I believe is a book which happened by chance. A collection of beliefs that have passed generations down to me and finally found their way into this book. These beliefs have helped me be happy and make positive changes in the lives of people I have shared them with. I hope in someway or the other, they help you too! Saurabh Sharma Tuticorin 2012

2. I believe
I BELIEVE
Beliefs that have made me a happier human.
Potpourri books
Saurabh Sharma
Saurabh Sharma

3. I believe
Published by Potpourri Books
First published in 2012
This book is sold subject to the condition that it can be shared freely with others.
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commercial in nature.
Cover design & Photography: anjana@anjanasinghwi.com
Saurabh Sharma

4. I believe
ADVANCE PRAISE
Outstanding. Marveling. Something that leaves a great impact on your mind and
conjures you to ponder over the kind of life you are leading. A must read.
Saurav Vaish
Bestselling Author, Love happens so does a break up.
Treasure trove of life lessons. This book is my recommendation to any age.
Badari Prasad M.S.
Vice President
M/s Bluvalue
Dubai
Simple little gems of life have been described in such a beautiful way in this
book. A book for Everybody from Everywhere!!
Ankur Agarwal
CEO, MlmGlobalUniversity.com
Read “I Believe” with a pen in your hand and as you read it, jot down all the
actions that you are inspired to take! If we accomplish even 10% of those
actions, we would have lived the PURPOSE of our LIVES! I am already at it!
RatanKK
IIM A Alumnus & Founder Associate
GutsGo eMarketing
I Believe' is a wonderful read for people of all ages, people from all walks of
life- for people who wish to live powerful and profound lives.
Sona Ramani
Independent Thinker, TEDx Organizer
I believe' is a bag of pearls of lessons for life. Penning down one's life
Saurabh Sharma

5. I believe
experiences as a book and reaching it out to individuals will CONTRIBUTE to
the betterment of the individual, his family, society and thus, to the world. I
believe is a must read for people who wish to live up to: Veni, Vidi, Vici ( I
came, I saw, I Conquered) and make a positive difference.
N S Ramasubramanian
Freelance Writer, Engineer, BHEL
One of the most inspirational books to de-shape and reshape your life. Instills a
die hard attitude with the softest of lessons within you.
Syed Muhammad Mudassir,
Webpreneur, Motivational Speaker
Saurabh Sharma

6. I believe
Acknowledgements
These words of gratitude can never make up for the good people have done to
me.
Mom and Dad, for believing in me.
Kiruba Shankar, for providing me with a marvelous opportunity to work with
him on his book. The lessons I learnt from him and the process of bringing his
book to life helped me in innumerable ways.
Lakshmi Charanya Sinha, for her constant encouragement, love and support.
Anjana Singhwi, for creatively designing the book cover and being an
inspiration.
Swetha Viswanathan, for being a true friend and critic.
Sharanika, Nandhini and Sruthi for providing me with valuable insights on each
chapter.
Harren Sujitha for being really supportive and helping me proof-read the book.
Ramola and Samuel Zacharia, for editing and bringing the book to shape.
And lastly,
You, for picking up this book and giving it your valuable time.
I am grateful.
Saurabh Sharma

7. I believe
So called Foreword.
Life is all about meeting the right person, don’t you think so too? I met Saurabh, my life
happened.
It is but obvious that I am going to praise Saurabh in this column, so let me dive in full-fledged,
no subtlety here; I also promise you guys that the following contents are not exaggerated.
So here are the highlight-able qualities in Saurabh…
He has this superpower to appreciate the good in others, he easily screens those tiny things we do
for which we crave to be appreciated but is missed by the human eye.
Saurabh is exceptional in giving out. He loves to share. Being a person who would fidget to
share a piece of chocolate with my brother, I find it a Jesus Christ quality. He and the big heart of
his. Saurabh believes sharing knowledge is as important as breathing. He Believes in growing by
helping others grow.
Adding charm to his already sweetheart personality is his simplicity. Simplicity in everything
and anything he does. Very sorted out. Very mature. Very simple.
Another superstar quality of his is his ability to let go. It comes so naturally to him. No matter
how bad the hurt, He would forgive and let go. (I find it annoying though ;p)
Balance is one word that pops out of his mouth once every 23 seconds. He is a man who believes
in having the best of both worlds.
Unending is his thirst to learn. He keeps telling me, “knowledge, wherever it comes from, grab
it”. Such an opportunist this fellow.
And in bigger ratio than the others, I love his self-confidence, how he is never scared of thinking
big and is always open to anything life throws at him.
How he keeps it all going, he is thankful. He lives by Gratitude. He is honestly thankful for his
life.
He is not all angel but I can’t really point out any of his negatives because you see he taught me
to see only good in others.
Saurabh Sharma

