Book Review: ‘One hour a day can change your life’

Private lessons that leadership and elite performance expert Robin Sharma has been imparting to billionaires and celebrities have now found their way into his new book The 5 AM Club, which the globally renowned author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, says can change the life of its readers.

He said that the twilight period in the morning is of utmost ‘peace and tranquility’, and tranquility being a ‘luxury’ in our times, should not be missed.

“People are very attracted to the idea of an hour for themselves before the day gets busy. It is almost like a retreat to simpler times. I have been teaching the 5 AM club method for above 20 years. 

The book is not just about waking up at 5 am, but there is a specific morning routine -- 20: 20: 20 -- which I urge the readers to follow. 

I have been teaching that to my high-profile clients like billionaires, sports superstars, celebrities and CEOs. It has brought tremendous change in their lives,” Sharma said in his characteristic inspirational tone.

He said that upon realising the ‘magic’ that the 5 AM Formula had done for the successful people, he wrapped it around a story, like he did in The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and published it in the form of a book.

He has divided the first hour of the day into three equal segments of 20 minutes each. The first sequence is for sweating -- to do some physical activity. The second, he says, is for reflection, through prayer, meditation or writing a journal. 

And finally the last 20 minutes before the day gets busy, says Sharma, is for growing by reading, watching a useful video or listening to a podcast.

“There are a lot of people with a lot of money but money is all they have. It’s very inspiring to see how many people want to be the heroes of their lives, how many people want to grow and rise above their circumstances.

One of the keys to my longevity is that I want to help people, I don’t just write books but I am putting down the information that is not superficial but really creates change,” he said, pointing out that one hour a day, if utilised in the manner that he has put forth in his new book, can change lives.

He said he wrote The 5 AM Club for over four years because he wanted it to be a beautiful and powerful book. “I wanted every line to be handcrafted and so I put my heart and soul into it.”

Although a phenomenon today, Sharma had self-published The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, and at a bookshop met a publisher from HarperCollins, who then acquired the book and published it globally. 

That changed his life and Sharma said that it is love that keeps him going; the more he works with love, the more he is able to connect with people.