The Monk who sold his Ferrari by Robin Sharma
Self help book
Audio Book
A very popular book which needs no introduction or even a review to be popular! But this is both a review and a summary! Those who may read may find it like a preview and those who may not read it can get the main points!
I had read this one many years back and felt it was too preachy! I was young at that time and now a little older!
It sounds a little less preachy now!
The best way to read this book is to listen! These self help books are best heard and not read! The zeal and enthusiasm with which the narrator drives the point is what makes the difference!
If you are a regular reader of self help books then you would have probably read this one many times! If you have not read it before then you definitely need help!
Like many of this books like the 5 am club, Robin uses characters and storylines to put his point across!
The points are not something you do not already know but the application to your life is what is important here!
Now as the title suggests there is a Ferrari but may not be an actual Monk but something similar!
The book starts with a big great and successful liar…I mean lawyer having a heart attack and collapsing in the court!
Then starts the history of the lawyer and how he comes back as a ‘monk’!
Now this is not a murder mystery that you feel that is a spoiler!
What is relevant is what he learnt and what he is urging you to do with your life!
When you actually listen to the story of the lawyer in the end then you will actually understand why and how he used to work like that.
a very successful lawyer reached a peak and burnt out
Then one fine day he reappears all young and fit and healthy and full of life to spread his knowledge and secrets of a good life!
He tells about the sages or Swamis of shivala (or savanah! Since it was audiobook the spelling may not be correct!) and their techniques
He tells mainly about a Yogi called Yogi Raman and the indian connection. Yogi Raman was also a successful person who left everything and settled in the peaceful mountains!
The main advice is to simply get up and go! Get up as early as possible to seize the day! I guess this is a prelude to the 5 am club!
He mainly mentions about the diet which is very important! Either try to be a vegetarian or at least start eating as much less meat as possible and increase the vegetables and salads you eat! Slowly try to become more green in your choice of food!
He also tells to read self help books as much as you can!
The prominent being Gandhi and benjamin franklin and Think and grow rich! Here when he tells about growing rich he means not only of physical wealth but overal wealth!
He also urges to read the book Siddhartha by Hermen Hesse. He also mentions some little titbits from these books.
I have mentioned and read about the 80/20 rule is so many places! Here also Robin talks about it! So most of your time must be spent doing the 20 percent of the things which are important and not the 80 percent which waste your time!
Which brings us to the most important commodity of your life! The main idea of the book and the biggest gift the ‘monk’ gets from the sages!
He gets a golden hourglass!
This means that the most important and precious commodity is, Time!
The same in told by telling about a sumo wrestler with the pink band and the golden watch analogy!
He advices his junior to literally throw away your phone and your pager! Try NOT to answer call once in a while! Try to spend more time with family and not only work!
Yogi Raman says when you are born you cry and the world smiles! do work so that you laugh and the world cries! Of course this is a song in hindi which many people in India know too well!
Finally the ‘monk’ told the story of his life and as the day got over the proverbial sunrise took away the darkness of the room and gave light to the junior!
So do you want to be the monk who sold his Ferrari!? Well, get a Ferrari first! Or simply read or listen to this one!
ramadocblog 