8. I believe
This book has all his goodie thoughts, sieved. It is what he believes made a difference in his life
and is sure will make a difference in your life too. Last New Year he told me that his resolution
was to help 20 people make positive changes in their life. That’s how this book was born.
The book was surrounded with happy energy right from its inception. I am sure it will fill you up
with so much positivity and will change your perception of life for good. Be ready to see and feel
a happy new you; a happy new world.
Lakshmi Charanya Sinha
- The happiest person Saurabh claims to have met.
Mumbai 2012
Saurabh Sharma

9. I believe
Introduction
This book is a humble compilation of lessons and ideas that have worked for me. I have learnt
some really good lessons along the short journey I have managed to survive. These ideas have
done a world of good to me and the people I have shared it with.
I believe in the power of sharing and hence this book was born. I sincerely hope you find some
of the ideas useful, I hope you derive inspiration from others and I also hope you disagree with
some and quickly email me your perspective because I love learning. Just by the way, I am a
student, not a guru. :)
Happy reading!
Saurabh Sharma

10. I believe
My Thanks
To you, who brought me into this world,
You gave me my greatest gift.
To you, who taught me,
You helped me grow.
To you, who inspired me,
You gave me strength.
To you, who helped me,
You were my backbone.
To you, the invisible force behind everything,
You did all the magic.
Finally,
To you, who backstabbed, criticized and broke my heart,
You gave me this book.
Saurabh Sharma

11. I believe
The Art of Appreciation
The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated. -
William James, Doctor and Pioneering psychologist.
There is something common inside every one of us. Humans are creatures of
emotion and we constantly demand attention and appreciation.
Just as a musician knows the right notes to be played to produce a great piece of
music, a people person or in other words, someone whom everyone likes to be
with, has mastered the art of appreciation. These people genuinely appreciate,
acknowledge and give credit to others exactly at those right moments and guess
what? It sounds like great music to those being appreciated. It never ceases to
amuse me how much happiness people derive out of a single compliment. I have
had people call me up just so I would repeat the words of appreciation I had
uttered to them. Some of them demand reasons and even want me to elaborate
on my appreciation. The point is loud and clear: People love to be appreciated!
There is another real benefit if you use appreciation wisely. Whatever aspect of
behaviour you appreciate in the other person, you can be sure they will repeat
this more often. What happens for example, when a woman genuinely
appreciates and thanks her man for something he did, or for the things he does
that make her happy? The man will be more than willing and happy to do those
very things which in turn bring more happiness to both. Take what happens
when a boss appreciates his employee for the timely completion of a task? The
next time around, in most cases, the person will complete his tasks well in time.
Therefore, express genuine gratitude, appreciation, respect and love. All of these
have a hidden positive force in them. They make pleasant things happen, turn
things around, make people smile, feel joy in their hearts and will make our
planet a happier place.
Saurabh Sharma

12. I believe
The Six Human Needs
Anthony Robbins is one of the best guides in the world when in the field of
personal development. His ideas have influenced my thought process
profoundly. From his study on why people do what they do, he observes how
human behaviour arises from six basic needs. It doesn't matter if you're from
India, Israel, South America or Central Africa; every human being has these six
fundamental needs. Understanding of these basic human needs has transformed
my life dramatically and thus I have included it as one of the chapters in the
book.
These are the six:
Certainty: All of us want certainty. Humans as a species like to be certain about
things. When in love, we want our partner to continuously let us know that they
love us. We want assurance and security. Most people prefer a steady job to
starting a business because they can be certain about getting paid at the end of
every month. Now this would make you wonder what makes people start a
business.
God has designed us so magnificently; he knew that if we were going to be
certain about each and everything, we would get bored. So the contradictory
second human need is:
Uncertainty: Do we like surprises? Yes, many of us do. We like excitement. We
enjoy variety. The people who have more of this need end up taking risks and
building huge businesses. People who like adventure, people who are out going
in nature revel in this need.
Significance: We all need to feel important, special, valued and unique. People
find a way to fulfill this need in different ways. For example, someone may feel
significant by making more money, others by being more spiritual or some even
by smoking a cigarette. A big reason why violence and terrorism exists is
because it is a quick way to feel super significant even if you have no money,
background culture or education. Think about this: How significant was Osama?
Saurabh Sharma

