Tag Archives: discipline

The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma

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I have never found that reading personal development (pd) books enlighten me to a whole new way of living, a whole new theory, ground breaking results, astonishing returns, etc.

I don’t think this is what change is really about, or really that it’s realistic to think that a human will grasp onto this kind of alteration to life. I feel that change – and learning – is a direct result of connecting with what we are learning, associating our own lives and acts with what we’re reading, and being able to take away new techniques that we might be able to use in our quest to get stronger.

Though drastic change is required and necessary at times, people are much more susceptible to change on a gradual basis. Say, over a year or even 10 rather than cold turkey.

“Success is created through the performance of a few small daily disciplines that stack up over time to produce achievements far beyond anything you could have planned for.”

The_Leader_Who_Had_No_Title

The Leader Who Had No Title – by Robin Sharma – discussed the importance of realizing that change happens one at a time. Each day if we pick one thing to focus on and grow and nurture, after a year there will be 365 things we’ve learned!

“Leaders are those individuals who do the things that failures aren’t willing to do – even though they may not like doing them either.”

If you’re looking for words of inspiration, with take home notes that will have you returning again and again to re-find tips to find personal success, to re-learn how to lead without a title, then this is your book.

I really appreciate the underlying message of the book, that we can not afford to wait until we have a title to start acting like a leader. Make every day a day where you’ve been sticking your neck out there, leading.

The book guides the reader through a fantastic and life changing day Blake is taken on by an unexpected life guide, Tommy – an old friend of his fathers, who helps enlighten him to the ethics of a leader without a title.

I have talked to some people about this book, and they’ve mentioned how they dislike the authors delivery, which I can associate with. I think for a lot of people this is the awkward feeling of introspection. Reading a pd book really does make you look inside to your own actions, associating with your activities and assessing how your actions can be changed. However, the repetition Sharma employs can at times make one feel a bit silly.

I appreciate what this book is delivering though, the message. It was almost too easy for me to associate with. To me, that is the power of this book.

I suggest reading The Leader Who Had No Title, and if you have read it, I would love to hear how you felt about the book in the comments below!

Premium Quality Anything Takes Time

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While being inspired on Twitter one fine afternoon, a friend of mine started talking about how premium quality anything takes time to develop and build. We dove into a discussion about this, and how relevant it is today with the rapidity of growth, economies of scale, and the power of the exponent.

I asked her if she wanted to write something for the site, and she obliged. 

It’s comforting to remember that premium quality anything takes time.

By Anna O’Reilly, 21st Feb 2014

My friend Ned picked up on a thought bubble I wrote for my twitter account, and asked me to expand on the concept within the context of strategies for success.

While considering how to convey the idea in terms of success, my mind kept going back to something I read from an obscure Buddhist text in my early 20s. The words I recall were something like the following: If you wish to become a master, you must begin by learning to sweep a floor.

The notes to the text went on to explain that sweeping a floor properly, along every edge and corner, requires that the sweeper pay attention to detail. The individual who aspires to mastery of the mysteries must first become a master of the mundane. Furthermore, a master must never forget to remain humble. Beginning the journey with a menial task is an excellent leveller to yoke the wily ego. It’s the ego in the end that spoils quality.

The ability to create premium quality actions or articles in any medium requires that the mind of the creator is refined. Quality thinking demands attention to detail, method, logic and discipline without which, abstractions of the imagination become meaningless. There is a correlation here to the link between the concepts of limitation and freedom.

And so, the experience accumulated between learning to sweep a floor with thoroughness and discipline, and the creation of a premium quality work of art, craftsmanship, literature or theory, takes a lot of time.

Getting back to my original statement, it is comforting to recognise that quality anything takes time. In general, the human world around us is demanding and fast. Much of what is produced and promoted is neither premium quality nor considered beyond the value of immediate profits or benefit. In short, many products are shabby and thoughts are half-baked at best.

Those with a taste for quality resonate to a different frequency, dance to a different beat. We expect high quality thoughts and action from our relationships, our work, our governments and ourselves. It’s about context and taste. It’s about noticing the dirt in the corners of the floor and the dust along the skirting. Don’t worry if your project is taking time, it’s supposed to take time to get the best.