Because knowledge is not for showing off. If I do good work, people should notice me.

— Chetan Bhagat

...but I guess it's better for people to shut up rather than say something nasty. -ONE NIGHT @ THE CALL CENTER Chapter 1 page 22

— Chetan Bhagat

Disappointment will come when your effort does not give you the expected return. If things don’t go as planned or if you face failure. Failure is extremely difficult to handle, but those that do come out stronger. What did this failure teach me? Is the question you will need to ask. You will feel miserable. You will want to quit, like I wanted to when nine publishers rejected my first book. Some Indians kill themselves over low grades – how silly is that? But that is how much failure can hurt you. But it’s life. If challenges could always be overcome, they would cease to be a challenge. And remember – if you are failing at something, that means you are at your limit or potential. And that’s where you want to be. Disappointment’s cousin is Frustration, the second storm. Have you ever been frustrated? It happens when things are stuck. This is especially relevant in India. From traffic jams to getting that job you deserve, sometimes things take so long that you don’t know if you chose the right goal. After books, I set the goal of writing for Bollywood, as I thought they needed writers. I am called extremely lucky, but it took me five years to get close to a release. Frustration saps excitement, and turns your initial energy into something negative, making you a bitter person. How did I deal with it? A realistic assessment of the time involved – movies take a long time to make even though they are watched quickly, seeking a certain enjoyment in the process rather than the end result – at least I was learning how to write scripts, having a side plan – I had my third book to write and even something as simple as pleasurable distractions in your life – friends, food, travel can help you overcome it. Remember, nothing is to be taken seriously. Frustration is a sign somewhere, you took it too seriously.

— Chetan Bhagat

Forgiving doesn't make the person who hurt you feel better, it makes you feel better.

— Chetan Bhagat

How can such scary looking parents create something so cute?

— Chetan Bhagat

I'm human, I'm not perfect. Although, I make mistakes all the time.

— Chetan Bhagat

In our education system, we are taught to munch figures and remember them for lifetime. But does it help? We are not taught how to make decisions.

— Chetan Bhagat

In relationship there are always two types of person: one weaker and the other stronger one. It's never easier to live being as weaker one!

— Chetan Bhagat

I saw [Chennai]. It had the usual Indian elements like autos, packed public buses, hassled traffic cops and tiny shops that sold groceries, fruits, utensils, clothes or novelty items. However, it did feel different. First, the sign in every shop was in Tamil. The Tamil font resembles those optical illusion puzzles that give you a headache if you stare at them long enough. Tamil women, all of them, wear flowers in their hair. Tamil men don't believe in pants and wear lungis even in shopping districts. The city is filled with film posters. The heroes' pictures make you feel even your uncles can be movie stars. The heroes are fat, balding, have thick mustaches and the heroine next to them is a ravishing beauty.

— Chetan Bhagat

I thought about my [Punjabi] family. The only nakshatram we think about is the division of petrol pumps when we have to see the girl.

— Chetan Bhagat