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Do Epic Shit
Ankur Warikoo is an entrepreneur and content creator whose deep, witty and brutally honest thoughts on success and failure, money and investing, self-awareness and personal relationships have made him one of India’s top personal brands. In his first book, Ankur puts together the key ideas that have fuelled his journey – one that began with him wanting to be a space engineer and ended with him creating content that has been seen and read by millions. His thoughts range from the importance of creating habits for long-term success to the foundations of money management, from embracing and accepting failure to the real truth about learning empathy. This is a book to be read, and reread, a book whose lines you will underline and think about again and again, a book you will give your family and friends and strangers.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published December 27, 2021
1,639 people are currently reading
24.8k people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,037 reviews
January 19, 2025
(Actually fed up of Sh*t and F*k in nonfiction book titles. So publishers and authors, note this.)
This book doesn’t have a proper structure. However, listen to the guy who has lots of practical advice and some bitter pills to swallow to regain your inner peace.
This book doesn’t have a proper structure. However, listen to the guy who has lots of practical advice and some bitter pills to swallow to regain your inner peace.
January 9, 2022
This will be a hard review to do, since Ankur is one of the genuinely candid and nice guys out there in the Startup ecosystem.
However, the blame lies with the Promotions/PR/Marketing team of his who convinced him to turn his scrapbook of scribbles into a full fledged book and having the effrontery to assume people would pay a good 300-400 bucks on whats basically a few pages of shower thoughts and blurbs strung together.
Disclaimer: Not a fan of self help (Just do it) books, and to be fair there are less than a handful of really useful self help books out there. Period.
However, the blame lies with the Promotions/PR/Marketing team of his who convinced him to turn his scrapbook of scribbles into a full fledged book and having the effrontery to assume people would pay a good 300-400 bucks on whats basically a few pages of shower thoughts and blurbs strung together.
Disclaimer: Not a fan of self help (Just do it) books, and to be fair there are less than a handful of really useful self help books out there. Period.
January 8, 2022
In my prejudiced opinion, this is just a bad product to put your money into. It is more like tweeter posts of a person compiled together to sell which in my opinion is not book material. I am not expressing that the content is not inspiring, just that it is not book material. The good thing is that it can be finished in one hour and you can credit yourself with reading an entire book. It is quite clear that the book might be a selling succees at your expense. Plus the title is just catchy and has no connection with the content within.
December 29, 2021
I started this book around 4:15 PM today and finished at 9:00 PM.
This is a kind of book you should play book cricket everyday and read one or few pages from it.
Ankur said this in the very beginning.
Ankur reads a lots of book and his content on social media is well stocked with the learnings from these hundreds of books he read over the years.
He recommends these books in his YouTube videos time to time.
If you are one is following his recommendations for the books and reading them, then you will quote the books while reading the pages from "Do Epic Shit".
So you might feel these thoughts repetitive.
This book is a mix of Ankur's notes from his vast library containing hundreds of books and equally from his life experiences.
I am really grateful to Ankur Warikoo to share his learning through social media for free and collecting them so nicely in this wonderful book for price.
He is one giver who is sharing these wonderful learnings and lessons with us.
I loved the part where he shared the story of his parents and his childhood.
And equally loved the letter he written to his kids.
Excited to be part in his journey by reading his thoughts ahead too.
This is a kind of book you should play book cricket everyday and read one or few pages from it.
Ankur said this in the very beginning.
Ankur reads a lots of book and his content on social media is well stocked with the learnings from these hundreds of books he read over the years.
He recommends these books in his YouTube videos time to time.
If you are one is following his recommendations for the books and reading them, then you will quote the books while reading the pages from "Do Epic Shit".
So you might feel these thoughts repetitive.
This book is a mix of Ankur's notes from his vast library containing hundreds of books and equally from his life experiences.
I am really grateful to Ankur Warikoo to share his learning through social media for free and collecting them so nicely in this wonderful book for price.
He is one giver who is sharing these wonderful learnings and lessons with us.
I loved the part where he shared the story of his parents and his childhood.
And equally loved the letter he written to his kids.
Excited to be part in his journey by reading his thoughts ahead too.
February 28, 2022
This felt like reading a collection of posts on social media rather than a book with coherent thoughts. A little more effort in piecing the excerpts together to form a storyline would have definitely yielded in a better content .
Credits to the author - he mentions in the very first page that this would be the most useless book one could pick up ! The parts where author has followed up the ideas with his personal experience are worth reading - other than that you’d have already read about the points presented from better authors . (Again , credits to the author - he already mentions this point on unoriginality in first few pages). It’s an easy skip if you follow Ankur Warikoo on social media , if not , it’s still an easy skip !
Credits to the author - he mentions in the very first page that this would be the most useless book one could pick up ! The parts where author has followed up the ideas with his personal experience are worth reading - other than that you’d have already read about the points presented from better authors . (Again , credits to the author - he already mentions this point on unoriginality in first few pages). It’s an easy skip if you follow Ankur Warikoo on social media , if not , it’s still an easy skip !
