Unleash Your Greatness (Robin Sharma)

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man. -George Bernard Shaw

It's a Choice

I could so easily freak out now. Although I'll admit I did cry a little bit, I simply don't have the energy to cry anymore.

Spending the past few days with my family was good. With my parents, being in the home I grew up in, allows me to just "be". Even if it means having a temporary regime of eat - sleep - eat - read.

I don't do well at all with too much free time and at the beginning, my mind was far too idle.

Slowly, I learned to switch off and trained myself to be IN the moment with my family. I spent a lot of time reading. I'm halfway through Nelson Mandela's autobiography, "Long Walk to Freedom".

But another book which is like my refuel is Robin Sharma's "The Leader Who Had No Title". Listening to Sharma in his training video's makes me feel rejuvenated and alive.

I read all the way on the flight back this morning, but lo and behold...I felt a nasty pang of hollowness shortly after I arrived at my apartment.

It has been the most trying couple of months and if I may say so, I've shed more tears than I ever remember. I have so many unanswered questions, my heart is filled with confusion and anxiety. Yet all I'm told is to have patience.

So I had to take matters into my own hands and decided that I needed to make a choice. Am I going to whimper like a victim? No. I always bounce back. And before hitting rock bottom (again) I was ready to bounce.

Ultimately, we cannot choose what happens to us, but we CAN choose how we react to these events.

Waking up early (Sharma)

I've just watched another excellent video by my favourite, Robin Sharma on "How to Wake Up Early" and where he makes a lot of mention of the "5am Club". Here are some points I took from the session:

• Get over "the battle of the bed" / "mind over mattress"
• He who sweats more in training, bleeds less at war
• Waking up early allows you to train, practice & prepare
• Prepare your heart, your character and your spirit
• 5-8am is "prime time" when you have the most willpower, mental focus, energy
• Take full advantage of these 3 golden hours
• Waking up early while the rest of the world sleeps is already a psychological win.
• You'll feel less like a victim and more like a leader!
• Change is hard at the beginning, messy in the middle, but gorgeous in the end!
• Use the 20/20/20 Rule for your Morning Ritual
  20 mins for exercise
  20 mins for reviewing your plan / daily schedule / goals > gives you focus
  20 mins for learning
• Education is inoculation against disruption
• The world belongs to learners
• As you know more, you achieve more
• Watch inspirational / training videos
• When you write things down, you deepen your commitment (re: a schedule)
• Writing creates precision of thought
• The things that schedule lead to thing that get done
• To wake up early, get a deeper nights sleep 
• Re: sleep, quality is more important that quantity (no. of hours)
• Remember not to use a computer in bed before you go to sleep
• Put your alarm clock away from the bed / other side of the room / a different room
• Jump out of bed as soon as you get up!

I'm used to being ridiculed for my early morning rituals. I actually wake up between 04:00 and 04:15, which gives me enough time to get to the gym. I gym till about 05:30 and then make a point to spend about an hour or so reading and journaling (usually in my Gratitude Journal). By 06:00, I'm in the shower and ready to leave home by 07:00.

Early morning has always been my best time of the day. I feel like I can take on the world. That's why when I bounce into work with energy, I get quite a few side glances! Doesn't phase me much. Because when most people are still waking up, I've already done quite a bit in my day. Cheers to the 5am Club...or in my case, the 4am Club ;)

Who will cry when you die? - Reflections post-Mandela funeral

Last Sunday, 15 December 2013, I joined (possibly?) millions around the world and sat glued to my TV screen from about 06:30. I surprised myself by how drawn in I was to this mammoth event.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as Nelson Mandela's casket was brought into the huge tent which was erected in a place that was unknown to many. Overnight, it became a hot spot the world over. Qunu. The world descended on Qunu in the Eastern Cape. Just a stones throw away from my hometown, East London.

Having listened to speeches, tributes and watched documentaries about this giant of a human being, it really made me think that it's not all about WHO Mandela was (the first democratically-elected president of South Africa), but more about WHAT he stood for.

After the funeral broadcast on TV, I thought long and hard about life. But then again,when am I NOT contemplating about life? Trying to find my little niche in this crazy rat race?

I came to the conclusion that all that really matters is how we live our life. We should live it in a way that when we arrive at our final destination, we can look over our shoulder with pride.

It's all about being kind, patient, tolerant and loving to your neighbour. There are days which are much easier than others. All in all, it depends if we lived a life filled with integrity and strong morals and values.

Reminds me of the title of one of Robin Sharma's books, "Who will cry when you die?" Something to think about...quite a lot to take in, but worthy to keep in mind before we speak or act.