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Hi, it's Robin Sharma, the author of The Leader Who Had No Title. Welcome to my hotel room here in Stellenbosch, South Africa. As always, keeping this video raw, real, of service, and full of rich content. Content. And this video actually focuses on one primary objective, one key thing, which is taking you from where you now are to your next level of world class.
So, as a result of this video, we're going to go on an adventure. We're going to go up to the wine fields here in Stellenbosch. Then we're going to go over to Johannesburg. I have someone very special I want you to meet. Then we're going to go over to Rome, and you're going to get another key idea and a key lesson: creating epic performance, total productivity, and living a life that's not only world class, but is legendary.
So, thanks for being with me on this journey, on this adventure. I'm going to make it worth your while. You're going to love the sights you're going to see. Let's go.
Well, uh, you know, we're right in the vineyard right now, right among the vines. Uh, and it's just a place of spectacular beauty here. You can just see the flowers, the birds are chirping, and you can see all the different vines right here. And this is, I'm not only bringing you here to show you one of my favorite places in the world, we're actually going to go right up there, and it's one of the most beautiful spots in the world, and I'll show you why in a moment. But there's a point I'm trying to make being here among the vines in Stellenbosch, um, that I think will be really important for your productivity, for your mindset, for getting to world class performance in every single thing that you do. So let's keep going on this adventure.
Well, as we make our way up the mountain, um, we're in the area where the varietal Shiraz is being made. And, uh, this is going to bring me to the first lesson on elite performance that I want to share with you, which is really this. You know, if you look at those vines down there, um, you know, we're right in the vineyard, you can just see. And if you look at the vines right here, and you know, you look at all of that. By the way, isn't this spectacular up here? You see the mountains. But the point is really this: if you look at those vines and you talk to a, a really great wine crafter, they're going to tell you something interesting, which is you want to stress the vines. The vines that are put under the most extreme of conditions, in the, the most difficult of terroirs, the, the tougher the soil, the more difficult the the environment, the better the wine will be. The more minerality, the more complex, the more interesting, the more world class the wine is going to be.
And that really is the first point I want to offer to you, which is, you know, if you look at the 95% in the world, and this is no judgment whatsoever, it's just reporting, but the 95%, you know, the, the, the card-carrying members of the cult of average, they avoid what's uncomfortable. They avoid what's hard. They avoid stretching. They avoid going to their edges. They avoid getting up early. They avoid doing things that are frightening for them. But the 5%, and you know that if you want to have the results only 5% have, you want to be willing to do and think like only 5% do and think. And the 5% what they do is they do what's difficult. And here's the key point, which is: do what's difficult now so you can enjoy what's world class later.
If you look at someone like a Federer, or if you look at a Mozart, or if you look at a Steve Jobs, you look at a Mark Zuckerberg, you look at a Picasso, you look at a Nelson Mandela, you look at many of the greatest people who have ever walked this world, and they were not people who did what was easy. They knew that as you go to your edges, your edges expand. You know, if you want to really know your potential, if you really want to know your gifts and your talents, it comes from doing difficult things. Intellectually, read the difficult books in your career. Do the difficult projects. Because that's how you grow. Physically, if you're a runner or weightlifter, go to your edges and run farther than you've ever run, lift more than you've ever done in your morning workouts, push harder than ever before. And, you know, it feels hard and uncomfortable in the moment, but that's how growth and progress happens.
So let's keep on going up the mountain and finishing up on this first lesson. Oh, the fragrance up here is something else. Look at those trees. It's just a little slice of heaven.
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And, uh, so let me continue on my point. As we walk up to this place, I mean, this is like a secret garden, and it's, uh, look at the flowers. I wish, I wish you were with me here and you could actually smell the fragrance. But look at this view. The, uh, the altitude is pretty high, but, you know, there's Stellenbosch in the distance. You can actually see Cape Town. And, uh, I wanted to bring you up here because it is one of my favorite places and it's so special. And, um, you know, the root of the word passion is suffering. And so to really wrap up on this first idea, which is, you know, to be a master of your craft, to be legendary, to be the best there ever was in your field, and to make, to live a life that inspires everyone around you, you've got to be willing to suffer. And there's nothing wrong with suffering for your dreams, suffering for your goals, suffering for your craft, suffering for your art, suffering for your values. I mean, the best people, that's how they live. They don't shun the the challenges of discomfort. They go for them. And they know that, you know, all change is hard at first, and it's messy in the middle, but it's so beautiful at the end. So go for what's difficult. You know, run to your fierce. Go to the edges of your capability. And just remember that as you go to your limits, your limits expand. So from this little special garden here in, uh, Stellenbosch, let's keep on going on our adventure together.