February 18, 2022
Plagiarism, Mediocre and more Plagiarism!
I think i might have liked the book, had I not just finished “psychology of money” by Morgen Housel and the “Almanack of Naval Ravikant” just few days ago.
And I believe the author also knows this, that’s why he starts the book by saying something on the lines, “I am not going to tell anything new…” or some sentence like that on the first page itself.
At first I thought he is just trying to be humble, but as it kept progressing, things just started looking like taken directly out of popular twitter accounts tweets(80–90% Naval Ravikant) and the mentioned 2 books.
The only original thing in the book, is the least interesting stuff “His failures and confusions in life and career” sprinkled in between.
I don’t like to personally attack anyone, and neither will condemn Mr. Warrikoo’s hustle or trying to be a youtube content creator. Whether he is a scammer ripping off gullible people with his repititive ads or genuinely helping someone. I don’t care.
Original thinking/ Original Work : - 0/10
Presenting/compilation of different work: 1/10
Rigor/ effortful work: 1/10 (90% of this book is taken from just 2-3 books seriously, there are many authors who take from 15-20 sources and don't do any citation, even that much is ok, and then i wouldn't be writing this)
If a person doesn’t read a lot, and as many of us aspire to write some book one day, or as a compilation of notes, self publishing work of aspiring authors etc, perhaps we can give him a break and it is ok for people write and publish which he has done so.
If we compare to real authors and original thinkers say Nicholas Taleb, Ben Graham, or subject matter experts or even Indian less popular work like that of Bharat Shah’s book on investment, then the book is just terrible….
I won’t recommend it and would prefer people read the original authors.
If you don’t like deep thoughts, deep diving into subjects and want 140 character wisdom, why not stick to twitter?
I think i might have liked the book, had I not just finished “psychology of money” by Morgen Housel and the “Almanack of Naval Ravikant” just few days ago.
And I believe the author also knows this, that’s why he starts the book by saying something on the lines, “I am not going to tell anything new…” or some sentence like that on the first page itself.
At first I thought he is just trying to be humble, but as it kept progressing, things just started looking like taken directly out of popular twitter accounts tweets(80–90% Naval Ravikant) and the mentioned 2 books.
The only original thing in the book, is the least interesting stuff “His failures and confusions in life and career” sprinkled in between.
I don’t like to personally attack anyone, and neither will condemn Mr. Warrikoo’s hustle or trying to be a youtube content creator. Whether he is a scammer ripping off gullible people with his repititive ads or genuinely helping someone. I don’t care.
Original thinking/ Original Work : - 0/10
Presenting/compilation of different work: 1/10
Rigor/ effortful work: 1/10 (90% of this book is taken from just 2-3 books seriously, there are many authors who take from 15-20 sources and don't do any citation, even that much is ok, and then i wouldn't be writing this)
If a person doesn’t read a lot, and as many of us aspire to write some book one day, or as a compilation of notes, self publishing work of aspiring authors etc, perhaps we can give him a break and it is ok for people write and publish which he has done so.
If we compare to real authors and original thinkers say Nicholas Taleb, Ben Graham, or subject matter experts or even Indian less popular work like that of Bharat Shah’s book on investment, then the book is just terrible….
I won’t recommend it and would prefer people read the original authors.
If you don’t like deep thoughts, deep diving into subjects and want 140 character wisdom, why not stick to twitter?
January 16, 2022
"Time goes away and leaves us with only one these two things: regret or results."
- Ankur Warrikoo
This is the book with which I started my this years reading journey and I am glad that I did.
This book does not belong to any special category or genre, it's written in such a way that allows you to open up any page and start reading. As author himself told in the introduction, this book will not reveal anything new to you rather it's meant to be a reminder of how life happens to all of us.
Every page of this book is filled with nuggets of wisdom and author's own reflection of life. In every line of this book Ankur teaches us something about life that he learnt through his own experiences and the best thing is he talks extensively about mistakes he had committed throughout his life so that we don't commit those same mistakes again because as we all know that life is too short to learn from your own mistakes.
Overall, I had a beautiful experience of reading this book and it felt like Ankur was sitting in front of me and telling me about his journey of life and I listened. It answered many of my questions and taught me many things.
I would highly recommend everyone of you to read this bealive me its worth it.
- Ankur Warrikoo
This is the book with which I started my this years reading journey and I am glad that I did.
This book does not belong to any special category or genre, it's written in such a way that allows you to open up any page and start reading. As author himself told in the introduction, this book will not reveal anything new to you rather it's meant to be a reminder of how life happens to all of us.
Every page of this book is filled with nuggets of wisdom and author's own reflection of life. In every line of this book Ankur teaches us something about life that he learnt through his own experiences and the best thing is he talks extensively about mistakes he had committed throughout his life so that we don't commit those same mistakes again because as we all know that life is too short to learn from your own mistakes.
Overall, I had a beautiful experience of reading this book and it felt like Ankur was sitting in front of me and telling me about his journey of life and I listened. It answered many of my questions and taught me many things.