13. I believe
Love and connection: This is a fundamental need. Margaret Mead, the
anthropologist, puts it beautifully: “One of the oldest human needs is having
someone to wonder where you are, when you don't come home at night.” The
need to belong is one of the strongest among humans. Different people do
different things to satisfy this need. Some like walking in nature to feel a part of
it, others join prayer groups, and many create friendships or bring up pets. There
are exceptions to all rules however, some people will settle for simple
connections as they find love and commitment too scary!
The above four needs are of the personality. Everyone finds their own way to
meet them in one way or the other. The following two are the needs of the soul
as Robbins calls them. He says it is possible for you to meet the above four and
still not feel fulfilled. In order to feel fulfilled these are the two needs must be
satisfied:
Growth: If we do not grow we die. If you or your business or your relationships
are not growing you are going to feel dead inside irrespective of how much
money you have or how many friends you have. Benjamin Franklin sums it up
perfectly: “When you're finished changing, you're finished.”
Contribute: The last of the six is the need to contribute. I strongly believe we
grow in order that we contribute and add value. I wrote this book motivated by
the need to contribute. As strange as it sounds; the secret to living is giving. Life
is not about I but WE. I am sure we've had times when we have just shared
something or given away something we like and we felt really good. This is
nothing but soul food and the sixth need being satisfied.
Once we understand these needs and start looking at people's behaviour,
figuring out the reason or the need that is motivating them to do or not do
something, we will be able to view things from their perspective and then truly
understand them as a person. This will help us rewire and change the dynamics
of human relationships in a very positive way. We will have fewer
misunderstandings, less arguments and fewer disappointments. All that will
remain will be love and understanding among people irrespective of their
nationality, sex, colour, background or education.
Saurabh Sharma

14. I believe
The elixir called Love
“Love doesn't begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle.
Love is a war. Love is growing up.” ~ James Baldwin
Love is life's sunshine!
A Life without love is like,
A tree without leaves
Internet without Google
A page without words.
Fall in love with love, that's when you start growing within!
Go out there, and fill in the empty pages of your life.
Let the person you love, know you love them.
Say those three magical words a million times like there is no tomorrow.
Fall head over heels for someone madly,
Dance when you are showered with love,
Cry when you are hurt.
Surrender yourself to the mercy of love and love will teach you some of life's
greatest lessons.
Saurabh Sharma

15. I believe
Think like a Good Lawyer.
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
-Wayne Dyer
Few weeks back I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Vijayakumar, an eminent
lawyer. He is a family friend and a father figure to me. We sat down to dinner
and discussed various career options that I was considering. Writing a book
wasn't an option at that time! We spoke about a number of issues ranging from
money to relationships and to understanding people. During that talk he
unknowingly taught me one the most important lessons in life.
This is what he told me: “Saurabh, learn to think like a good lawyer.”
As I wondered how to go about thinking like a good lawyer, he continued
“Good lawyers are trained to think from their client’s perspective. They always
try to understand things from the other person’s point of view. What this does is
it gives them an edge in handling relationships.” I didn't quite get what it meant
at that moment. I drove back home mulling over this idea. Only later did I
realize its potential.
Imagine for a moment a world full of lawyers, people who are trained to think
from the other person’s perspective. There will be a fundamental change in the
way people understand human affairs.
This story serves to illustrate its meaning. A farmer tells his young boy, “Son the
crop in this field will grow knee height by summer.” His son innocently asks:
“your knee or mine, Dad?”
Different people have different views of the same situation. When you learn to
see a situation from the other person's view, they may no longer stand wrong.
This approach can help avoid so many misunderstandings. Many of life's
problems are nothing but misunderstandings. Pull out the weeds of
Saurabh Sharma

16. I believe
misunderstanding from their roots and there will be less problems in your
garden of life.
Healthy your garden, healthy the other persons garden, healthy the world.
Saurabh Sharma

17. I believe
Death
Almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of
embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death,
leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is
the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.
You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. – Steve Jobs
Let’s say your institution requires an annual medical report. You proceed to get
an advanced medical check-up done for the year. Imagine walking to the
hospital and getting all the tests done. You go through the scans, blood tests and
MRI's. You are told that you will be given a call informing you when to collect
your reports.
That night your doctor calls. He asks you to come to his clinic first thing in the
morning with no further information. Will you be able to sleep soundly that
night? I doubt it. Anxious about what the matter could be, you plan be at the
doctors clinic an hour before it opens.
You meet the doctor the next day. Looking at the reports he tells you that he has
found a rare tumor developing in your brain. He informs you that it cannot be
operated on. The look on his face is serious and his tone is really low. He
apologizes for the bad news and says it is his duty to inform you that you
perhaps have six months to live.
How would you react? What would you do? Panic and Cry? Go into
depression? No. You would want to get a second opinion from a better doctor,
get a third opinion fly abroad to get a fourth opinion. All of them tell you the
same thing. Tumor in the brain! Cannot be operated! Six months to live!
How would you lead the next six months of your life? Would you live the same
way you did the six months gone by? I doubt it. You will most likely live trying
to make every minute count. You would never take people for granted. You
would live with an awareness of the things that really matter.
Saurabh Sharma

