Saturday, July 19, 2008

A perfect women for... him

Who will Cry when you Die? By Robin Sharma



Robin Sharma, the Author says: "When you live your truth, your dreams beat a path toward your doorstep".

Robin S. Sharma is an acclaimed international guru who guides readers towards enlightenment. The success of his best seller The monk Who Sold His Ferrari is nothing less than sensational!
That book had a captivating, as well as a delightful story. When I was still under the spell of Sharma’s books, I started reading this book. This book does lay a tough task ahead of us!

“Who will cry when you die” sets about making us think hard as to how to manifest the fullness of our talents. It is not simple though, we know! Robin Sharma calls this book life lessons which is of course very apt. The title suggests that we should live such a life that the world cries when we die! Who wouldn’t ask for that? He gives simple solutions to what we think are complex problems. But I find that, the language and the way he puts them are simple, but to follow them is definitely complex.

Frankly speaking, even the title is a bit odd..WHO WILL CRY WHEN YOU DIE...I mean at least I don’t want people cry when I die, already they would be so sad and here Robin Sharma is so concerned about people who all will cry when some body dies? I think the title of this book looks good when you look at it ,but when you think about it, its really vague..

The author has given not less than hundred points for us to follow to enrich our lives. At this rate, reading this book has to be a life long pursuit, if we want to follow at least some of them. I personally feel, if we patiently read through the book completely, we are on step one already! It needs a strong determination on our goal towards self improvement to think and climb on to the second step! It is, in patches, similar to a moral science book, since it is full of “do’s” and “don’ts” in life!

But we can’t deny that even if we start practising a few of them to start with, there will be better balance, control and effectiveness in our daily lives. There is no doubt that this will be a pleasure for the people who interact with us! So we start with the idea that “the pleasure of my improvement will be others’, not mine!” To think this way, is not easy either!

To start with, if we identify our calling & make it our way of life, our life starts changing for the better. We all want to be the person which we never are, ultimately! I think I am going through this phase personally after all these years, in my life and hence I am able to appreciate this point better ! We struggle to establish an identity for ourselves throughout our life, but very often, only unsuccessfully! Sharma suggests working hard at it, is worthy of the reward, we get in life.

A very interesting suggestion of R. Sharma is to take a “worry break”, allotting a specific time every day, exclusively to brood over your difficulties. He says make a note of all your worries the whole day and wallow in your problems in the allotted time. He assures us that gradually we will decrease the time for this break and eventually this habit will be eliminated forever! Sounds worth trying! But there may be one problem – we will end up creating worries since we have allotted a time for that & we do not want to waste that time, not worrying! So this suggestion has to be tried with special care!

A practical solution to create a sound Life and strikingly balance life filling in the gaps with humility. Robin refers to his father's words that a tree that has most fruits is that which bends to the ground. And though there are some exceptions he have found in his own experience that it is true-the people who know the most, who have achieved the most, and have lived the most, are also the people closest to the ground. In a word, they are humble. There is something special about being in the presence of a person who is humble.

Robin Sharma thinks that practicing humility shows that you respect others and reminds us that there is something for us to learn. It sends a signal to those around you that you are open to receiving the gift of their knowledge and listening to what they have to say. The book is door to exceptional life and live life to the fullest with a purpose and attain peace. The book is in-depth wisdom with absolute life changing solutions to cope with life's trials, challenges, frustrations and so on.

Like Deepak Chopra, Sharma also suggests regularly spending time in communion with nature and silently witness the intelligence within every living thing. I personally follow this, since reading this book and find that it keeps me centred on my highest life priorities. This has made a difference in my life.

Sharma expects us to be mature enough to see troubles as blessings which teach us valuable lessons in life. It is rightly said that tough men last and tough times don’t! I personally feel this trait cannot be cultivated, but we come to accept it only when life takes its toll on us, mercilessly, sometimes.

Yet another point which I liked very much in this book, is one I have been practising, ever since I attended my energy classes. Whenever we give away money, if we bless it and give, it comes back to us many fold! This only proves the timeless truth that the hand that gives is the hand that gathers. To bless the money every time we give cash or cheque – does sound odd and funny, but even once you are proved right, you start practising it – who does not want money to come back, multiplied?

Our respecting our own instincts – the voice within, is stressed by the author and rightly so. It helps us decide whether that thought or action is within or outside our “comfort zone” as we call it. I think this is one of the best suggestions given by the author & the morally strong sounding word “conscience” is replaced by the layman’s word “voice within”! Now it looks within our reach!

If the book “ The monk who sold his ferrari” helped readers cope with the rat race of life, this book with its long list of lessons does make us wonder whether we can take up the challenge at all. But I am not one to give up easily & try I did my best! Regular reading of the book and trying to incorporate atleast a few in my life have made my mind more full, and life more happy. The more I live, the harder I want to work and rejoice in life for its own sake. Only then I would have been fully used up when I die and hopefully, people who know me will cry!

As Robin Sharma recently visited India in preparation for the production of 'The Monk who sold his Ferrari' as a major motion picture, Robin reminded in his speech that wherever in the world he went, he found human beings struggle with same challenges, same longings. All people are part of one great family with invisible ties. Thus, peace is at your own doorstep and Robin Sharma's books are real 'Gem Picks' - Yeah, sure you can surf his website too and hear his Gem voice too! Good Pick & Great Message.

Who is Robin Sharma?

Robin is one of the world's top leadership experts and the author of 10 international bestsellers on leadership and personal success. He is the CEO of Sharma Leadership International Inc. (SLI), a global learning firm focused on helping people Lead Without Title. A former litigation lawyer, Robin holds 2 law degrees including a Masters of Law. His work has helped millions of people in over 50 countries show leadership in their work and personal lives. SLI clients include many of the worlds best known organizations including GE, Microsoft, IBM, Nike, FedEx, BP and Yale University.

