Surely, Someone Should Cry When You Die

Robin Sharma is reportedly among the Top 10 Leadership Gurus in the world, according to a survey of more than 20,000 businesspeople. He shares platforms with other leading lights, e.g., Virgin Atlantic’s Richard Branson, former US president Bill Clinton, and NBA star Shaquille O’Neill. **

Recently, I picked up one of Sharma’s books, Who Will Cry When You Die? Judging by the title, I expected to find pages of wisdom on how to cultivate better relationships with people at home, at work, and in the community.

The book starts by making you ponder the question- will anyone even cry when you die? Will you have made a significant impact on other people’s lives?

However, most chapters talk about what I can do to improve myself for me. They explain how I can be more effective in personal pursuits and at work, how I can make myself feel good about life.

Despite being disappointed with the mismatch between content and title, I did enjoy reading. In typical Sharma style, the chapters are brief and punchy, with plenty of wise quotes from philosophers and famous people.

There are 101 chapters to get through, and I daresay only 15 of them give pointers on how to make yourself a more pleasant character- one who would be missed if you died. Chapter headings are generally self-explanatory:

1.     Discover your calling

2.     Be kind to a stranger

6.     Develop an honesty philosophy

27.   Write thank you notes

29.   Create a love account (Strive to add joy to the life of someone around you)

30.   Get behind people’s eyeballs: (Try to understand the other person’s viewpoint)

33.   See your children as gifts.

41.   Get good at asking

50.   Practice forgiveness

59.   Write a legacy statement

64.   Stop complaining and start living

66.   Be a better parent

85.   Have a family mealtime (Time spent together strengthens family bonds)

96.   Decompress before you go home

100. Selflessly serve (To work for the common good is the greatest creed)

Top tips & quotes from chapters on “improving relationships”

  • Be the change that you wish to see most in your world. Page 3
  • What random acts of kindness can you offer to someone in an effort to make his or her day just a little better? Page 71
  • When you try to see the world from the other person’s perspective, you will connect with him deeply and build high-trust relationships that last. Page 73
  • The greatest gift you can give your children is the gift of time. Page 81
  • “He who asks may be a fool for five minutes. He who doesn’t is a fool for a lifetime,” so goes the wise Chinese proverb. Page 98
  • The time to start building your legacy is today, not ten years from today when you “have more time.” Page 138
  • Be creative about your personal decompression time and treat it as a chance to renew and recharge, so you are the person your family wants you to be when you greet them. Page 214

Favourite tips & quotes from chapters on self-improvement

  • Every minute you spend focusing on your problems, you take away from finding your solutions. Page 16
  • List your problems: “A problem well stated is a problem half-solved,” said Charles Kettering. Page 76
  • The smallest of actions is always better than the boldest of intentions. Page 79
  • Remember that awareness precedes change: you will never be able to eliminate a weakness you don’t even know about. Page 84
  • Master your time.0 Many people say they would do anything for a little more time every day and yet they squander the time they already have. Page 88
  • Keep your cool. As Aristotle said, to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way- that is not easy. Page 90
  • Cure your monkey mind. On most days, our minds are in ten different places at any one time. Page 96
  • By developing present moment awareness and abundance of mental focus, you will not only feel much calmer in your life; you will also unlock the fullness of your mind’s potential. Page 96
  • Remember the rule of 21. It takes about 21 days to develop a new habit. Page 117
  • Listen to music daily. Music can lift your mood, put the smile back on your face and add immeasurably to your quality of life. Page 135
  • Don’t worry about things you can’t change. The serenity prayer of Reinhold Niebuhr: “God, give us the grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed.” Page 199

Parting Shot

Nobody chooses to be born; we find ourselves on this earth! Nevertheless, while we are here, we can make our lives count for something. This book forces you to do a self-examination, and I’m sure it will help you make at least a couple of resolutions for a more fulfilling life. Get the Kindle version instantly from Amazon at this LINK.

Reference

**Amazon.com, Robin Sharma’s author page. Retrieved June 26, 2018, from https://www.amazon.com/Robin-Sharma/e/B000APEZCE

2 thoughts on “Surely, Someone Should Cry When You Die”

  1. Thanks for this article. I love Robin Sharma.
    This is something I am working on…
    “Master your time. Many people say they would do anything for a little more time every day and yet they squander the time they already have. Page 88”
    Thanks for reminding me to make my life count for something.

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