18. I believe
If you don't believe this, walk into a cancer ward nearby and ask the people who
have been told that they have cancer how their attitudes were you before they
were told about their disease. These patients will simply say that they were just
like YOU!
My message to you is stop thinking that you or people around you are going to
live forever. Stop taking things for granted and make your days count. Live with
a higher purpose in life. Do good and be good so that people say after you've
left this earthly life: “Here lived a beautiful soul.”
“What would I choose to do if today was the last day of my life?” - Steve Jobs
asked himself often this question to live an outrageously fulfilling life. My
suggestion is that you do too.
Saurabh Sharma

19. I believe
Parenting
A few months back on a Sunday evening I told my father that I was working on
an idea. He smiled as I went on, I said: “I am planning to write a self-help
book.” I told him that I wanted to pen down the essence of various philosophies.
He heard to me patiently and then responded with just two words: "Go ahead."
That was it! I went all out to make this dream of mine come true. I had no idea
about how to get it done. However, things miraculously started falling in place.
Today you are reading the book!
The moral support and the push I got from my father at the initial stage is what
made this entire book come to life. This proves how significant a role parents
play in their child's success and how their support help overcome all hurdles. By
this I don't mean that every decision of a child should be influenced by his/her
parents. That’s where the art of smart parenting comes into play.
I may not be fully qualified to comment on this, but what I have learnt is
summed up in this dedication to the unsung heroes who have been entrusted
with this important and challenging job. - “Bringing up the generation X kids”
1. Walk the talk: Parents, who preach, always find themselves preaching and
they never get beyond it. Children will also inculcate that it is what you do but
not what you say that is important. It is good to talk, but much better to walk the
talk.
2. Play different roles: In the journey of a child's life, there are many occasions
when parents are required to change their roles to help their children grow. They
need to play the role of a friend, a teacher, a mentor at different times. Some
parents resist change roles. Be a friend and get into the child's shoes to see and
learn from their perspective. Get to know your child through their eyes. Get to
know the company your kids keep as that’s what is going to shape them. Be
flexible in changing roles and you will in-turn change their world.
Saurabh Sharma

20. I believe
3. Inspire: Parents are the only windows through which children get a glimpse
of the world. Make sure you let them see the infinite possibilities. Inspire them
to be great human beings by being a great human being yourself.
Saurabh Sharma

21. I believe
Happiness
– The essence of life
Happiness is the mother of all desires.
I was talking to an old friend a few weeks back and I randomly ended up asking
her what her goal in life was, what was that she wanted out of life? I expected
her to response to be very cliché like: “My goal is to become a doctor, engineer,
or to make money." I was quite gob smacked by her response. She said: “Well
My goal ??Umm...to be happy and try to keep people around me happy.”
I wanted to hear more, I wanted reasons. She said I feel happy when I do the
things I love. Be it cracking people up with a joke or painting. I asked her what
she would do if she had no choice but to take up a job she did not love. She was
quick to respond: "I either find a way to love my job or I will find the job I
love.” Life is simple; it’s we who complicate it. Go figure!
More than the logic in her statement it was her attitude that impressed me.
In a world which is driven by material motivations, sales targets, project
deadlines and high flying ambitions, her answer really made me think. At the
end of the day, its emotions that count. We run the marathon of our lives
because we think when we reach the finish line we would feel a certain
way, probably feel happy.
The latter part of her answer also made a lot of sense to me. People do not
remember who the richest person in their community is but they will remember
the person who made them happy.
I am not saying, try to please everyone. That isn’t possible either. But it is a
matter of fact that we can do a world of good to ourselves and the people around
us by just being happy.
Progress equals happiness. So grow, help others grow and be happy. Also the
good news is; happiness is contagious. Go spread the virus.
Saurabh Sharma

22. I believe
This is one of my favorite poems:
SLOW DANCE
- Davic L. Weatherford
Have you ever watched kids
on a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last
Do you run through each day
On the fly
When you ask “How are you?”
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done,
do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
running through your head?
You’d better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last
Ever told your child,
We’ll do it tomorrow?
Saurabh Sharma

23. I believe
And in your haste,
not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
‘Cause you never had time
To call and say “Hi”?
You’d better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift….Thrown away…
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
Saurabh Sharma

