Life in India often measures success by job titles, promotions, and the security of a stable path. But what happens when all of that crumbles—when setbacks strip away not just achievements, but also the very sense of self? Umesh Upaadyay’s The Art of Starting Over: A Journey Through Setbacks and Self-Discovery explores this question with remarkable candour and courage.
At its heart, this is not the story of a meteoric rise, but of a profound fall—and the slow, deliberate journey of piecing life back together. Umesh writes about an “ordinary man” at a crossroads, but in his ordinariness lies the universal. Readers will recognise themselves in his moments of self-doubt, his battles with invisible expectations, and his search for meaning beyond society’s yardsticks of success.
What makes the book compelling is its refusal to glorify the comeback as a grand triumph. Instead, it is honest about the struggle—the silence of long nights, the weight of unanswered questions, and the courage required to confront one’s own reflection. The narrative reminds us that resilience is not about pretending nothing broke, but about learning to live with the cracks and finding strength in them.
Written in an unpretentious and conversational style, the book reads less like a self-help manual and more like sitting across from a friend who has walked through fire and is sharing what he learned. There are no shortcuts here, no grand formulas—only hard truths softened by empathy.
In a country where setbacks are often seen as shameful failures, Umesh Upaadyay’s voice is refreshingly human. He shows that starting over is not about erasing the past, but about embracing it, scars and all. His reflections serve as a quiet reminder that life’s worth is not measured by uninterrupted success, but by how we rise each time we fall.
A deeply relatable and thought-provoking read, The Art of Starting Over offers not inspiration from the mountaintop, but solidarity from the valley. It is for anyone who has ever stumbled, struggled, or wondered if they had the strength to begin again.
