The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma

A Spiritual Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams & Reaching Your Destiny
Note: My favourite quote from the book – “A little bit of fragrance always clings to the hands that gives you roses”. Summary below. Big up Viv and Sherry for the recommendation.

Summary:

The principle lessons of the book are as follows:

1. Master Your Mind
a. The Wisdom
i. Cultivate your mind – it will blossom beyond your expectation;
ii. The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your thoughts;
iii. There are no mistakes – only lessons. See setbacks as opportunity for personal expansion and growth.

b. The Techniques
i. The Heart of the Rose
You need a fresh rose and a silent place to perform this. Start to stare at the center of the rose, its heart. Notice its color, texture and design. Savor its fragrance and think only about the wonderful object in front of you. At first, your mind will wander away. This is the sign of an untrained mind. However, you need not worry. Return your mind to the object of your focus. It gets better with daily practice. Soon your mind will grow strong and disciplined. Spend 10, 15 or even 20 minutes daily to perform this technique.

ii. Opposition Thinking
When an undesirable thought occupies the focal point of your mind, immediately replace it with a uplifting one. It’s as if your mind is a giant slide projector, with every thought in your mind being a slide. Whenever a negative slide comes up on the screen, take swift action to replace it with a positive one.

iii. The Secret of the Lake
This technique was applied by the sages. The sages would look into the waters of the still lake and envision their dreams becoming reality. It is also similar to visualization. Everything is created twice, first in the mind, and then it is realized in a physical form. We can visualize everything that we want to be, do, or have.

c. Quote
The secret of happiness is simple: find out what you truly love to do and then direct all of your energy towards doing it. Once you do this, abundance flows into your life and all your desires are filled with ease and grace. (Paras note: I feel a lot of sheeple preach this and don’t do it. Plus I’ve cultivated the ability to love what I do instead which is just so much easier and if you REALLY wanted to do that something you love… nothing can stop you.)

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2. Follow Your Purpose
a. The Wisdom
i. The purpose of life is a life of purpose;

ii. Discovering and then realizing your lifework brings lasting fulfillment;

iii. Set clearly defined personal, professional and spiritual goals, and then have the courage to act on them;

b. The Techniques
i. The Power of Self-Examination
Know your goals. Write it down on paper. Goals that are not written down are not goals at all.

ii. The 5 Step Method for Attaining Goals
1 is to have a clear vision of your outcome. 2 is to create positive pressure to keep you inspired. 3 is a simple one: never set a goal without attaching a timeline to it. 4 is to staying with your goal for 21 days. After you do your daily activities for 21 days nonstop, then it will become your habit. 5 is to enjoy the process.

c. Quote
Never forget the importance of living with unbridled exhilaration. Never neglect to see the exquisite beauty in all living things. Today, and this very moment, is a gift. Stay focused on your purpose. The Universe will take care of everything else.

3. Practice Kaizen
a. The Wisdom
i. Self-Mastery is the DNA of life mastery;

ii. Success on the outside begins within;

iii. Enlightenment comes through the consistent cultivation of your mind, body and soul.

b. The Techniques
i. Do the things you fear, and the death of fear is certain.

The 10 Ancient Rituals for Radiant Living
Ritual of Solitude,
spend 15 to 50 minutes daily for a time of silence and peace to know who you really are;

Ritual of Physicality,
as you care for the body so you care for the mind. As you prepare your body, so you prepare your mind. As you train your body, so you train your mind. Take some time every single day to nourish the temple of your body through vigorous exercise.

Ritual of Live Nourishment,
fill your plate with fresh vegetables, fruits and grains.

Ritual of Abundant Knowledge,
read regularly. Reading for thirty minutes a day will do wonders for you. But do not read any subject matters. Be specific and focus.

Ritual of Personal Reflection,
review all you have done during the day, find the wrong action that you have committed and find a way to solve it and not to repeat the next day. Find the right action during the day and savor it more.

Ritual of Early Awakening,
rise from your bed as the sun is rising. You do not need to sleep 8 hours a day. The key thing is to improve the quality of your sleep and get up early every day.

Ritual of Music,
never forget the power of music. Spend a little time with it every day, even if it is listening to a soft piece on a cassette while you drive to work. When you feel down or weary, play some music. It is one of the finest motivators.

Ritual of the Spoken Word,
develop a positive self-talk. Use it anytime you want for any purpose you want to achieve. Words transform your life.

