The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is a self-help book by Robin Sharma, a writer, and motivational speaker. This book is all about having a purpose in life, mastering self-consciousness, and live a deeply meaningful life – a life of passion with full potential. It teaches how to find a sense of peace in life and not just in material stuff (Like the title suggests – Ferrari).
The book is about the protagonist Julian Mantle who is a successful lawyer but is full of tensions and work pressure, who finally decides to leave his baggage of past and luxurious life behind and goes to Himalayan Mountains in search of peace. He sold his vacation house and his red Ferarri for this journey. Nonetheless, the incredible illustration of the majestic Himalayas will keep you in Awe and wonder.
In the Himalayas, he comes across Yogi Raman: One of the great sages of Sivana(A paradise hidden somewhere in the mountains), who teaches him how to enlighten his life. After a few months of soul-changing journey, Julian comes back to meet his friend John and narrates him all the fables and teachings of Yogi Raman.
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari mainly describes the Seven virtues for a life overflowing with inner peace, joy and wealth of spiritual gifts.
7 Key Lessons from The monk who sold his Ferrari
1. Master your mind
The symbol “magnificent garden” represents the act of cultivating the mind and improving the quality of life by improving the quality of thoughts. It’s impossible to completely remove negative thoughts from our mind, however, it can be substituted by positive thoughts.
It’s important to have goals in life and reach high levels of potential. As much as it’s important to value the journey and appreciate what you have right now.
As it often said: Life is a journey, not a destination
2. Follow your purpose
Happiness comes from achievement but without goal setting, you will not achieve anything. Find the purpose of your life, make goals, and write it down on the piece of paper. As per the book, we think about sixty-thousand thoughts on an average day.
Writing goals send signals to the subconscious mind that states this single thought is far more important than other 59,999 thoughts. Then, the sub-conscious mind provides precious mental energy to carry out goals.
All the great motivational books have one thing in common – Write down your goals. This is a concrete step towards success followed by greats like Henry Ford.
3. Practice kaizen
Kaizen is the Japanese method for improvement and optimization. It’s a process that you optimize and incrementally improve in the areas of your life, business, and work.
Self-master is the DNA of life mastery. If you master yourself and use the philosophy of Kaizen to help guide you, then you’re well on your way to mastering external circumstances like building a business or having a successful relationship.
“Success cannot be pursued; success ensues. It flows as the unintended byproduct of efforts concentrated in the direction of a worthy cause.”
4. Live with discipline
Represented by a pink wire coil, the notion of discipline entreats you to consistently perform small acts of courage, strengthen your will power, and develop the strength of self-discipline.
Discipline is built by consistently performing small acts of courage. You can take big acts of courage, but every day dedicate yourself. Willpower is the essential virtue of life with full potential.
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.
5. Respect your time
Time is the most precious commodity. We all have twenty-four hours a day but effective time management separates success from average. Time slips through our hands like grains of sand, never to return. Time mastery leads to life mastery.
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”
― Mother Teresa
6. Selflessly serve others
The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your contributions to the greater world. To achieve wholeness, you should practice daily acts of kindness, give generously, and focus on your relationships with others.
By elevating the lives of others, your life reaches its highest dimensions.
Only those who have learned the power of sincere and selfless contribution experience life’s deepest joy: true fulfillment.
7. Embrace the present
It is important for you to be fully present and engaged in whatever you do. Live in the “now.” Savor the gift of the present. Never sacrifice happiness for achievement. Savor the journey and live each day as your last.
We are all here for some special reason. Stop being a prisoner of your past. Become the architect of your future.
I recommend everyone to read this life changing book.
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