24. I believe
Introspect to grow
“You will never go higher than your thinking” - Benjamin Disraeli
The fabric of our life is painted with the alluring colours of our thoughts. “The
Secret" by Rhonda Byrne was one of the books which taught the world about
the impact thinking has on people's lives. I was one of the many fortunate
people to get my hands on this life changing book and alter my thinking
patterns.
Everything, from the quality of our lives, to our relationships, our work and
health are all directly proportional to the quality of thoughts we think. This
being said, we know that the quality of our thoughts is dependent on various
factors, like the company of people we keep, the society we move in, the
education we have had, our culture and background. It will be almost impossible
for us to think quality thoughts if we are victims of our poor surroundings. But
haven't we all heard of inspiring stories of people who have grown far beyond
their surroundings? People like Abraham Lincoln, Oprah Winfrey, Mother
Teresa, Bill Gates and so many more never had the ideal surrounding to lift
them up to where they got themselves.
What separates them from other people? All of them made time to think.
In our insanely busy lives we hardly get time to think. In the whirlwind of
everyday chaos our thoughts are falling victims to our surroundings and we are
unaware of great possibilities that are being erased out of our future. Bill Gates
used to take a few weeks off every year and just think. He called them "think
weeks".
Like a science experiment in school, a glass jar full of muddy water left
undisturbed for a while shows that the denser mud settles down at the bottom
and leaves the water rather clear, so is the same with our thoughts. The
chattering thoughts in our minds become clearer when we practice taking time
to filter them out. To review and rethink various issues, decisions and actions.
Saurabh Sharma

25. I believe
I have stayed almost alone for the last three years of my life and luckily, by
default, I tapped into the amazing benefits of thinking. I have had tremendous
personal and professional growth like never before in the last three years.
Everything from sharp decision making skills to healthier relationships and
building a career path came with ease. Finally, Peace of mind, which everyone
longs for, became a way of life.
Saurabh Sharma

26. I believe
The bucket list
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from
the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. -
Mark Twain
There's a place in our hearts where all our secret desires are bundled and buried.
Most of us live a life of routine, very mundane. There is very less variety and no
fun. To add to our woes we never really try to fulfill our desires. We’ve come to
believe that there are other important things to do and these desires of ours can
wait. But sooner we are left no time to fulfill our desires.
Way back when I was 16, I came across the idea of making a list of things to do
before I die. I made this list and realized that there are a lot of things I really
wanted to do. Some were sensible and practical and most fell under ‘just for the
fun of it’ category. I pulled out my journal and scribbled out a list of 50 odd
things in less than ten minutes. As and when an idea would strike my mind I
would add it up to the list.
It's been 5 years since I had put down the list. And I look at it with absolute awe
today! Most of the things I never thought I would do when I put them down
have been completed! One of which is in the process of getting accomplished
even as I write this. It reads: “Write a book."!
Write down a ‘To do’ list for things to accomplish daily and for life. It is
magical because clarity and focus clearly precede success. This is firmly stuck
in my head and sure enough, I am living my little desires. Are you?
Saurabh Sharma

27. I believe
Read
A man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association
with smarter people.-Will Rogers
Deep down all of us crave for significance. Though it comes disguised in
various forms, psychologists say that it is one among the strongest human needs.
During my early teen years, I was lucky to be surrounded by people who loved
reading. Because of them I picked up the wonderful habit of reading. I
discovered that it was one of the most productive, informative and advantageous
way for a teenager to experience significance.
I personally found that investing time and money in self-help books and books
which added value in one way or the other, a sensible option. Today, when I
socialize with different kinds of people, I realize that the teenage habit of
reading I picked up holds me in good stead and serves me well in my
interactions.
Reading helps you be significant in the most positive of ways.
Here are some of the known and unknown benefits of reading I have enjoyed
and hopefully will continue to enjoy:
1. Builds self esteem
2. Gives you something to talk about
3. You will make more money
4. Broadens your perspective
5. Live more and experience more of life
Saurabh Sharma

28. I believe
Action tip: Read. Download few e-books online. Get few books you've always
wanted to read and start reading your way to outlasting success.
Saurabh Sharma

29. I believe
Empty your cup
-learn to unlearn
One factor that differentiates successful people from the others is their approach
to learning. Successful people are always open to new ideas. They evaluate and
embrace new perspectives, and most importantly they are willing to let go of old
beliefs if circumstances require. They are like empty cups with a filter. They let
in new knowledge, which in turn helps them grow.
Knowledge is an essential part of any successful endeavour. And it can be
gained only when one is ready to learn. In order to learn and grow, un-learning
of pre conceived notions is extremely important.
Being an empty cup not only transforms our career for the better but also
improves our personal life. When we stop having pre-defined ideas about a
person, we are more open to listening to them. We all know that when we listen
more, we can learn and understand more. Therefore the possibilities of
misunderstandings in relationships are almost automatically eliminated.
This is exactly how nature functions. The trees take in water and minerals from
the soil and let them out as gases. It is a continuous process. Similarly, the
willingness to learn, grow and to let go of now absurd ideas creates a powerful
vacuum within, which almost magically attracts knowledge and prosperity into
our lives.
People who fall into the trap of “I know it all” attitude resist change. Call it ego,
or call it anything but it only leads to stagnancy. Stagnancy is nothing but death.
I have used un-learning before re-learning to succeed in many areas of my life.
So, have other successful people.
What's stopping you?
Saurabh Sharma