I would highly recommend everyone of you to read this bealive me its worth it.
January 4, 2022
This book is an Epic Shit! It's just a summary of Warikoo's posts on social media with no specific order. But few lines did stay with me-
1. Moving out doesn't mean quitting what you have. It means giving yourself space to explore other things
2. You don't find your passion. You grow your passion.
3. Every employee wants to be led, not managed.
4. The trick to waking up early is not waking up early, it is sleeping on time! We don't want to run a marathon, we want to be fit! Don't set targets, set habits!
5. As adults, the single most hurdle ti learning is Pride!
6. The easiest way to learn from mistakes is to read books, the next option is to comit mistakes yourself.
7. If I can't trust you, it doesn't matter how smart/ talented you are
8. Good people pay a far higher price for being good than a bad person pays for being bad
9. Do not show up for every argument you are invited to. Not all mails require a reply.
10. If you do not believe in yourself, no one else will.
1. Moving out doesn't mean quitting what you have. It means giving yourself space to explore other things
2. You don't find your passion. You grow your passion.
3. Every employee wants to be led, not managed.
4. The trick to waking up early is not waking up early, it is sleeping on time! We don't want to run a marathon, we want to be fit! Don't set targets, set habits!
5. As adults, the single most hurdle ti learning is Pride!
6. The easiest way to learn from mistakes is to read books, the next option is to comit mistakes yourself.
7. If I can't trust you, it doesn't matter how smart/ talented you are
8. Good people pay a far higher price for being good than a bad person pays for being bad
9. Do not show up for every argument you are invited to. Not all mails require a reply.
10. If you do not believe in yourself, no one else will.
October 23, 2022
Less of a book, more of self-help instagram posts printed out and bound into a book, complete with eye popping large font and no coherent links between topics. I suspect that a fraction of young readers might feel a hint of inspiration, so its not entirely a futile effort if it helps but one person in this world. I get the inspiration Warikoo is trying to get across, but a lack of sincerity makes it hard to take any of it seriously. Personally, I am devastated by waste of such good quality paper (certainly above 80 gsm).
June 15, 2024
“If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.”
“The pro is the amateur who simply showed up every day.”
This one is a motivational and inspiring guide to achieving success and living an epic life. The book is written in a conversational and relatable style, making it easy to understand and apply the principles outlined. Warikoo provides practical advice and insights for overcoming obstacles, building a successful business, and creating a fulfilling life.
The book is filled with inspiring stories and case studies, showcasing the author's experiences and those of others who have found success by doing epic things. The themes of determination, perseverance and a growth mindset are central to the book, and the author provides practical tips for developing these qualities in yourself. Overall, "Do Epic Shit" is a valuable and inspiring resource for anyone looking to take their life to the next level and achieve their goals.
You might like to check out more similar books here.
“The pro is the amateur who simply showed up every day.”
This one is a motivational and inspiring guide to achieving success and living an epic life. The book is written in a conversational and relatable style, making it easy to understand and apply the principles outlined. Warikoo provides practical advice and insights for overcoming obstacles, building a successful business, and creating a fulfilling life.
The book is filled with inspiring stories and case studies, showcasing the author's experiences and those of others who have found success by doing epic things. The themes of determination, perseverance and a growth mindset are central to the book, and the author provides practical tips for developing these qualities in yourself. Overall, "Do Epic Shit" is a valuable and inspiring resource for anyone looking to take their life to the next level and achieve their goals.
You might like to check out more similar books here.
January 30, 2022
Let me begin by - Beauty of the book is in its simplicity. Very everyday thoughts that can have a big impact on life and approach on the journey of career, relationships and money.
It’s the same thoughts wether on you tube / social media or book and one is left seeking something more and new.
A nice quick read and few takeaways.
It’s the same thoughts wether on you tube / social media or book and one is left seeking something more and new.
A nice quick read and few takeaways.
October 9, 2022
This is not a book. Just a string of scribbles collated from his content. Generally, online content is bulleted and easy to consume and Books is a medium where we expect to go deep. This, unfortunately, is micronised version of his content that lacks context in most places.
It has been written for non-readers.
It has been written for non-readers.
March 19, 2022
Nothing more than a collection of motivational quotes. Good for someone who has never read a self-help book before.
March 18, 2024
This book is what it promises that it is. A book of anecdotes and ideas. Would advise reading it as the author recommends, which is flip to a random page or part of the audiobook and listen for a bit periodically.
Don't try to take this book seriously and don't try to read it straight through. most of us won't learn anything new here (which the author predicts).
Don't try to take this book seriously and don't try to read it straight through. most of us won't learn anything new here (which the author predicts).
February 7, 2022
Reviewing this book is altogether a different experience. The structure and the flow are such that we get almost a new useful theme on every page and which is the author's motto as well to make anyone read from any page of the book.
The book has 6 subsections namely success(and failure), Habits, Awareness, Relationships, Entrepreneurship, Money, and lastly Relationships.