Welcome back to my hotel room. Hope you enjoyed that. Let's get to lesson number two on epic performance in creating a life that you are proud of on the last hour of your last day. Which is, is this: inspiration that is unprotected is inspiration that will be lost. One of your greatest of all of your assets, I mean, you've got the asset of your energy, you've got the asset of your focus, you've another one of your assets is your execution ability, your ability to get things done. Um, you've got all these assets, but one of the most important is the asset of inspiration. I mean, if you look at the works of Rembrandt, you look at the works of Michelangelo, you look at the works of Einstein, you look at the monuments built by the great architects, you look at Jeff Bezos doing Amazon, if you look at all of the epic performers, they were all inspired before they did their great works. And we live in a world where inspiration is more valuable than intelligence, even more than intelligence. Because when you feel that fire in your belly, when you feel that grit, that drive, that hunger to create something special, to do your dreams, to do what the world is saying is impossible, that's when you completely change the game.
So what I want to do is I want to take you to a new friend of mine who will talk to us about inspiration. He's an artist. He's, uh, revered here in South Africa. And I want you to meet him. So let's go meet him.
So I'm here, uh, just outside of Stellenbosch, in a phenomenal, phenomenal studio by a truly gifted, uh, sculptor and painter. And I actually happen to have him with me here right now. His name is Lionel Smith, and he's just a creative genius in my mind. How are you doing, Lionel?
Good, in you? Yeah. Thank you so much for, uh, making some time for us here in your, in your studio.
Thanks, thanks for being here. So let me ask you a question. I mean, for any of us who want to take our inspiration to the next level, any quick ideas?
Well, like I said earlier, I think, you know, passion is very important to me. It's not particularly one thing, but, you know, focusing on what drives you, kind of like internally, than, you know, something that drives you externally is kind of like something that's been working for me.
And how about all of us? I mean, I always believe that, uh, you know, each of us, no matter what we do, our work can be our art. Uh, you know, how, how can we, whether we're working in, uh, in a restaurant or driving a taxi, I mean, how can we bring more of our, our work into, into the realm of art? Any ideas on that?
Yeah, well, I think everybody does art in their own way. I mean, you can be a creative person doing, you know, waitering, you know, but I kind of like, I think what I always try and think of is kind of like think out of the box about everything you do. You know, that kind of like drove me to what I'm doing now, and to do completely different things, is trying to like push yourself into a direction that you would never think you would do. You know, just try and think of things differently, cuz that, you know, changes your life and changes the way you do things, and that's becomes exciting.
How do you deal with critics?
Um, I try and obviously take the idea of, um, criticism, you know, in a positive way, but I think most of the time I kind of like ignore it and just do whatever I feel like doing.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think the nature of being a, a visionary is, you know, every people ridicule you, and you just got to trust yourself when no one else believes in you.
Rightly. Exactly. I think that's, that's one of the big things that, um, you know, helped me a lot. You know, I kind of like ignored what people said because, um, I had a vision, and people don't necessarily always see the vision that you're seeing. So, yeah.
Great. Well, I mean, you know, I just look at, I just look at your art that you're working on here, I look at your sculptor, and, uh, you know, thank you for doing what you do because I'm just being here with you, I feel, I feel super inspired. So thanks, thanks so much, Lionel.
Thanks. Great. Thanks.
Well, I really hope you enjoyed meeting Lionel and hearing his insights on inspiration. And remember, the big idea, or the key idea: inspiration that you don't protect, you want to protect it in a tiny bubble of total focus. Protect that inspiration by surrounding yourself with beautiful environments like the one we saw a little earlier. Protect your inspiration by being around people who uplift you and inspire you versus energy vampires. Protect your inspiration by taking long walks in the woods, or reading books, or listening to podcasts that lift you up and that fuel you versus drain you.
Okay, now I want to do something really special. We're going to go over to the Johannesburg airport for the third lesson, which is: a job is only just a job if you choose to see it as a job. I mean, all work is a chance to influence the world. All work is a chance to express your gifts and your talents. All work is a chance for you to pursue immortality. And so I want to introduce you to someone at the Johannesburg airport, which is really going to remind you that a job is just a job if you've made a choice just to see it as a job. Let's go.
Well, of all places, I'm in a washroom in the Jo'burg airport. But this is a very special video clip because I have someone I want you to meet right here. What's your name, please?
Ar.
And what do you do?
I I have cleaning here.
You, you're cleaning. This is my office. This is your, this is your?
My office.
Now, as soon as I walked in, uh, you had a smile on your face and you welcomed me to your office and you told me that your office is flawless. Tell me your philosophy here.
No, my philosophy, you see, you can see for yourself. My office is nice and clean. I keep it like this for you people. When you come to South Africa and to back, you will find me in my office here.
Do you love what you do?
I love what I do. Everything and each and every day when I wake up in the morning, I'll be excited to come and see you people and welcome you in my office and keep it clean like this each and every day.
You seem to be very proud of your work.
Yeah, I'm very, I'm very proud of my work. And, you know, I, I teach a philosophy which is, no matter what you do in work or in the world, you can make a difference and lead without a title.
Do you think you can make a difference even if you don't have a title?
Yeah, I do. I do think I, I know it. I don't think I will, I know that I will make it.
And what's the, what's the most important thing every day?