30. I believe
Selfless sharing
“Whatever we possess becomes of double value when we have the opportunity
of sharing it with others.”
Jean-Nicolas Bouilly
Writer, Politician
I was recently at a TEDx event in Chennai. The theme of the whole event was:
"Reinventing the Future." An array of spectacular speakers shared their thoughts
on the topic. It was an event which left me completely inspired.
There was one speaker who had survived cancer and tuberculosis. She
advocated the idea that our future can truly be re-invented only when we as a
community start believing in the value of sharing knowledge and ideas which
helped successful people reach success.
This idea really stuck in my head and I mulled over it for days after the event.
What makes TED so successful and popular is the belief the founders had about
sharing good ideas and how they can change the world for the better. If you
haven't heard about TED, I strongly recommend you check out http://
www.ted.com/.
Sharing good ideas, I believe has at least two distinct benefits. Firstly it helps
the person who is sharing feel fulfilled about their contribution to the world.
Secondly it helps those on the receiving end to learn and grow.
I truly believe that irrespective of our many differences, everyone has something
to share and contribute. Each one of us can add value to our world in one way or
the other. It is unfortunate that many of us do not realize the positive difference
we can make with what we know and what we have.
No matter how insignificant it may seem I urge you to share the something
which you believe can be of help to someone else. It could be as simple as
Saurabh Sharma

31. I believe
hitting the share button on Facebook or re-tweeting a meaningful tweet. All that
matters in the end is that you have added value to someone.
Let’s share, teach, help, grow and succeed as a person, as a community, as a
country and as a world.
Saurabh Sharma

32. I believe
Choices
“It is in your moments of decision that your density is shaped” - Anthony
Robbins
I believe life is like a game of chess. When we make the right moves at the right
time, we win. By moves I mean the choices we make when we stand at the
crossroads we come across everyday in our lives. I would like you to try this: go
to Google and just type "life is all about"; the suggestions that drop down,
reaffirm the fact that "life is all about making choices."
I would add an important idea to that line, "life is all about making the RIGHT
choices at the RIGHT time." Today we live a very fast paced world and making
the right choices at the wrong time will no longer prove to be right.
That being said, the challenge we face is obvious. More often than not, we get
stuck in a labyrinth of choices. Because they are complex, we sometimes end up
making the wrong choices.
What I have learnt about making the right choices in life, is that if we cannot
make a choice at a particular time then the second best thing to do is to know
what not to choose.
When I finished school, I was faced with the challenge of deciding what I was
going to do. What helped me make a choice during that phase was not the fact
that I knew what I wanted to do, but knowing with utmost certainty what I
wasn't interested in doing. This helped me eliminate and bring down the number
of choices I had, to the point where I was just left with the only the option of
pursuing business studies. Guess what? This elimination method worked and
worked very well.
This is not the right thing to do in every situation. However, when you do not
know what to choose then elimination of what you don’t want, sure helps.
Saurabh Sharma

33. I believe
Lately, I’ve been using a simple technique that I learnt from one of my mentors
to help me make the right choices. This method has changed my life completely.
It has also helped people I have shared it with. “A chair would fall if it does not
have a minimum of three legs to support it. Similarly just give yourself at least
three reasons why you should or shouldn't do something."
Saurabh Sharma

34. I believe
Learn from children
My parents, teachers and anyone whom I have considered knowledgeable, have
at different times told me: “basics are very important.” I have grown up to
realize that the fundamentals have not only helped me in mathematics but also
in life. The basic philosophy we apply to our life results in our success or
failure.
Through different people, events and even religious discourses, I found out that
the best way to learn or re-learn the essential fundamentals of life is through a
new born. There are certain common and basic qualities in a new born instilled
by nature itself.
There are numerous lessons we can learn from children. Here are my top 5:
1. Goodness: As simple as it sounds, every new born child is a symbol of divine
goodness. Do we ever differentiate the nature of a new born as good or bad?
Does a new born bear any kind of enmity towards anyone? We are all born with
a natural divine goodness, but eventually environment sucks out our innocence.
Observing babies will give us a chance to rediscover and rejuvenate that
goodness.
2. Ability to learn: Young kids between the ages of 1 to 5 have very open and
sharp minds. They absorb and learn things really quick from their environment.
When we spend time with such young minds; the fabulous skill of adapting and
learning from surroundings invisibly rubs on to us and we become more open
and responsive to our environment.
3. Flexibility: Children are very flexible both in mind and body. This helps
them to adapt to different situations and circumstances. They are flexible in their
approach towards people and this helps them in various instances. They are not
judgmental and make quick friends.
4. Unconditional love: Until a child starts to communicate using words, the
only language the child knows is unconditional love. Children are purity
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35. I believe
personified. In today’s world many people try to buy love with money, a child
radiating unconditional love should motivate us to love and love
unconditionally.
5. Dream big: Children never settle for the second best. They dream big. Next
time you come across kids ask them what they intend to become, you will
probably hear echoes of your own childhood voices. They don't give up easily.
It's interesting to see kids fall while walking and immediately get back up and
try again. I think we as elders never try certain things due to the fear of failure.
We must relearn to be fearless like children. This perhaps is one of the most
fundamental lessons to be learnt to succeed in life.
Saurabh Sharma

