ROBIN SHARMA

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.

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.

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.

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.

Writing in a journal reminds you of your goals and of your learning in life. It offers a place where you can hold a deliberate, thoughtful conversation with yourself.

Here's the thing: When you become brilliant at listening, people feel that you care about them. When they feel you care about them, they begin to care about you. And when people care about you, your success becomes a part of how they define their success.

Success is not a function of the size of your title but the richness of your contribution.

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.

Getting up early is one of the gifts I give myself.

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.

People fear leaving their safe harbor of the known and venturing off into the unknown. Human beings crave certainty - even when it limits them.

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.

The best of the best understand that people do business with people they like. People do business with people they trust, and people do business with those who make them feel special.

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.

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.

Leaders understand that the real fight is the fight against time. There's so much to achieve in such less time.

Exercising will make you look better, feel stronger, and fill you with boundless energy. Staying fit will even make you happier.

Everyone is influencing the people around them one way or another.

If you really want to be world class - to be the best you can be - it comes down to preparation and practice.

We have a normal. As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal.

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.

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.

Leave your ego at the door every morning, and just do some truly great work. Few things will make you feel better than a job brilliantly done.

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 believe we can accelerate our acumen, performance and success by leveraging our associations and spending time with people better than us.