The most important thing is the, the people I meet here. I meet hundreds of people each and every day in my office here. Some of them, they like like you. Some of them, they are nice. You know, some of them, they come here angry, but if they come and say, "Welcome to my office," and that guy will be stressless. He will laugh and laugh and laugh. Take news with me, and he will talk about some stuff, and he will walk out here very happy and say, "So nice to meet people like you in South Africa." So the guys, they come through immigration, some of them, they know me. Even they write about me in the books. Wow.
If there was one piece of advice, what would you have for people watching this video?
Well, for people watching this video, I'm, I'm saying to them, you guys, you must be proud of what you do. No matter what you do. If you are, you, you, you. Yeah, that's good. Yeah. I, I say, no matter what you do, you must do it with all your heart. There's nothing that will stop you. Each and every day when I come to work, I'll be very happy. I know that I'm going to meet people, thousands of people from all over the world. So I love my job. There's nothing that will stop me, and I will keep on working here. No matter what.
You are absolutely awesome. Thank you so much.
I thank you very much.
Well, I'm here in Rome. And wasn't that amazing? The gentleman, the leader without a title that we just saw in the Jo'burg airport. I mean, he reminded me of the dignity of labor. He reminded me truly that a job is only just a job if you've made a choice to see it as a job. And, you know, no matter what you do, when you go out in the world every day, you have a chance to be a merchant of wow, to deliver value for another human being, to pursue your gifts and your talents, and in doing so, to do your part to make the world a better place.
Some ideas for you on that lesson, which is: a job is only just a job if you make a choice to see it as a job. Number one: cut your excuses in half and double your action. Key idea there, because, you know, your excuses are nothing more than your fears coming to get you. You know, if you recite, or if I do it, and if I recite my excuses long enough, I actually will believe they are true. So the first tactic around that idea is just cut your excuses in half, double the amount of action you take.
Number two: be careful about what you practice. If you practice complaining, you'll become world class at complaining. You, you practice worrying, you become world class at worrying. You practice mediocrity in terms of your performance on the job, let's say, or your performance in the world, you'll be world class at mediocrity. If you practice cutting corners versus an obsessive attention to detail, you become world class at cutting corners. On the other hand, if you practice being spectacular long enough, spectacular will be your way of being. If you practice going the extra mile consistently at every touch point, that will become your way of being. If you practice being enthusiastic and excellent, enthusiasm and excellence will be your way of being. If you practice being honest and ethical consistently, even when it's difficult, being honest and ethical will be so ingrained in your mindset and your behavior patterns, it will become your only way of being.
And then finally, create your own economy. That's another tactic around a job is only just a job if you see it as a job. I mean, what you want to do is forget about participating in competition. That's so old school. You want to be so good at what you do that you are the only one on the planet that can do quite what you do. You want to create your own economy. You, you know, because the marketplace always rewards mastery. Like there's a lot of, it's very crowded, you know, when it comes to mediocrity. Most people are operating in average. But in the rare air of mastery and world class and being legendary at what you do, there's very few people willing to put into practice the focus, the grit, the patience, the discipline, the devotion, the dedication. That's where you want to play. So good at what you do that we cannot ignore you, and that you create your own economy. So when you know people think of you, they'll say, "Best in the world."
Okay, let's go onto the streets for the next lesson. The streets of Rome. Come on with me. Let's have some fun.
Well, uh, I'm here on Via dei Condotti, one of the nicest, most interesting streets in Rome. And, uh, we're making our way up to the Spanish Steps. And, uh, I'm really happy that you're here with me. Rome is such a great city. Every corner has a museum, they say. Let's keep going.
Well, here we are on the famed Spanish Steps. You can have a look at them as we walk up them. And I'm going to make a point as we make our way up the Spanish Steps. And the idea is really this: you know, often when we're building our lives, and we're building our dreams, and we're building a career, and we're perhaps building a business, we think that mastery is an event. Mastery is really a process. I'll repeat that again because it's so important: Mastery is, is not a one-time event. Mastery is a process. You know, we look at the great lives, for example, and we think they were somehow gifted and came with natural talent. And yet, we really know this: mastery and world class is so much more about practice, discipline, devotion, dedication, grit, relentlessness. So, you know, mastery is about these steps, one step at a time. Small daily improvements over time lead to staggering results. We look at the Beckhams, the Federers, the Einsteins, the Darwins, the Box, the Beethovens, the Da Vincis, the Michelangelos. And, you know, we see them after years of practice. We see them in the full glory of their world class. And what we don't see is the backstory behind mastery, which it's really step by step, small daily micro-wins done with consistency over time lead to mastery.
Well, we're almost at the top of the Spanish Steps here. And let's, uh, keep on going step by step. Another great thing about Rome is you look at the ruins again. Mastery, not an event, a process. You know, someone had a vision because clarity is mastery. And then day by day, they executed around that vision because ideas without execution, nothing more than delusion. So, uh, we're here at the top. And I want to show you the view. Let's, uh, Rome is just starting to wake up. And the artisans are out here getting ready to
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sell. There you go. Get a view of the Rome from the top of the Spanish
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Steps. Now I'm going to go have a, a great Roman breakfast, get on another
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airplane.
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