36. I believe
A strength called forgiveness
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
Every one of us has been hurt, treated badly, betrayed and criticized at some
point of time or the other. I am no exception. You name it and it has happened to
me. I have been a victim of emotional mayhem not once but a dozen times.
Each time I was hurt, I somehow found a way to get back up and heal myself.
The one thing that has helped me survive those tormenting times is my
understanding of the power of forgiveness.
It is an indisputable fact that when we forgive, forget and let go of past grudges
it leads to healthier relationships, lesser anxiety and stress, fewer symptoms of
depression and a lower risk of substance abuse.
Though "forgiveness" is common in our culture; when someone does something
that hurts us; it can be one of the most difficult things to put into practice
especially when the person who hurt us shared a close bond with us.
So what do we do? How do we forgive, forget and move on?
The answer to that is in two parts; firstly we should clearly understand why we
need to forgive someone and how it will help us. Once we get this logic in
place, it becomes much easier for us to go through the process of forgiving.
Secondly, we need to empathize. What I mean by that is we should consider
getting into the shoes of the person who hurt us. Starting with the assumption
that the person isn't bad, we can analyze and think it through. We should try to
come up with the reasons for their behaviour. When we dig deep, most of the
time we will find innocence and self-protective motives behind their actions.
Everyone is basically good at heart. It is just that some people, in pursuit of
fulfilling their needs, knowingly or unknowingly hurt us. When we clearly
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37. I believe
understand the reasons of which their actions were a result of, it becomes much
easier for us to forgive, forget and move on.
By the way you will be surprised to find that when we heal and help others heal,
we heal the world.
Saurabh Sharma

38. I believe
Record life
Life is beautiful. Live it. Record it.
We live in an era where photography is commonplace and life sans an updated
Facebook profile is drab. I fear that somewhere we are losing the true essence of
"recording life."
When on a vacation, ideally, we look forward to each day, explore new avenues,
cherish those moments, click more pictures and record more videos.
One BIG reason why we record more during holiday trips or vacations is - we
are completely aware and accept the fact that the holiday or the vacation will not
last forever. We consciously or subconsciously value it. Respect it.
My question: “Do we value and respect our whole life; more than or at least as
much as we value a road trip with friends or a vacation with family?”
Neither our life nor our holidays last forever. Yet somehow we believe that
vacations are short lived and our lives, very long. Logically, we should be
giving an equal amount of value and respect to both. But do we?
All of us are in this journey called life for a limited period of time. We do not
know when, but we are aware that it will end. If we start valuing and respecting
life we would realize that every minute counts.
I believe this concept of living itself will motivate us to click more photos,
record more videos, write more in our journals, so that when we turn back to
look at the pages of our past, we can reflect, feel good, share our stories,
remember and teach the lessons we learnt along the way. This way we will feel
fulfilled and in the end we will leave behind a beautiful legacy.
A very good friend of mine told me that one of her resolution’s for the year 2012
was clicking one photograph a day; throughout the year, of anything that catches
her attention. She said a slideshow of the photos would be one year of her life in
short to keep safe forever.
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39. I believe
Ever since I heard to this I have been clicking at least one picture a day! "
Saurabh Sharma

40. I believe
Surround yourself with sound
“Surround yourself with people who lift you high” - Oprah Winfrey
You must surround yourself with people whom you aspire to be like, whom you
admire, who are better than you, who challenge your thinking, provide new
perspectives; in the end who will lift you higher.
When you are constantly in company of amazing people magically some of their
brilliance rubs off onto you.
It is a known fact that the people whom we spend most of our time with, shape
our thoughts and this in turn will define who we eventually become. The
mechanics of it is mysterious but the truth is that if you spend a lot of time with
people who whine you will most probably end up being a whiner!
Now comes the practical problem with most people, either they don't admire
anyone or the people whom they admire are beyond their reach. Sometimes they
may no longer be alive.
What I have learnt to do in such cases is spend time reading the books my role
models have written. Listen to audio tape programs from some of the most
effective communicators of all time and what subconsciously happens is that
one learns tips for effective communication. Most of us are victims of our
surroundings and the only way I know to elevate ourselves is to constantly learn
and model ourselves after the people we want to be like or learn from.
The business of direct selling; which I was into for a couple of years taught me
how to imitate and succeed. The senior who was taking home the biggest
cheque did few things right, in a certain way, with a certain mind-set and with a
certain technique. All I did was model myself after him and voila, It worked!
You can observe how a person has struggled through to succeed. Learn from his
mistakes and techniques he used to finally achieve and create your own success
by easily avoiding those mistakes.
Saurabh Sharma

