This transcript captures Robin Sharma urging listeners not to postpone their growth or wait to become "experts" before starting meaningful work. He emphasizes each person's unique gifts, warns against deferring greatness and living with regret, critiques legacy-focused thinking as ego-driven, and advises living fully now while continually improving one’s craft.
Chapters
I've talked to so many people who say, well, you know, I got to. I must become an expert before I go out there and launch my business. I must become an expert before I go out there and whatever, write that book, create that movie, launch that movement. Well, every amateur, every professional was once an amateur, and every master was once a beginner. Right? And so, please remember, there will never be a better time to step into.
The performance and the human being you've always wanted to be than today. One of the greatest pitfalls I've seen in having worked with so many people over a quarter of a century, teaching leadership and elite performance.
Is that people postpone their greatness and their eminence to some distant time in the future when they're going to have more time and the stars will align. And that is one of the greatest mistakes that you could possibly make. We don't know what tomorrow is going to bring. Right. And you do not want to be one of those people who, on the last day of their lives, they were full of regret because they didn't do what they knew they could have done. You are worthy. There are no extra people on the planet today. Every single one of us is born into a unique genius. Only you have the fingerprints you have. Only you have the characteristics you have. Only you have the strengths that you have. You are so unique on a planet of how many billions of people? The thing that happens is we lose our confidence as we get hurt and disappointed by life. And a lot of us, what we do is we shut down and we contract and we protect our once tender open hearts versus going out into the arena and sharing our gifts in full, blazing glory. Please do not think you are unworthy of domain dominance. Please don't think you're unworthy of becoming best in the world at what you do. If you sacrifice, train, learn, work with mentors, find the right talent hub, and then optimize your craft every single day until you reach best in the world. A lot of talk these days about legacy. You know, work in a way that leaves a legacy.
22 years ago, I wrote a book called who Will Cry when youn Die? And it was all about legacy. And back then I was 34 years old, long time ago, and I used to talk so much about legacy. You know, live in a way that you live in the hearts that you leave behind. That's really the answer.
Now with a little white grizzle. I don't think legacy matters. I think legacy is like trying to get your name on a hospital wing or a monument built after you. I think it's a pursuit of the ego. The real key is not to worry much about how you'll be remembered. But the real key, I suggest to you with great love and respect, is living fully and greatly while you are alive.
Because once you're dead, you're dead. You're just a pile of dust. What did the benevolent and great Roman general and warrior and emperor Marcus Aurelius say? Alexander the Great was buried next to his stable boy. We don't matter after we've we're gone. So I don't think you should. I think it's such a myth to be concerned about legacy. If you're trying to live a world class life, worry about being world class while you're alive. Be concerned with optimizing your craft while you have a beating heart. Be concerned with caring for the brothers and sisters on this little planet and standing for honesty, honor, grace and love. Leave every person you meet better than you found them. And the irony is if you do that, you will leave a legacy, even though it's not your intention. As a matter of fact, I'd suggest to you, if you're focusing energy is on building a legacy, your focus and energy is off living in a way that will create a legacy.
