What the retort fails to recognize is that the power of Nikhil's optimism is not just the potential for the book itself to be successful, but rather it's the potential for Nikhil to be successful. Sure, it might be a bit ambitious to expect the book to rise to the top of the NYT bestselling list, but that doesn't mean Nikhil won't gain something from this experience. Even if the book isn't a success, if Nikhil puts in the work and effort of engaging in conversation, sharing passages on social media, and sticking it on his "top 100 books" list, he will still have the determination and self-confidence necessary for success in the future.
The reality is that success is never guaranteed no matter how hard one works or how much self-confidence one has. But by believing in oneself and by working hard to make one's dreams a reality, anything is possible. There's no harm in having ambitious goals and aims and if Nikhil's book falls short of his expectations, he will still have taken a step on the path to success. After all, it's better to aim high and fall short than never to have aimed high at all. That's why it's important to embrace Nikhil's optimism, take a chance on yourself, and see where it takes you. Who knows, maybe Nikhil will end up becoming The Millennial Mark Twain, after all!