Family Wisdom — book summary

We as human beings are always involved in the long run of expectations as well as achieving. From taking birth to gaining senses and then being an adult till attaining the old age, all through these processes, we are constantly busy in acquiring materialistic possessions. We think that our happiness is hidden somewhere in these objects. But what we knowingly ignore is that apart from these materialistic desires also exists is true happiness. From family, living together, understanding each other what comes is actual happiness. The family is the biggest strength of a person and to make that family happy and satisfied is the greatest achievement one can have in their life.

The beautiful theme of having a good family and using your wit to make it more content and blissful is highlighted in Robin Sharma’s one of the finest piece ‘Family Wisdom’. The book is all about ‘The 5 Masteries of the Family Leader’. It is a term which overall contains some of the basics of life needed to nurture a child and shape up the personality. Being a parent, it is the wholesome duty to inculcate the originality of life, know about the talents and abilities of your child, teach your kids how to dream big and achieve true success. It’s also about realizing the true essence of relationships and bonding.

The complete book is a conversation between a brother and a sister, where the brother leaves all the worldly possessions and materialistic desires and turns into a monk. One day he suddenly returns after a long time in the life of her sister and explains her about what is life and what as a parent she should know about her children. As a family leader, what all wisdom she should gain in order to beautify her life and relations.

Robin Sharma has a different style of writing where he comes up with motivational stories. His idea of imparting encouragement through his books is admirable. One can think that motivational speeches are boring. But the way he does is commendable. Through a beautiful conversation of a brother and a sister, the way he has portrayed an inspiring message of taking up life in a responsible way and that too in an easily understandable language is appealing. He gave a good message to the upcoming parents and to all others who are messed up with their life and family.

Simple yet powerful lessons. Applicable irrespective of whether one has kids. Lots of techniques apply for improving all facets of interactions and relationships.
The five masteries elaborated are about:
1 — Leadership in life begins at home
2 — Shift from scolding to molding a leader
3 — Focus on greatness not weakness — strength based development
4 — Become an excellent person first
5 — Give give give! Leave a legacy behind

Certainly a well written story around these five masteries. A book lover would get hooked into as more of novel or a story book than a self help book. His way of reflecting positivity in his work and spreading it all through is really a work that deserves appreciation.

Some of the important lines worth quoting are

1. We are generally afraid to become that which we can glimpse in our most perfect moments
2. If I had to live my life over again, I would relax more. I’d be sillier than I have been on this trip. I would climb more mountains, swim more rivers and watch more sunsets. I would have more actual troubles and less imaginary ones. Oh I’ve had my moments, and if I had to do it over again, I’d have more of them. In fact, I’d try to have nothing else, just moments, one after another, And I’d pick more daisies
3. To believe in the heroic makes heroes
4. The happiness or unhappiness of a man does not depend upon the amount of property or gold he wins. Happiness or misery is in one’s soul. A wise man feels at home in every country. The whole universe is the home of a noble soul
5. you who would accomplish little must sacrifice little; you who would achieve much must sacrifice much; you who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly
6. Death is only one of many ways of dying
7. Our wounds ultimately give us wisdom. Our stumbling blocks inevitably become our stepping stones. And our setbacks lead us to our strengths
8. One of the secrets of success is always write the endings first. Create the perfect picture of the ending and then work way backwards
9. To lead in your lives, you must read in your days
10. Your environment shapes your thinking
11. Never forget that the family that plays together is the family that stays together
12. Never forget that the behavior that is rewarded is the behavior that gets repeated
13. Real and lasting happiness comes through the progressive accumulation of lovely memories and special moments
14. Good parents reward excellent failures
15. Keep your promises and commit to your commitments
16. People who keeps their promises gain credibility
17. What gets emotionalized gets realized
18. Never leave the site of a goal without taking some action towards its advancement
19. Every time you don’t do the right thing, you fuel the habit of doing the wrong thing
20. Few will have the greatness to bend history itself but each one of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation

For a kid, happiness is in buying a toy. For a student, securing highest marks in exams is happiness. For an adult, getting a good job brings happiness. Happiness can be seen in different forms in different people. But at last what the person realizes on his/her deathbed is that to live satisfactorily together with the family and to give good upbringing to the young ones is the biggest thing he/she has won in life. Although you have millions of bank balance, a Ferrari and all the fascinating materialistic possessions, at last all that will remain is your character, personality and the good image you have earned as a person and most important for your child. All the wealth will stay here, the body will turn into ashes, but all that will be remembered by people is a good soul and pure heart that leads to great fame.