Ritual of Congruent Character,
take daily, incremental action to build your character. Strengthening your character affects the way you see yourself and the actions you take. The actions you take come together to form your habits and, this is important, your habits lead you to your destiny. ‘You sow a thought, you reap an action. Reap an action, you sow a habit. Sow a habit, you reap a character. Sow a character, you reap your destiny.’

Ritual of Simplicity,
live a simple life. Reduce your needs and be content with less.

d. Quote
The Universe favors the brave. When you resolve to lift your life to its highest level, the strength of your soul will guide you to a magical place with magnificent treasures.

4. Live with Discipline
a. The Wisdom
i. Discipline is built by consistently performing small acts of courage;

ii. The more you nurture the embryo of self-discipline, the more it will mature;

iii. Willpower is the essential virtue of a fully actualized life.

b. The Techniques
i. Mantras/Creative Envisioning
Repeat this at least thirty times a day: ‘I am more than I appear to be, all the world’s strength and power rests inside me.’ See yourself as a disciplined, firm person, fully in control of your mind, your body and your spirit. Picture yourself acting as Gandhi or Mother Teresa might act in a challenging situation.

ii. The Vow of Silence
Spend some time or a full day in silence, except to answer a direct question. When you can hold your tongue, you can increase the control of your body.

c. Quote
Wage war against the weaker thoughts that have crept into the palace of your mind. They will see that they are unwanted and leave like unwelcome visitors.

5. Respect Your Time
a. The Wisdom
i. Time is your most precious commodity and it is nonrenewable;

ii. Focus on your priorities and maintain balance;

iii. Simplify your life;

iv. The Ancient Rule of 20.
This ancient rule is similar to the 80/20 concept that says our 20% activities give 80% of the result. Furthermore, 80% of our activities only give 20% of the result. Accordingly, we have to focus on which 20% of our activities that give 80% result in our life.

b. The Techniques
i. Have the Courage to Say “NO”

ii. The Deathbed Mentality
Live every day as if it was your last. Imagine waking up every day and asking yourself the simple question: ‘What would I do today if it was my last?’ Then think about how you would treat your family, your colleagues and even those who you don’t know.

c. Quote
Time slips through our hands like grains of sand, never to return again. Those who use time wisely from an early age are rewarded with rich, productive and satisfying lives.

6. Selflessly Serve Others
a. The Wisdom
i. The quality of your life ultimately comes down to the quality of your contribution;

ii. To cultivate the sacredness of each day, live to give;

iii. By elevating the lives of others, your life reaches its highest dimensions;

iv. Practice Daily Acts of Kindness.

b. The Techniques
i. Give to Those Who Ask

ii. Cultivate Richer Relationships

c. Quote
The noblest thing you can do is to give to others. Start focusing on your higher purpose.

7. Embrace the Present
a. The Wisdom
i. Live in the “now”. Savor the gift of the present;

ii. Never sacrifice happiness for achievement;

iii. Savor the journey and live each day as your last.

b. The Techniques
i. Live Your Children’s’ Childhood
Take the time to watch them grow and flourish. The best gift you could ever give your children is your love. Get to know your children. Show them that they are far more important to you than the fleeting rewards of your professional career. Pretty soon they will be off, building lives and families of their own. If you do not you’re your children’s childhood, then it will be too late, the time will be gone.

ii. Practice Gratitude
Count your blessings every time you wake up and before you go to bed.

iii. Grow Your Destiny
We all have something that we are meant to do. Your genius will shine through, and happiness will fill your life, the instant you discover your higher purpose and then direct all your energies towards it. Once you are connected to this mission, whether it is being a great teacher of children or an inspired artist, all your desires will be fulfilled effortlessly. Simply follow the path of your dreams, in full expectation of the bounty that is certain to flow. This will bring you to your divine destination.

Table of Contents
– The Wake-Up Call
– The Mysterious Visitor
– The Miraculous Transformation of Julian Mantle
– A Magical Meeting with The Sages of Sivana
– A Spiritual Student of the Sages
– The Wisdom of Personal Change
– A Most Extraordinary Garden
– Kindling Your Inner Fire
– The Ancient Art of Self-Leadership
– The Power of Discipline
– Your Most Precious Commodity
– The Ultimate Purpose of Life
– The Timeless Secret of Lifelong Happiness