Today would have been Jim Rohn’s 85th birthday.
Friends who haven’t seen me in years tend to ask me what ever happened to the angry boy they met back in secondary school and JC.
Sure I believe a large part of me deep down hasn’t changed one bit. I’m still persistent (or stubborn), proud and I’d like to think still extremely loyal to friends, perhaps even more so today, as you realise good people whom you can connect with on a personal level, are hard to come by.
But in my growing up years, I had many doubts regarding life and purpose and I often questioned the very system I was in. Since (I thought) no one understood me, it was better to just keep to myself.
I also spent a large chunk of misplaced energy getting mad at anything within sight. But keeping to oneself has its merits too, because I had the luxury of spending quality time conferring with myself and be on the lookout for answers.
(Note: I have to say I was lucky to have some very patient teachers to guide me along to ensure that I made out of school in one piece, even as a problem student)
Long story short, it took me years of searching to stumble upon the concept of Personal Development through gurus like Adam Khoo and Tony Robbins, and along the way also picked up business and personal finance books.
It was through Tony Robbins, and I’m sure I’m not the only one out there, that I first got exposed to Mr Jim Rohn.
However it wasn’t until after his unfortunate passing in December 2009 that I decided to pick up one of his books. In fact, it was a ‘gift’ of some sort from a good friend of mine, who happened to like Tony Robbins too and had this book of Jim Rohn lying around at home.
I remember very clearly that December 2009, when I visited my brother in Manchester and saw my beloved football team at Old Trafford. I remember how overwhelmed I was with emotions when I stood right outside the stadium that very first time and had tears rolling down my cheeks.
(Note: I may write another post for my football team down the road, but for now just take it that my persistence and the passion in how I lived my life up till that point are largely attributed to Manchester United.)
It was then when I first seriously contemplated dropping out of NUS because it felt so much like a repeat of my junior college days. I didn’t want people telling me what’s best for me when they don’t even know me as a person. I wanted to leave to pursue happiness and my life’s passions, but I didn’t know what they were then and where to start.
That afternoon in December 2009, came almost right after news of the passing of Tony Robbin’s mentor Jim Rohn. Perhaps a coincidence, but I decided to find out what was so great about the man, and that maybe I could learn a thing from two from his book. It was only 120 pages anyway.
Boy was I wrong.
Not only did I learn a thing or two from that thin book, but I literally found myself in those 120 pages. Thanks to Jim Rohn and the materials he left behind (books, audios, DVDs you name it), I not only survived university and opened up myself to like-minded individuals, but also discovered my passion and took action on them, made mistakes, learnt from them, and took even more action.
“Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better” is a maxim I’ve lived by ever since.
The quote is engraved on my iPod, to remind myself to stay humble and stay hungry each time I’m in the gym and on a long trip.
I even drink from a cup that says “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better”, to encourage myself each time I face a new challenge or feel down.
There is no need for me to continue listing all his famous quotes and wise words, but I hope that I can offer you the gift that my dear friend gave to me in the form of a book all those years ago, that is an opportunity to learn from the great man himself.
Register for “Mentor to the Masters” at www.mentortothemasters.com. I am not affiliated with Success.com in any way and there are no hidden links.
When the student is ready, the teacher appears.
The word legacy is thrown around a lot, but my opinion of legacy is what Mr Jim Rohn had done for the personal development and business community. He changed my life and many others, even after he passed on. And I really hope that a small part of him and what he stood for lives on through me and also the people I am fortunate enough to meet with.
That’s what leaving a legacy is about. It’s not about leaving all our money to our kids through life insurance or trust funds so that they can YOLO, but to grant them the opportunity to continue our good work into future generations.
Again, for the “students” who are ready, Register for “Mentor to the Masters” at www.mentortothemasters.com. You’ll be thankful you did.