For success, the book defines the importance of breaking the limits, persistence, mind training, smart work, multiple mentorships, and lastly the definition of success which is the relationship we have with ourselves.
As far as the habit goes the author has highlighted that imbibing simple habits have a long-term benefit be it like sleeping on time, prioritizing the daily routine, reading books, documenting thoughts, and lastly spending time with ourselves.
In subsection three author highlights the importance of being aware and awareness is the start of the decision.
I personally consider Entrepreneurship and Money as the most insightful sections in the book. While on one hand, we may find clarity as to who is an entrepreneur on the other hand insights are being shared on personal finance.
In the last subsection Relationship we land up with clarity of a few keywords like the difference between sharing and transaction, the relationship between respect empathy, and sympathy.
A few pages in the book like the author's failure resume, mistakes are done in the 20s and 30s, lies about money, common money mistakes to avoid, and letters to the kids make this book a worthy read.
The book has 6 subsections namely success(and failure), Habits, Awareness, Relationships, Entrepreneurship, Money, and lastly Relationships.
For success, the book defines the importance of breaking the limits, persistence, mind training, smart work, multiple mentorships, and lastly the definition of success which is the relationship we have with ourselves.
As far as the habit goes the author has highlighted that imbibing simple habits have a long-term benefit be it like sleeping on time, prioritizing the daily routine, reading books, documenting thoughts, and lastly spending time with ourselves.
In subsection three author highlights the importance of being aware and awareness is the start of the decision.
I personally consider Entrepreneurship and Money as the most insightful sections in the book. While on one hand, we may find clarity as to who is an entrepreneur on the other hand insights are being shared on personal finance.
In the last subsection Relationship we land up with clarity of a few keywords like the difference between sharing and transaction, the relationship between respect empathy, and sympathy.
A few pages in the book like the author's failure resume, mistakes are done in the 20s and 30s, lies about money, common money mistakes to avoid, and letters to the kids make this book a worthy read.
December 23, 2022
Giving it 4 stars because it was nice to read an Indian-centric self improvement book for once as opposed to the countless Eurocentric self help books pervasive in our society. I appreciated the frankness with which Ankur shared his failures. This book won’t have detailed techniques to apply in your life but rather high-level guidance/pointers that can help get you started in the right direction.
Read
November 27, 2022Another DNF that I gave up at 8%.
This book was everywhere last year, I think, and I thought I’d see what exactly this author is talking about. He’s basically saying, “Look, you’re not successful because you’re lazy.” And this book is a bunch of sayings he put out as tweets, each becoming more toxic positive than the next. This isn’t self-help. This is deriding the person reading the book for actually wasting time reading the book. Gah.
(Taken from my August 2022 wrap up on my blog: August 2022 Wrap Up)
This book was everywhere last year, I think, and I thought I’d see what exactly this author is talking about. He’s basically saying, “Look, you’re not successful because you’re lazy.” And this book is a bunch of sayings he put out as tweets, each becoming more toxic positive than the next. This isn’t self-help. This is deriding the person reading the book for actually wasting time reading the book. Gah.
(Taken from my August 2022 wrap up on my blog: August 2022 Wrap Up)
Read
October 14, 2023I love Ankur warikoo's videos, and reading this epic book was equally pleasnt <3
August 16, 2024
As with all of Sir Ankur Warikoo’s content, this is a truly eye-opening book for me. There is so much to learn from this book. The author has covered so many topics about how to live a happy fulfilling life, how to correctly navigate the various challenges of life, by learning from mistakes, from setbacks, from one’s struggles, from the corrections one makes in every second of his journey through life. So many misconceptions I had around money-making and becoming an entrepreneur simply disappeared just by reading this highly-insightful gem of a book. “Never start up because you want to make money from it.” ( This is a line from the book. Sir taught me something invaluable truly). To navigate life with a sense of real gratitude and not entitlement, to understand what it means to be truly grateful and not merely say “Thank you,” to live to create something that benefits the larger good of society, to become rich so that we can make the lives of others better, all these points are covered in the book. I am truly humbled to have come across Sir Ankur Warikoo. I have never seen anybody teach with such humility and concern for people’s welfare, while also speak of becoming rich ( the righteous way), and living a fulfilling life. Rare!
What is also truly admirable about Sir’s book is the amount of time he dedicated into telling us about his life’s mistakes, and how he came to recognise each one of them retrospectively. This made the book all the more eye-opening for me because it helped me become acutely aware of sir’s entire journey, all the facets of it, what led him to be everything he is today. I got to ask myself many things about my own life decisions alongside as a result. The lessons sir learnt opened my eyes to so many mistakes I was close to making in my life today but have now been stopped from (because of reading Sir’s mistakes). What a gift this book has been to me!
There is so much to learn from sir’s story, I was literally underlining lines all throughout his book, and gawping at places with my hand clamping my mouth, with shivers-of-realisation running down my spine. For people who are seeking directions in their journey of life, who wish to learn how to go about life and also learn how they have their various life needs met, this is a book I highly recommend. Very simple language have been used but the words touch you somewhere very deep, in a way you can truly never forget. I look upto Sir Ankur Warikoo and am very grateful to have come across him in this journey of life.
