Title: Beyond The Rat Race, Twice
Publisher: Evincepub Publishing
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About the Book
Beyond the Rat Race, Twice is the compelling memoir of Sanjay Kumar Gupta – an honest and quietly powerful reflection on navigating life, learning, and leadership from the margins. Born into a humble family in Delhi, he twice stepped away from the “”rat race”” – first by choice, then by necessity – each time finding a path closer to his true self. More than a story of education or employment, this is a journey of discovering values through lived experience: choosing integrity over shortcuts, purpose over pressure, and reflection over recognition. His story offers clarity in a competitive world, reminding us that true success is becoming who we truly are – not outpacing others.
About the Author
Sanjay Kumar Gupta is an international development consultant whose work with ADB, FAO, IFAD, UNDP, and the World Bank has taken him from India’s villages to Afghanistan, Bhutan, Saudi Arabia, Papua New Guinea, and Sri Lanka. Sanjay’s journey from a modest upbringing in a Delhi urban village to a purposeful career in rural development reflects resilience, empathy, and self-awareness. Raised with strong values, he excelled in school despite financial constraints. Sanjay’s story challenges conventional success metrics, advocating progress guided by inner values. Choosing introspection over competition, he redefined success as personal growth rather than external rewards. He enjoys reading, playing chess and cricket, watching the Indian sports teams, traveling, engaging on social media, and observing both people and nature. Guided by his credo – moving forward and rising upward – he envisions a poverty-free, happy world. Sanjay lives in India.
Neel Preet: How has your personal journey shaped you as a writer?
Sanjay Kumar Gupta: This book is based entirely on my personal journey and experiences, from my childhood to a stage where I felt I had completely stepped out of the rat race. I believe this journey will resonate with readers who are on a similar path, and it became my motivation to write this book.
Neel Preet: What does your typical writing day look like?
Sanjay Kumar Gupta: It depends on the day. When I am in the mood to write, I recall a key event from my life. Once I am convinced it needs to be included in the book, I write about it in detail, usually one page a day. On other days, when I am not in a writing mood, I still think about the book and make sure to write at least one word to keep the momentum going.
Neel Preet: Which authors or books have influenced your writing style the most?
Sanjay Kumar Gupta: Non-fiction is my favourite genre. Over the years, I have read several books that have shaped my thinking and attitude. Some examples include The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, In Search of Mother by Sri Ram, and My Experiments with Truth by M. K. Gandhi. Such books have had a strong influence on my mind. After reading them, I felt that one day I too could share my own life experiences once I gained deeper insights into my life journey. These books inspired me to share my own truths with the world.
Neel Preet: How do you handle writer’s block or creative pauses?
Sanjay Kumar Gupta: On some days, I experience writer’s block or creative pauses. On such days, I feel stuck and do not feel like writing at all. However, random thoughts still enter my mind, and I continue to think about other aspects of the book – what to change, what to expand, and how to present it. Even on those days, I make it a point to write at least one word to sustain my writing efforts. There are times when several days pass in which I write only a single word each day, as I fear that if I do not write daily, my rhythm might break.
Neel Preet: What is the most unexpected thing you learned about yourself while writing this book?
Sanjay Kumar Gupta: The realization that I, too, could write a book!
Neel Preet: How do you differentiate between writing for yourself and writing for your readers?
Sanjay Kumar Gupta: When you write for yourself, there is a temptation to include every single detail because it happened to you and is close to your heart. However, you also realize that it is something that has already happened in the past. You are writing the book for readers, not for yourself. Therefore, when you write for readers, you must keep in mind that they are interested in a story that is relevant to them and that offers insight, learning, or a meaningful lesson.
Neel Preet: What upcoming projects or themes are you excited to explore next?
Sanjay Kumar Gupta: There is a high probability that I may write another book. On some days, random thoughts enter my mind, offering hints of possible topics and themes for my next project. However, I do not force it and instead allow it to emerge organically.
Neel Preet: If your younger self read this book, what do you think their reaction would be?
Sanjay Kumar Gupta: My younger self would have found it fascinating to read the memoir of a professional from the international development sector. He would have appreciated the author’s authentic effort to share personal experiences without glamorizing his struggles. The author recounts unpleasant events honestly without blaming others. My younger self would also have tried to grasp the subtle messages the author aims to convey to readers.
Neel Preet: What do you enjoy most about connecting with readers?
Sanjay Kumar Gupta: Each reader is a distinct individual with a unique context and set of experiences. Connecting with readers gives me an opportunity to understand their perspective on my book – whether it made an impact on them, and what they are looking for in a book.
Neel Preet: What is one personal philosophy or belief that guides your writing?
Sanjay Kumar Gupta: Whenever I gain a new insight, learning, or lesson that I believe others can relate to, I feel like sharing it with the people around me and with readers at large. Writing a book allows me to reach a global audience, spanning different geographies.
