The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma Book Review

Hey fellow readers,

Today let’s talk about non-fiction. I didn’t really plan to read The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma but one of my friends lent it to me. It seemed to be a short book so I thought to give it a try. It is a self-help book that talks about various techniques in order to lead a better life.

Storyline of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

Julian, is an elite lawyer who possesses all kinds of materialistic pleasures. However, deep inside he is not happy with the way he leads his life and is in search of something more. This is when he gets a heart attack and he decides to sell everything and go to the Himalayas. Julian’s friend John continues being a litigator but Julian disappears and returned after 2 years looking all vibrant and much younger. Further in the book, Julian preaches all his wisdom to John.

What I liked about this book was that all the preachings were given in form of techniques. So, we actually get to know how to implement. Honestly, we all know how an ideal life should be led but this book tries to be a bit practical and talks more about implementation. I really loved the description of the Sages of the Sivana and the Himalayas. I tried to grasp all the concepts but since it was just a long conversation between two people. So, it put me off sometimes. The book was written in a very simple vocabulary so I kept reading. This book is beginner-friendly.

All the lessons are extremely valuable and if practised, they can bring about a great change in life. The problem is that certain things mentioned seemed to be very difficult. For example, Julian said that ideally, not even a single negative thought should cross our minds. Also, I had the same question as John had “Was it so easy to leave everything and go so far away to the Himalayas?”

Summary of certain techniques mentioned in the book-

5 step method to attaining the goals

A clear vision of your outcome
Create a positive pressure to keep yourself inspired.
Never set a goal without attaching a timeline to it.
Commit to the deadline.
Perform that new activity for at least 21 days.

Techniques that I found might really help

Heart of the rose- Take out time to focus on something and ensure not to think about anything else.
Opposition thinking- Whenever you encounter a negative thought, try to think about something positive and gradually this will become a habit.
The secret of the lake- Once in your entire day visualise your dreams and goals in a quiet place. Try to imagine how your life would be if you attained them.

10 rituals of Radiant living-

Ritual of Solitude- ensuring that your daily schedule includes a mandatory time for personal development.
Ritual of Physicality- the power of physical care.
Ritual of radiant living- nourishment (Satvik food)
Ritual of abundant knowledge
Ritual of personal reflection
Ritual of early awakening
Ritual of music
Ritual of spoken words (Mantras and affirmations)
Ritual of congruent character
Ritual of simplicity

Julian also talked about a story that actually symbolizes 7 elements that are essential to lead a soulful life. Further, these elements are elaborated in the book. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is a great book. If we could inculcate even a single technique mentioned in the book, it could bring about a great change in our lives. If you have already read this book then do let me know about your views as well.

See you soon!

Also Read- Milk and Honey By Rupi Kaur Book Review