Hard work opens doors and shows the world that you are serious about being one of those rare - and special - human beings who use the fullness of their talents to do their very best.
— Robin S. Sharma
Cynicism stems from disappointment. Cynical and faithless people were not always like that. They were filled with possibilities and hope as kids. But they tried and perhaps failed.
I get so many big ideas while I'm running and such clarity while I'm lifting weights. And staying fit keeps me happy and positive.
I'm an evangelist for the idea of being ultrafit if you want to be the best of breed. Getting into world-class physical condition is one of the smartest moves you can make.
Managers develop organisations; leaders develop people.
I bought my own home in 2004. It's a sanctuary for my family and a place of peace and calm. It's key for anyone committed to leadership and success to avoid the noise and focus on their best opportunities.
I buy a lot of books I never read. But that's not really a waste, since all it takes is one idea from even one book to radically reshape the way a person leads, thinks and lives.
I adore India, its culture, and all the beauty of the nation. My father is from Jammu, and he's had a profound influence on my mindset and way of being.
I believe we can accelerate our acumen, performance and success by leveraging our associations and spending time with people better than us.
If we are paying attention to our lives, we'll recognise those defining moments. The challenge for so many of us is that we are so deep into daily distractions and 'being busy, busy' that we miss out on those moments and opportunities that - if jumped on - would get our careers and personal lives to a whole new level of wow.
Everyone is influencing the people around them one way or another.
Let planning be the springboard, so that spirituality can be our splash.
Leadership is not a popularity contest; it's about leaving your ego at the door. The name of the game is to lead without a title.
I was a litigation lawyer, working in downtown Toronto. I was successful, yet I was very unfulfilled. I had the sense that I really wasn't living according to my values, and I didn't have the passion or sense of mission I was looking for.
I take a massage each week. This isn't an indulgence, it's an investment in your full creative expression/productivity/passion and sustained good health.
I was a litigation lawyer. That's all very logical. Become a litigation lawyer. Become successful. Have a nice office. But there was some pull inside of me saying, self-publish this book. I followed that intuition and it's been a great choice for me in my life.
Once every seven days, do something that frightens you. Every time we do something that we resist and is frightening, we actually grow in our power.
I'm not one of those New Age types that believe 'it's all meant to be' and that our lives have been scripted by an invisible hand.
No one wants to fail. So most of us don't even try. Sad. We don't even take that first step to improve our health or to deepen our working relationships or to realize a dream.
No matter how busy I get or how much pressure is on my shoulders, a good workout makes me feel at ease. I come off the treadmill feeling relaxed, full of joy and with a sense of perspective over the issues on my plate.
Showing leadership doesn't mean every employee will run the organization; that would lead to chaos. Businesses do need someone to set the vision and then lead the team to it.
There is a new model of leadership in the world that rides on the premise that every single person in the organisation can be a leader. Titles are important for structure and order, but real power does not come from titles.
My best investment, as cliched as this sounds, is the money I've spent developing myself, via books, workshops and coaching. Leadership begins within, and to have a better career, start by building a better you.
As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal.
Most of my ideas are based on the latest research on productivity, performance and mental mastery - that's why so many iconic companies bring me in to help them grow and win.
Basically, to lead without a title is to derive your power within the organisation not from your position but from your competence, effectiveness, relationships, excellence, innovation and ethics.
I'd done all the things I thought a person had to do in order to be successful and fulfilled, like getting a great education and becoming a lawyer, and yet there was zero spark in my life. But there was no light-bulb moment. It was gradual. In the early 1990s, I decided to experiment and try some new ways of living.
I have spent years as a leadership coach to the very wealthy and have been able to get behind the eyes of some of the world's best, studying the minute details of what makes a person great.
I was a litigation lawyer, following the crowd off the proverbial cliff, when I pressed the pause button.
Too many people start their day like a five-alarm fire. Instead, I teach people to start their day a little earlier than they usually do, and urge them to take the time to prepare, to practise, so when you get to work, it's show time and you're at your best.
I'm a simple man. Grew up in a small town. Came from humble beginnings. No silver spoon.
Leaders understand that the real fight is the fight against time. There's so much to achieve in such less time.
The starting point of discovering who you are, your gifts, your talents, your dreams, is being comfortable with yourself. Spend time alone. Write in a journal. Take long walks in the woods.
Goal-getting matters. And writing down the brave acts and bold dreams you intend to accomplish will provide the spark to get them done.
The fears you run away from run toward you. The fears you don't own will own you. But behind every fear wall lives a precious treasure.
People fear leaving their safe harbor of the known and venturing off into the unknown. Human beings crave certainty - even when it limits them.
Exercising will make you look better, feel stronger, and fill you with boundless energy. Staying fit will even make you happier.
A leadership culture is one where everyone thinks like an owner, a CEO or a managing director. It's one where everyone is entrepreneurial and proactive.
Unsuccessful people are the ones who are impressed by celebrity, by people's names and titles.
I'm pretty conservative. I believe that buying good quality is a good investment. I buy fewer things but of better quality.
I used to be incredibly afraid of public speaking. I started with five people, then I'd speak to 10 people. I made it up to 75 people, up to 100, and now I can speak to a very large group, and it feels similar to speaking to you one-on-one.
As for whether I am a 'new age guru', I am not at all. I help companies build employees who lead without a title and become high performers.
Leadership is a mindset that shifts from being a victim to creating results. Any one of us can demonstrate leadership in our work and within our lives.
You cannot lead others until you have first learned to lead yourself.
I had lost a clear sense of the vision and values instilled in me as a child and was no longer driven by any mission or passion. I made the difficult decision to pull back from the noise of my life and reinvent the way I was living and leading.
If there are only three guys at the top of the organization handling things, it's the definition of a bankrupt company. In creating leaders without titles, we are going to have organizations with people at the helm putting forth their best.
The fears you do not face become your walls. Most people in business, and in their personal lives, design everything so they can avoid doing what makes them feel uncomfortable. Yet any good business person knows we are not only paid to work, but also we are paid to be scared.
Getting up early is one of the gifts I give myself.
I try to work out daily in the morning hours. This drives up energy levels dramatically. You'll feel more inspired. And you'll need less sleep.
We have a normal. As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal.