41. I believe
The whole idea is to surround yourself with great minds, either via videos or a
book, or best of all, in person.
Saurabh Sharma

42. I believe
Insights to inspiration
This chapter is to push you to get inspired more often. Inspiration will do a
world of good to you. It will drive you to succeed and you will be motivated to
outgrow yourself.
Imagine a life where you are always inspired to do something beyond your self-
imposed limitations, to create and contribute something. It is very fulfilling and
will lead to your happiness. This becomes possible when you are high on life,
high on a drug called inspiration; when you are what I call an 'inspiration
scanner'.
This is one quality I have personally benefited from. Yes there is self-motivation
but let me tell you it will only get better when you fuel it with external
motivation. There will always be people to tell you that you will not achieve
your dreams. You should be capable of using that negative energy to charge
yourself to achieve more. Many of us are in midst of such negative environment
but we must find avenues that will inspire us.
I scan the internet to find out if any 'inspiring event' is taking place, or if any
inspiring movie is released. I have travelled far and wide just to attend seminars.
I am always on the lookout for things to get inspired by. I don't recommend you
do the same, however being at it helps in ways known and unknown.
Go find inspiration on a regular basis; get high on this drug. When you live an
inspired life you will be an amazing inspiration to fellow humans.
Saurabh Sharma

43. I believe
Travel
Before the development of tourism, travel was conceived to be like study, and its fruits were
considered to be the adornment of the mind and the formation of the judgment. - Paul Fussell,
Abroad
I write this as I travel alongside a rather serious looking man; a co-passenger,
who was having some trouble with his iPod, he asked me if I could help. Being
an apple user myself, I did. Happily he plugged in his earphones and settled into
his own world.
I am not against listening to music while traveling but I have a different thought.
Traveling, in my view teaches you innumerable lessons which you learn only
when you are willing to learn, only when you are an empty cup. Disconnecting
yourself from your surroundings with an iPod, mobile, laptop or a book might
cost you the chance of learning some of life's most valuable lessons or perhaps
the opportunity of a lifetime.
Traveling gives you the opportunity to meet different kinds of people and
meeting the right person is equivalent to winning the game of life. As the saying
goes, the only thing you can expect in life is the unexpected. You never know
what's in store. Therefore, it’s wise to be open to people, surroundings and the
lessons they teach you.
I have made many friends for life while traveling and know of so many people
who have. Traveling helps you imbibe and accept different perspectives as you
meet people from different cultures, backgrounds and with different
philosophical values. And this becomes possible only when all your senses are
OPEN to experiencing and learning.
Many successful people I know are 'empty cup travelers'. They connect with
people smoothly, get into a conversation, listen, observe and learn.
Richard Branson is one of the icons whom I look up to. His stand in the travel
industry worldwide is astonishing. He writes about innovating travel in his book
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44. I believe
'Business Stripped Bare'. When they launched the Virgin America flights they
realized that needed a stopgap to invite people to chat and interact during the
flight. They were crazy enough to go ahead and install chat rooms and seat-to-
seat chatting in the inflight entertainment system, with keyboards at every seat.
It was a totally new way of stretching out and interacting while being in a
confined space. People loved the idea and Virgin America was able to create a
social community through those little seat-back entertainment screens!
So, Travel more, connect more, learn more and grow more! Make the most of
every opportunity which comes your way!
Saurabh Sharma

45. I believe
Contact me anytime
If you have made it this far, please go to http://saurabh.pro/ibelieve and email
me to say hello. I really love connecting with people, so feel free to ask me
anything or just give me an opportunity to learn from you. As I said earlier, I am
a student, not a guru!
Saurabh Sharma

46. I believe
Thank you for reading this book.
If you have found it inspiring, please pass it on.
Saurabh Sharma

47. I believe
About the cover
For some, it is the sunrise. For some, it is the sunset.
For some, its about reaching the shore. For some, leaving to explore.
Beliefs influence perspectives and perspectives change lives.
I am convinced. Believe in beliefs.
- Anjana Singhwi
Saurabh Sharma

48. I believe
About me
My name is Saurabh Kumar Sharma. My ancestors are from Rajasthan and I
was brought up in a small town called Tuticorin, quite near the cape of
Kanyakumari in Southern India.
Through school, I was an average student with no extra-ordinary capabilities. I
completed my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (BBA) from the
University of Madras. Post September 2012, I will be pursuing an MSc in
Entrepreneurship from the University of Nottingham, UK. ( Again you see, I am
just a student )
I am a passionate dreamer, reader and writer. I firmly believe that all three have
a hidden magical power in them.
More about me at : http://saurabh.pro
Saurabh Sharma