DevCareer BookClub: A Review of Robin Sharma’s The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams & Reaching Your Destiny

The title says it is a fable, and going by Google’s “definition”? There are no talking tortoises — oh no. You get more bang-for-the-buck here though. This book is a deep fusion of non-fiction and self-development burnished with a veneer of fantasy. The build up is fast and soon enough you realize that this is more real than what you assumed. You really will want to sell your Ferrari after reading it.

From the get-go we take a step into the courtroom of life where we are not having heart attacks and getting CPR but hanging on by a thread and continuously dying in many ways, everyday, as we do the things that give us less joy but in exchange offer us comfortable lives. It is something we are all familiar with and Robin Sharma knows it.

Julian represents most of us. His journey from near-death to India so that he could learn the way to happiness, health, joy, fulfillment and the meaning of life is one that you can benefit from. From his cushy comfort zone to navigating the unfamiliar deserted roads on his journey to Sivana it has the meaning the fable genre generally offers. How can we fulfill our dreams and live life meaningfully John seems to ask on our behalf?

The Art of Self-Discipline, The Ancient Art of Self-Leadership, The Power of Discipline, Your Most Precious Commodity and the Ultimate Purpose of Life—these are a few of the life-changing chapters you will encounter as you read the book.

From those chapters we have distilled the core wisdom of the Sages of Sivana as something you stand to gain a lot from. Here is a broad version of their 7 virtues:

1. ‘The boundaries of your life are merely creations of the self”: Your mind is the most valuable, fertile and beautiful garden on the planet at this moment. However, you must sit at its gates to ensure that only what is beneficial to the garden gets in. Cultivate it by guarding it, plant new seeds by taking good and great things and dwelling on them. Bring new flora into your garden. Tend it. But never let the weeds of negativity and unproductive thinking take root by utilizing the herbicide best known as the growth mindset. Keep yourself exhilarated at all times.
2. ‘There is nothing noble about being superior to some other person. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.’ : Personal mastery and self-responsibility are the only ways to leave the chaos of life behind. This is your greatest investment in your lifetime. By being in control of yourself, you stand a better chance at being happier, more joy filled, at peace and healthier. The storms are within, not without. Strive for this mastery and responsibility and you will see yourself improve. Focus on your life and not that of others.
3. ‘The purpose of life is a life of purpose’: According to Julian, who reaps the most (spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally) serves the most. If you want to get the most fulfillment, you are going to have to start living to help and have a positive impact in the lives of others. Happiness can be found in working towards an achievement or life’s purpose, your dharma. Your dharma is your purpose on Earth. Set goals towards it and as you work at attaining them, you will encounter happiness. ‘You will never be able to hit a target that you cannot see’. Start small and grow bigger with your goals. Have a goal! Work towards it!
4. ‘The only limits on your life are those that you set yourself.’: This embodies the Japanese art of kaizen — continuous improvement. Even the Sages recognized this wisdom from farther East. The courage to see where you are lacking and hold yourself up to incremental improvement and lifelong learning is something that will help you develop and break unproductive boundaries. While practicing kaizen The Ritual of Solitude will help coalesce your focus and thoughts towards your development of quality.
5. ‘Live with Discipline’: Discipline is the backbone of all self growth. Your commitment to it stems from taking little actions that as a whole contribute to the overall improvement of your life. There is a mantra that sums it up. ‘I am more than I appear to be, all the world’s strength and power rests inside me.’ Own your actions and the ripple effects they have on your life as a whole. Be disciplined while making your life count.
6. ‘Respect your time’: Often touted as the most expensive commodity, many of us do not actually know how to use it valuably. Everything you do is hinged on time. The best time to take action is always now. Carefully planned time leads to rich, productive and early happiness. Make time to meditate and time to prioritize things, but especially to plan daily. Planning saves time and aids focusing on purpose. Tools like the pareto principle and learning to say no help in managing time.
7. ‘The quality of your life will come down to the quality of your contribution’: Your perspective on your purpose in life will help you contribute meaningfully to society. Realize that you are important enough to make meaningful contributions. Your donations to the people around you comes in the form of your positive energy, creativity, mental ability, peace and discipline.

Conclusion

The only place you can change effectively lies within you. And if you do not consciously empty the cup of your unprofitable ideas, and do not stop to change yourself, your cup of growth can never be filled.

Whatever good thing you have learned about life from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, make a commitment to let others know about it: Julian was charged with doing so, and even his friend John to whom he narrated his experiences in Sivana was charged to do the same. It is how the book came to be.

To get the full measure of the book, try reading it. You will not regret it.