Sir’s kind, friendly, humbling approach in every discussion is truly very convincing! One cannot help but recognise the voice of someone who genuinely cares for the well-being of his readers and really knows what he is sharing in every page.
What is also truly admirable about Sir’s book is the amount of time he dedicated into telling us about his life’s mistakes, and how he came to recognise each one of them retrospectively. This made the book all the more eye-opening for me because it helped me become acutely aware of sir’s entire journey, all the facets of it, what led him to be everything he is today. I got to ask myself many things about my own life decisions alongside as a result. The lessons sir learnt opened my eyes to so many mistakes I was close to making in my life today but have now been stopped from (because of reading Sir’s mistakes). What a gift this book has been to me!
There is so much to learn from sir’s story, I was literally underlining lines all throughout his book, and gawping at places with my hand clamping my mouth, with shivers-of-realisation running down my spine. For people who are seeking directions in their journey of life, who wish to learn how to go about life and also learn how they have their various life needs met, this is a book I highly recommend. Very simple language have been used but the words touch you somewhere very deep, in a way you can truly never forget. I look upto Sir Ankur Warikoo and am very grateful to have come across him in this journey of life.
Sir’s kind, friendly, humbling approach in every discussion is truly very convincing! One cannot help but recognise the voice of someone who genuinely cares for the well-being of his readers and really knows what he is sharing in every page.
September 30, 2022
The book is hypocritical and lacks any depth. Some sections are repetitive. It feels like a book written to stroke the author's ego. Nobody has recommended this book and for good reason. There is a section at the end of the book subtly bragging about his kids.
The only cricket I'd play with this book is taking to the top unity building and knocking it out of the park with a Matthew Hayden's Mongoose.
Page 0:
> This is a book to be read, and reread, a book whose lines you will underline and think about again and again, a book you will give your family and friends and strangers. Ankur hopes this to become the most gifted book ever.
Also Page 1:
> This book may be very well be turn out to be the most useless book you will ever buy. Because nothing in this book is something you don't know of.
--------------
He talks of how one should spend more time in relationships that matter. If given a chance to change a thing in life, he would make the same mistakes again and ignore his family. He wouldn't change a thing.
----------------
The only cricket I'd play with this book is taking to the top unity building and knocking it out of the park with a Matthew Hayden's Mongoose.
Page 0:
> This is a book to be read, and reread, a book whose lines you will underline and think about again and again, a book you will give your family and friends and strangers. Ankur hopes this to become the most gifted book ever.
Also Page 1:
> This book may be very well be turn out to be the most useless book you will ever buy. Because nothing in this book is something you don't know of.
--------------
He talks of how one should spend more time in relationships that matter. If given a chance to change a thing in life, he would make the same mistakes again and ignore his family. He wouldn't change a thing.
----------------
November 28, 2022
Do Epic shit consist of life lessons and mistakes made by the author in six different areas of life:
1. Success and Failures
2. Habits
3. Awareness
4. Entrepreneurship
5. Money
6. Relationship
The book doesn't contain anything special or really new. Rather, the author in this book is reminding you of things you already know but have probably overlooked in the day-to-day hustle. It goes back to basics and that's what we all need.
It's a superb book for everyone, especially beginners! It's a short, crisp, easy to read and highly beneficial book which offers something for everyone.
A book you can have on your side table for instant motivation and wisdom. The author suggest to play book-cricket with this book i. e. everyday open a random page and read one or more pages and reflect upon them.
This book is a great reminder of all the life lessons at one place.
1. Success and Failures
2. Habits
3. Awareness
4. Entrepreneurship
5. Money
6. Relationship
The book doesn't contain anything special or really new. Rather, the author in this book is reminding you of things you already know but have probably overlooked in the day-to-day hustle. It goes back to basics and that's what we all need.
It's a superb book for everyone, especially beginners! It's a short, crisp, easy to read and highly beneficial book which offers something for everyone.
A book you can have on your side table for instant motivation and wisdom. The author suggest to play book-cricket with this book i. e. everyday open a random page and read one or more pages and reflect upon them.
This book is a great reminder of all the life lessons at one place.
May 2, 2023
“Whatever you’re feeling today, will fade away.”
I think this was a good book. I recommend this read for anyone that needs that extra push or empowerment in their lives.
I could have done without the author’s failures but I understand how it would help readers, it just seemed to drag on.
I want to try a lot of habits the author recommended.
“Everyone carries a heavy load, be kind to others.”
I think this was a good book. I recommend this read for anyone that needs that extra push or empowerment in their lives.
I could have done without the author’s failures but I understand how it would help readers, it just seemed to drag on.
I want to try a lot of habits the author recommended.
“Everyone carries a heavy load, be kind to others.”
January 8, 2022
Being a fan of Ankur Warikoo myself, I couldn't appreciate this book much. This book seems to be the compilation or a physical playlist of his YouTube videos. I expected it to be something that is not there in his YouTube content. Anything new was hardly found in the entire book.