Success Facts:
• In an independent ranking of the world's top leadership experts by leadershipgurus.net Robin is ranked #2 (along with Jim Collins, Jack Welch and John Maxwell)
• Robin's books have been published in over 50 countries and in 40 languages
• The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is the 5th best selling book in the history of Israel. It has been on India's Top 10 bestseller list of rover 2 years. Robin's books have been the fastest selling books in Turkish publishing history. His books have also been blockbusters in Japan, Spain, England, Dubai, Mexico, Singapore, Puerto Rico and throughout South America.
• Robin starred in his own PBS special and has appeared on over 1000 television and radio shows.
• Robin Sharma is the founder of The Robin Sharma Foundation for Children to help underprivileged children become leaders.

Robin’s Mission Statement:
• To help people and organizations Lead Without Title.

Family Status:
• Single Dad

Greatest Blessings:
• "My 2 children. And the fact that I get to do what I do."

Favorite Recreational Passions:
• Skiing, sailing, music, travelling (ideally with a backpack) reading, nature, and great conversation
Favorite Quotes:
• “The tragedy of life is not death. The tragedy of life is what we allow to die inside of us while we live.” Dr. Norman Cousins
• "Your lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter." Martin Luther King, Jr

Robin’s "Cindrella Story":
A former lawyer, he quit his job and self-published a book at a Kinko's copy shop (his mother edited it). Stored 2000 copies in his kitchen. Second book The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari was also originally self-published until former HarperCollins president Ed Carson discovered Robin in a bookstore. The book, and the series that followed, has become one of the world's most successful publishing franchises.
What’s the Buzz on Robin Sharma: Robin's become one of the most trusted advisors on Leadership and Personal Success to organizations internationally. Many Fortune 500 companies have already embraced Leadership Wisdom From The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. Corporate transformations have occurred in organizations such as Microsoft, IBM, FedEx, Panasonic, Kraft, General Motors and Panasonic. The book is essentially about creating workplaces where it’s safe to be human again, helping leaders work and live by a high moral code, inspiring individuals to step up to the plate and show leadership at work and in their personal lives.

What People are Saying about Robin and his Work:
• "Independently ranked one of the top 10 leadership gurus in the world." - LeadershipGurus.net
• "Robin Sharma's books are helping people all around the world live great lives." - Paulo Coelo, author of the international bestseller The Alchemist
• "Though Sharma rejects the guru label, it's hard not to think of the CEO of the training and coaching firm Sharma Leadership International that way" - Publishers Weekly
• "Robin Sharma has the rare gift of writing books that are fun to read yet truly life changing." Richard Carlson, Ph.D., author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Don't Sweat The Small Stuff.
• "The Saint, The Surfer and The CEO will touch and change many lives." John Gray, author of the #1 bestseller Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.
• "Another amazing, life-changing book by Robin Sharma." Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of the international bestselling series Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Favourite Books
• The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
• A Manual For Living - by Epictetus (Interpretation by Sharon Lebell)
• The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus - Marcus Aurelius Antonius
• Hope for the Flowers - Trina Paulus
• The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin - Ben Franklin
• The Magic of Thinking Big - David Schwartz
• Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
• Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership - Joe Jaworsky
• The Message of a Master - John McDonald
• Often Wrong, Never in Doubt: Unleash the Business Rebel With - Donny Deutsch
• iCon Stev Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Buisness - Jeffery S. Yound and William L. Simon
• Thinking Body, Dancing Mind - Jerry Lynch
• The Power of Optimism - Alan Loy McGinnis
• Take Your Time - Eknath Easwaran
• The Go-Getter - Peter B. Kyne
• The Art of Happiness - Howard Cutler
• The Art of Worldy Wisdom - Baltasar Gracian
• University of Success - Og Mandino
• Small Graces - Kent Nerburn
• The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
• The Magic of Believing - Claude Bristol
• Walden - Henry David Thoreau

Favourite Movies
• The Matrix
• Million Dollar Baby
• Braveheart
• The Shawshank
• Redemption
• Wall Street Scarface
• Scent of A Woman
• Gladiator
• Life is Beautiful
• Dead Poet's Society

Favourite CDs
• Cafe Del Mar: Volume 7
• How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb by U2
• X & Y by Coldplay
• O by Damien Rice
• In Violet Light by The Tragically Hip
• In Between Evolution by The Tragically Hip
• Part of the Process by Morcheeba Amar
• Es Combatir by Mana

Favourite Sites
• The New York Times
• Fast Company
• Business 2.0
• Zaadz
• Wired
• Squidoo
• Human Clock
• ClickZ
• Apple
• Amazon
• Wikipedia
• YouTube

His most famous book, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, which is told like a fable, has been published in dozens of countries in dozens of languages.

Other publications include:

* Who Will Cry When You Die?
* Leadership Wisdom From The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
* Discover Your Destiny With The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
* The Greatness Guide: Powerful secrets of getting to World Class
* Discover Your Destiny
* The Saint, the Surfer and the CEO
* Mega Living!

Sharma is the CEO of Sharma Leadership International Inc., a global training firm whose clients include GE, Nike, FedEx, NASA, Unilever, Microsoft, BP, IBM, The Harvard Business School and Yale University.



Good to Great By James Collins aka Jim Collins

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't is a management book by James C. Collins that aims to describe how companies transition from being average companies to great companies and how companies can fail to make the transition. "Greatness" is defined as financial performance several multiples better than the market average over a sustained period of time. Collins finds the main factor for achieving the transition to be a narrow focusing of the company’s resources on their field of competence.