you tomorrow.

Negative mindset: Doubt is a "quiet killer." If you already believe you will fail, you become your own worst enemy.

Laziness: Dreams without effort die in silence, and good intentions don't pay the bills.

Vices: Uncontrolled habits and addictions will eventually end up controlling your life.

Complacency: Comfort is described as danger and the place where potential goes to die. The moment you stop growing, you start declining.

Rebuild Your Life

Actionable list of steps to rebuild your life

#Acknowledge and Sit with the Silence: Allow yourself to process the loss of your previous identity without rushing to fill the void immediately.

#Identify a Tangible Craft: Find an activity—ideally one involving your hands—that brings you genuine peace and disconnects you from the pressure of your former career.

#Prioritize Physical Action: Before trying to intellectualize your next career move, engage in daily, physical work to restore your mental belief and physical energy.

#Reject the Need for Speed: Deliberately choose to learn or build slowly. Focus on "mastery" so that your new foundation is solid and durable.

#Adopt a Service-First Mindset: Approach your new endeavors by focusing entirely on the quality of service provided, treating your work as if it were for someone you deeply love.

#Define Your "New Room": Identify one skill, craft, or dream that your old, high-pressure life never had the time or space for, and commit to pursuing it.

#Take One "Honest" Daily Step: Do not wait for a perfect plan. Take one small, authentic step toward your new goal every single morning.

#Practice for Seven Days: Dedicate yourself to these small, consistent steps for at least seven consecutive days to observe what new interests and strengths begin to "wake up" inside you.

#Reframe Your Past: View your previous decades not as lost time, but as the essential foundation that will support your new, truer life.