Warikoo's writing style is directly inspired by RE-WORK or Tools of Titans which he often recommends. There's no wrong in it but, this seems like wasting pages after writing two or three sentences in a bigger font.
Though I'm not expecting a literary classic from Warikoo, the editing of this book is too careless that I could spot grammatical errors here and there. Someone had given him a tight deadline and he just want to complete the book instead of writing it.
Too many repetitive sentences make this book mundane. Something like "Freedom is a privilege". Saying the same sentences then and there makes it dull. Warikoo is expected to give different perspectives on the same topic instead of repeating it.
Also, the letters to his children are good but it doesn't give me any sense of connection. Because it's personal to Warikoo and in no way it can connect with me. Even if I've kids, what should I understand from that particular letters section? It is bland.
While reading the first sentence in Pg.252 ["We all accept the love we think we deserve"] I was screaming, "Hey this is from the film/book - Perks of being a wallflower". Mr. Warikoo, I never expected this from you!
He's an amazing content creator, so watch all his YouTube videos instead of reading this book and getting disappointed like me.
What Warikoo needs to understand is that, writing is an art. Be it fiction or non-fiction it is an art first. You've to put in the effort to make it effortless. That's when you can say you've written.
But above all these, why 3 stars? Because this book spreads positivity and we should not say no to it.
Warikoo's writing style is directly inspired by RE-WORK or Tools of Titans which he often recommends. There's no wrong in it but, this seems like wasting pages after writing two or three sentences in a bigger font.
Though I'm not expecting a literary classic from Warikoo, the editing of this book is too careless that I could spot grammatical errors here and there. Someone had given him a tight deadline and he just want to complete the book instead of writing it.
Too many repetitive sentences make this book mundane. Something like "Freedom is a privilege". Saying the same sentences then and there makes it dull. Warikoo is expected to give different perspectives on the same topic instead of repeating it.
Also, the letters to his children are good but it doesn't give me any sense of connection. Because it's personal to Warikoo and in no way it can connect with me. Even if I've kids, what should I understand from that particular letters section? It is bland.
While reading the first sentence in Pg.252 ["We all accept the love we think we deserve"] I was screaming, "Hey this is from the film/book - Perks of being a wallflower". Mr. Warikoo, I never expected this from you!
He's an amazing content creator, so watch all his YouTube videos instead of reading this book and getting disappointed like me.
What Warikoo needs to understand is that, writing is an art. Be it fiction or non-fiction it is an art first. You've to put in the effort to make it effortless. That's when you can say you've written.
But above all these, why 3 stars? Because this book spreads positivity and we should not say no to it.
September 12, 2024
Do Epic Shit by Ankur Warikoo is a short, straightforward, and impactful guide to living a more fulfilling life, drawing on the author’s personal experiences and practical advice. What sets this book apart is its refreshing honesty—the author readily admits upfront that he’s not offering any groundbreaking new insights. Instead, the book serves as a powerful reminder of things we already know but often forget to implement.
Introduction:
The book starts with a candid message from the author: “I’m not introducing anything new.” Warikoo emphasizes that this is not a book about revolutionary ideas but about acting on the wisdom we already have. This introduction sets the tone for the entire book, reminding readers that the real challenge lies in execution, not discovery.
Part 1: Success and Failure
Warikoo reminds readers that “You are what you do, not what you say you do.” This is a key message for anyone stuck in a rut of inaction or empty promises. He emphasizes the importance of taking real steps, not just talking about ambitions. Success, according to Warikoo, comes from action, not intention. This section really hit home for me—it’s easy to get caught up in planning and discussing ideas but ultimately, it's the action that defines us.
One practical piece of advice that stood out was about creating opportunities. If you’re in a job you dislike, he suggests sending out 100 cold emails a day. Luck, he argues, is just the product of putting yourself out there. This persistence is something we often overlook but is crucial to creating your own breaks.
Another interesting aspect of this part is the importance of being yourself. Warikoo urges us to stand out by breaking stereotypes, particularly when applying for jobs. Be memorable by embracing who you truly are. Authenticity, rather than conformity, is the key to gaining attention and recognition. But he warns us not to seek external validation—do the work for yourself, not for the praise of others.
One of the most resonant messages for me was “Money buys freedom, not stuff.” Warikoo talks about how we often chase money for material gains, but its true value lies in the freedom it can give us—the freedom to pursue dreams, spend time with loved ones, and explore new opportunities. This was a refreshing take, especially in a world where financial success is often equated with material accumulation.
He also touches on a profound but simple truth: “If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.” This advice feels so obvious, yet it’s something we forget. The importance of asking for what we want applies to every situation, from personal relationships to career goals.
Part 2: Habits
Warikoo believes that habits outweigh goals. For instance, the habit of being happy each morning is more impactful than setting happiness as a goal. He emphasizes that habits are the small, consistent actions that lead to big results. Personally, I found this idea useful because it aligns with the notion that small, incremental changes over time create lasting results.
