I was returning back to my work place after meeting my mom in the hospital. A 16 hour journey awaited me. I hated every moment of that train journey. Because it was a time when you are left alone with yourselves and your environs are filled with strangers. When you are lonely, old thoughts crosses your mind like flashbacks which would not surface on a normal working day because you try to be busy and the act of keeping oneself busy never gives those old thoughts to stage an entry into your mind. I had to do something to keep my thoughts from wondering. The only possible way I found was to buy a book and keep myself engrossed in it. That’s when I came across The Greatness Guide by Robin Sharma. His fans have started calling him a guru. He vehemently opposes those who call him a guru by telling them that he has written all these powerful chapters only after experiencing the ups and downs in life. For example, I was pretty surprised to learn that he too could not escape the rigors of a divorce. That was surprising because it is normal to believe the life of a person who gives hope to lakhs of readers around the world through his bestsellers would be anything but perfect.

Here are certain excerpts from the book that I noted down for future reference.

Chapter 16: Focus daily improvement plus time equals genius. Understand that formula deeply and your life would never be the same.

Chapter 40…I came with the whole concept behind Leadership wisdom from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: The 8 rituals of a visionary leader while taking a long solo drive out in the country. When the idea hit me, I pulled over onto a dirt road and downloaded the ideas into my journal for more than two hours. An unforgettable experience for me………

Chapter 58: …… As Vaclav Havel once observed: ‘Vision is not enough; it must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare down at the step; we must step up the stairs’…….

Chapter 61: “I cursed the fact that I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feat.” Comes from a Persian proverb. That line send shivers down my spine. Whoever wrote that really gets it. It’s easy to fall into the very human trap on focusing on what we don’t have rather than being grateful for what we do have. I’ll bet you have more blessings in your life than you are noticing……

Chapter 82 : ……I remember reading a book years ago, written by a magician named Al Koran, called Bring Out The Magic in Your Mind. One of the ideas that stayed with me is his suggestion that, in order to be successful. It’s important to go where the successful people are. Even if you have only $10, go have coffee at the best restaurant in your city. His point? Your surroundings shape the way you feel. And the way you feel drives what you do. Feel world class and you will behave world class.

Chapter 92: ……….He took out a piece of paper and scribbled out a list of the 101 things he was absolutely committed to do before he died……………

It was a good book. I completed the book just before train came to a screeching halt at my station. I am ever grateful to the book in giving me company during that train journey.

You can download some cool stuff from the author at his website robinsharma.com. Enjoy reading.