Tag Archives: inspiration

The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma

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!

Stimulation Leads to Action, Right?

Over stimulation exists. Stimulation, inspiration, information, communication, research…

If there is anything for certain, stimulus is a resource we have a plethora of, given the state of information sharing we find ourselves in, but are we lacking in motivation? Perhaps motivation is the wrong word here. Motivation could be included in the stimulus.

After motivation comes Action.

Action. Action is from you. The onus is on you. You can not ignore or hide action, it is there looking you right back in the face saying, “hello, nice day isn’t it? Keep going.”

Action is the result of motivation. The plan gets written, the goals get set, the action gets set in motion and momentum builds.

Stimulation can only get you so far, the rest is up to you.

Do you have a trick? I’d love to hear what you do to get yourself out of a spiral of inspiration.

Digging in to Overcome

Yes, there are going to be bad days. Yes, we’re all going to feel like we’re diving into the deep end. Overwhelmed. Stuck. Frustrated.

It all happens. To the smallest pea in the pod to the largest pumpkin in the patch.

What also happens is time continues to tick on, unrelenting.

So, as to not remain in a rut of overwhelm, give up the habit of waiting and pick up the habit of keepin on.

Keep doing. One step at a time. If it helps, sure, think about what’s getting at you as you keep on too.

One trick that I habitually adapt is to find a creative outlet to contemplate the rut. I write sad and lonely heart felt poems, I sing the most heartbreakingly slow songs I know. The list goes on, because as a human being, the ebb and flow is continual, thus the need to just keep on trying is continual.

Some tips I’ve learned over the years:

  • nobody is to blame, not even yourself
  • nobody is perfect, there are no exceptions
  • you learnt from old mistakes, remember?
  • is that an excuse running through your mind? Oh no it isn’t!
  • waiting does not solve anything

To add some comedic inspiration, here’s Mike Falzone.

Of Course You Can[‘t] Copy

The thing is, you can’t copy others. Well, of course you can copy others, but what is the point in wasting your time copying others?

Inspiration, on the other hand, comes directly from others, comes from what you see around you, comes from… well, how do you find inspiration?

Take what you see and massage and meld it into a beast so uniquely yours that every time somebody looks at it they inherently know you as a being from what you’ve created.

By no means does this happen instantaneously. Even the Dalai Lama went through years of schooling to learn how to be a Dalai Lama. After years of being the Dalai Lama he understands what it means for him to be aligned with his true message.

A trick I learned many years ago for getting over that feeling of lost for a place to start, then sure, use the first sentence of a book you adore to use as your first sentence of a book you’re making. Sure, use the same curved line in your masterpiece as you see in your favorite masterpiece. I can guarantee that the true artist looking to express itself will take over very rapidly once that flow has begun.

The choice is up to you how radical you want to be.

Strength and Research

Every second (ok, maybe third or fourth) person out there is bombarding us with clever campaigns to infuse our person with strength, to make us a stronger race, and to take charge of our lives with electricity and vision.

This is good, how can anybody argue?

What they fail to mention is how important it is to also charge forth with knowledge, research, openness, and wits about us to make intelligent decisions.

A quote of Gandhi’s I frequently paraphrase is: “Yesterday I made a decision based on the best of my knowledge. If today new knowledge is imparted on me that changes yesterday’s opinon, I will vocally and enthusiastically embrace that new knowledge and shall make today’s decisions with that new knowledge in mind.”

The most important thing we need in our push forward is – after we have used the inspiration or quote of wisdom to take our jump – to remain inside of our awareness, aware of our consciousness, conscious of our goals, goals based on thorough research, research founded on fundamental truths.

Don’t believe the people who are paid to make you believe in what they want you to believe.

That jump you just took, that blog you just started, that garden you just planted, that’s the fun and easy part, the part that’s been most likely sold to you.

Now’s the hard part. Make it happen. Stick to it and do your research.