A highlight from this section is his advice on calendar management. He suggests putting everything—work, family events, chores—on the calendar. Inviting your spouse to be an editor on this calendar adds a layer of transparency and ensures that nothing falls through the cracks. This system helps remove the burden of remembering and frees up mental space for more important tasks. For me, this was a practical reminder to organize my life better.
Part 3: Awareness
In this section, Warikoo talks about how the way you respond teaches the world how to treat you. The idea that your reactions shape your environment and relationships is simple but profound. It reminds us that we are responsible for setting boundaries and expectations with others.
Part 4: Entrepreneurship
A standout message here is that people would rather work for a competent asshole than an incompetent nice guy. While it’s a harsh reality, Warikoo’s point is clear: competence is key in the workplace. This section pushes readers to take their jobs as seriously as they would if they were running their own business. He encourages innovation, creativity, and a mindset that takes ownership of one’s work.
One of the most empowering messages here is that attitude is greater than experience, which is greater than education. A positive, growth-oriented attitude trumps skills or background every time. This message is a great reminder for anyone looking to improve their career or leadership skills. The idea that skills can be taught, but attitude cannot resonated deeply with me.
Part 5: Money
Warikoo presents a different take on money, reminding us that our salaries aren’t capped, but our spending is. He advises focusing on increasing income rather than merely cutting costs. This is practical advice for anyone looking to improve their financial situation. However, he does caution that spending must still be within reason—wise financial decisions lead to comfort and long-term freedom.
Part 6: Relationships
Finally, Warikoo talks about true friendships, stating that they are defined by those who celebrate your successes, not just those who support you during tough times. This was an eye-opening distinction for me, as we often undervalue the importance of having friends who genuinely cheer us on.
Epilogue
The book concludes with an epilogue that circles back to the author’s initial statement. Warikoo reaffirms that his goal was not to present new information but to remind us of what we already know, using his experiences to bring those reminders to life. The brevity and clarity of the book are its strengths. At no point did I feel overwhelmed by complex theories or unnecessary fluff—Warikoo keeps it simple and actionable.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Do Epic Shit offers practical, actionable insights without overcomplicating things. Warikoo’s message is clear: stop waiting, start doing. Whether it’s about career success, financial freedom, or personal relationships, the book is a guide to taking ownership of your life. I appreciated how the author used real-life examples to reinforce familiar concepts, making them feel fresh and relevant.
What really stood out for me is Warikoo’s constant emphasis on execution. The principles are simple, but the challenge lies in making them part of your daily life. His advice on authenticity, habits, and perseverance is a wake-up call to take action, no matter how small, toward the life you want to live.
Introduction:
The book starts with a candid message from the author: “I’m not introducing anything new.” Warikoo emphasizes that this is not a book about revolutionary ideas but about acting on the wisdom we already have. This introduction sets the tone for the entire book, reminding readers that the real challenge lies in execution, not discovery.
Part 1: Success and Failure
Warikoo reminds readers that “You are what you do, not what you say you do.” This is a key message for anyone stuck in a rut of inaction or empty promises. He emphasizes the importance of taking real steps, not just talking about ambitions. Success, according to Warikoo, comes from action, not intention. This section really hit home for me—it’s easy to get caught up in planning and discussing ideas but ultimately, it's the action that defines us.
One practical piece of advice that stood out was about creating opportunities. If you’re in a job you dislike, he suggests sending out 100 cold emails a day. Luck, he argues, is just the product of putting yourself out there. This persistence is something we often overlook but is crucial to creating your own breaks.
Another interesting aspect of this part is the importance of being yourself. Warikoo urges us to stand out by breaking stereotypes, particularly when applying for jobs. Be memorable by embracing who you truly are. Authenticity, rather than conformity, is the key to gaining attention and recognition. But he warns us not to seek external validation—do the work for yourself, not for the praise of others.
One of the most resonant messages for me was “Money buys freedom, not stuff.” Warikoo talks about how we often chase money for material gains, but its true value lies in the freedom it can give us—the freedom to pursue dreams, spend time with loved ones, and explore new opportunities. This was a refreshing take, especially in a world where financial success is often equated with material accumulation.
He also touches on a profound but simple truth: “If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.” This advice feels so obvious, yet it’s something we forget. The importance of asking for what we want applies to every situation, from personal relationships to career goals.
Part 2: Habits
Warikoo believes that habits outweigh goals. For instance, the habit of being happy each morning is more impactful than setting happiness as a goal. He emphasizes that habits are the small, consistent actions that lead to big results. Personally, I found this idea useful because it aligns with the notion that small, incremental changes over time create lasting results.
A highlight from this section is his advice on calendar management. He suggests putting everything—work, family events, chores—on the calendar. Inviting your spouse to be an editor on this calendar adds a layer of transparency and ensures that nothing falls through the cracks. This system helps remove the burden of remembering and frees up mental space for more important tasks. For me, this was a practical reminder to organize my life better.
Part 3: Awareness
In this section, Warikoo talks about how the way you respond teaches the world how to treat you. The idea that your reactions shape your environment and relationships is simple but profound. It reminds us that we are responsible for setting boundaries and expectations with others.
Part 4: Entrepreneurship
A standout message here is that people would rather work for a competent asshole than an incompetent nice guy. While it’s a harsh reality, Warikoo’s point is clear: competence is key in the workplace. This section pushes readers to take their jobs as seriously as they would if they were running their own business. He encourages innovation, creativity, and a mindset that takes ownership of one’s work.
One of the most empowering messages here is that attitude is greater than experience, which is greater than education. A positive, growth-oriented attitude trumps skills or background every time. This message is a great reminder for anyone looking to improve their career or leadership skills. The idea that skills can be taught, but attitude cannot resonated deeply with me.
Part 5: Money
Warikoo presents a different take on money, reminding us that our salaries aren’t capped, but our spending is. He advises focusing on increasing income rather than merely cutting costs. This is practical advice for anyone looking to improve their financial situation. However, he does caution that spending must still be within reason—wise financial decisions lead to comfort and long-term freedom.
Part 6: Relationships
Finally, Warikoo talks about true friendships, stating that they are defined by those who celebrate your successes, not just those who support you during tough times. This was an eye-opening distinction for me, as we often undervalue the importance of having friends who genuinely cheer us on.
Epilogue
The book concludes with an epilogue that circles back to the author’s initial statement. Warikoo reaffirms that his goal was not to present new information but to remind us of what we already know, using his experiences to bring those reminders to life. The brevity and clarity of the book are its strengths. At no point did I feel overwhelmed by complex theories or unnecessary fluff—Warikoo keeps it simple and actionable.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Do Epic Shit offers practical, actionable insights without overcomplicating things. Warikoo’s message is clear: stop waiting, start doing. Whether it’s about career success, financial freedom, or personal relationships, the book is a guide to taking ownership of your life. I appreciated how the author used real-life examples to reinforce familiar concepts, making them feel fresh and relevant.
What really stood out for me is Warikoo’s constant emphasis on execution. The principles are simple, but the challenge lies in making them part of your daily life. His advice on authenticity, habits, and perseverance is a wake-up call to take action, no matter how small, toward the life you want to live.
March 15, 2023
I was curious about the book, given all the positive blurbs I had heard about it, and having heard Ankur Warikoo online.
Picked this on one of my longish flight journeys and read through it in one sitting. It wasn’t the most ideal place to read such a book given the lack of my ability to scribble down my notes, thoughts on the book.
It was a comfortable read, and the book has interesting insights. It also at times seemed to be a summary of thoughts from other books in the genre. He even mentioned some of them, influences from which were quite apparent.
It’s good for a quick read and to summarise life lessons to be successful and happy. I was discussing the book with a friend and agree that the book might be targeted to a younger audience who would also benefit by following some of the suggestions made in the book. I’d believe based on that discussion that I’m doing a few things right, so I like the book even more now. 😊
Picked this on one of my longish flight journeys and read through it in one sitting. It wasn’t the most ideal place to read such a book given the lack of my ability to scribble down my notes, thoughts on the book.
It was a comfortable read, and the book has interesting insights. It also at times seemed to be a summary of thoughts from other books in the genre. He even mentioned some of them, influences from which were quite apparent.
It’s good for a quick read and to summarise life lessons to be successful and happy. I was discussing the book with a friend and agree that the book might be targeted to a younger audience who would also benefit by following some of the suggestions made in the book. I’d believe based on that discussion that I’m doing a few things right, so I like the book even more now. 😊
January 22, 2022
Ankur Warikoo is a smart guy. His ideas are valuable. Some of the thoughts captured here are profound. However, the book reads like a scattered brain, and doesn’t substantiate much of anything he says. Even some of the anecdotes put forth to introduce an idea are brief and all his thoughts seem to be all over the place. It would have been better if he took some of these ideas and explored them properly than what seems like a half-arsed copy-and-paste of random, quasi-quotable ideas in no particular order and for no particular purpose.
Still worth giving it 2 or even 3 stars because I think it does have some good ideas within the chapters. You just have to look really, really hard to find them.
Still worth giving it 2 or even 3 stars because I think it does have some good ideas within the chapters. You just have to look really, really hard to find them.
August 11, 2022
There are some good excerpts in this book. Ofcourse I don’t really agree with all of what he has written but overall a good book to ponder over things.
Also this is a compilation of all of his writings from his emails and blogs, so if you are a long time follower you will notice that.
Also this is a compilation of all of his writings from his emails and blogs, so if you are a long time follower you will notice that.
January 30, 2022
Best part about this book is that there are no chapters and you are free to read from any page that you want to. It is divided into segments about different topics on which ankur warikoo shares his learnings [like Kaizen].
concise, fast-paced and a good read.
concise, fast-paced and a good read.
August 20, 2022
Not a book, but a pamphlet in a very big font. Populated by self evident cliches and truisms.
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