Book review:

The Monk who sold his Ferrari

Workaholic attorney Julian passes out in the middle of a trial in the opening scene of The Monk Who
Sold His Ferrari. Julian's junior colleague at the legal company, John, who serves as the book's narrator,
discusses several facets of Julian's personality in the book, including his work ethic, good temperament,
and persistence prior to his breakdown.
A wonderfully uplifting story that teaches its pleasures is The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. Readers learn
the eternal ideals of an enlightened lifestyle via the life narrative of the main character Julian Mantle.
Robin S. Sharma has used symbols to objectify and enhance teachings that could have otherwise sounded
like dry moral precepts. The readers learn the purpose of life via Julian Mantle's disclosures. In the
narrative, Julian experiences a life-sickening heart attack that serves as a wake-up call. He dabbles with
the age-old Eastern tradition. In India, he meets Yogi Krishnan of Kashmira and learns from him that
every circumstance has a meaning and every failure has a lesson to teach. And he discovers that life is all
about making decisions. The decisions one takes determine how one's destiny will play out.
Yogi Raman, the great guru of Sivana, is where he finds him. Yogi Raman lived a life of simplicity,
tranquilly, and harmony. He teaches him the importance of self-mastery and maintaining one's mind,
body, and spirit in order to discover one's highest self and lead the life of one's dreams.
He learned about seven fundamental values from the Sivana system, which represented the means to self-
leadership, individual accountability, and spiritual enlightenment. The first virtue instructs him to control
his thoughts, as controlling one's thoughts is the key to controlling one's life. The Sivana system's second
virtue asserted that having a purpose in life is what makes life worthwhile. Additionally, it teaches him
how to set and achieve goals. He learned how to practise Kaizen, a Japanese kind of meditation for self-
mastery, from the third virtue.
One discipline is the fourth virtue. Many talents are advised to keep up. According to one of them, by
remaining silence for a day, you essentially train your will to obey your commands; each time the want to
talk emerges, you deliberately suppress it and maintain quiet. The fifth virtue declares that time is the
most valuable resource since it cannot be replenished. Julian learns from Yogi Raman a variety of
techniques to keep his time consciousness.

The sixth virtue discusses life's ultimate goal, which is echoed in William Black's dictum that nothing that
lives does so on its own or for its own sake. According to the main character, the quality of your life will
depend on how well you contribute.

The seventh virtue, which results from accepting the present, is the age-old key to lasting pleasure.
Thirteen chapters make up the book.

According to John, the book's narrator and Julian's former colleague of 17 years, Julian "had it all" back then,
from his "regal corner office" to his storied "extra-curricular activities," according to Chapter 1 of The Wake-
upall (3). When Julian requested John, a recent Harvard graduate with ambition, to help him with a
"sensational murder case [...] the Mother of All Murder Trials," John was at the pinnacle of his profession (3).
John's decision to continue was influenced by this crucial event, which he describes as a "rare chance to
observe a master in action" (3). as a trainee attorney at the business and the development of a bond with Julian,
a strict and cutthroat coworker who "beneath his crusty demeanour was a guy who plainly cared about people,"
In Chapter 2, The Mysterious Visitor, Mantle learns the value of life and how to boost his energy, start
becoming more creative, and feel more satisfied.

Chapter 3 of The Incredible Transformation of Julian Mantle focuses on rediscovering one's inner self through
visits to several Indian communities, where he is consistently welcomed with open arms.

Julian decides to track down the rumored monks after hearing about them while on the road. These monks are
said to be old yet still active.

Chapter 4: A miraculous encounter with Sivana's sages- A direction-pointing objective is essential for leading
a fulfilling life.

The spiritual student of Sage for Sage offers advice in Chapter 5 on how to live a longer, happier life. The old
wise man "taught Julian ancient principles which he said anyone could use to live longer, stay younger, and
grow far happier" (p. 28), among them how to harness the strengths of self-responsibility and self-mastery to
avoid "the chaos of crisis" (p. 28) that consumed Julian in his former life.

Making wise use of your time and living a disciplined life were the main topics of Chapter 6, "The Wisdom of
Personal Change." We can infer another characteristic from the sumo wrestler in the narrative. The only thing the
wrestler was wearing around his privates was a pink wire cable! In actuality, the cable represents the fourth Sivana
System virtue.

Managing your life is the main topic of Chapter 7 of The Garden of Your Mind. The metaphorical garden in Yogi
Raman's narrative represents your thoughts. Gardens need to be properly tended to in order to grow and the same is
true of minds.

However, the anxieties and uncertainties of many people pollute their mental gardens. Therefore, you must guard
your mind and only allow the correct kinds of thoughts to enter, just as gardeners passionately safeguard their plants.
In other words, the secret to controlling your life is managing your thoughts.

Gardens are frequently used as metaphors for paradise: lovely places where there is no suffering. Sharma makes it
clear that while God made and cared for the garden in Eden, your own mental "garden" is your responsibility.

Sharma, therefore, conveys two points simultaneously by using the metaphor of the garden:

But in order for your mind to become a paradise, you must put in the necessary effort. The author focuses on how to
create pleasure in life in Chapter 8, "The Lighthouse Purpose Religious and literary literature frequently employ the
emblem of light (and, thus, a lighthouse). Jesus is usually referred to as a guiding light in Christianity in particular,
and serving Jesus is the goal of Christianity. Regardless of your personal religious beliefs (or lack thereof), this
illustration demonstrates how a defined purpose may help you.

The Sumo Wrestler-Kaizen, Chapter 9, is where the author concentrates on ongoing self-improvement. Yogi Raman's
sumo wrestler serves as a metaphor for kaizen, a Japanese concept that roughly translates to "constant self-
improvement.

The author emphasises self-control in Chapter 10 of The Cable: The Self Control. The many tiny wires that make up
wire cables are wrapped around one another. When combined, these frail wires become extremely robust. Discipline
works like a wire cable: It builds tremendous inner strength via a variety of modest acts and behaviours that reinforce
one another. Sharma contends that in order to maintain your promises and develop your character, you must exercise
discipline and willpower. You will be able to carry out the Ten Rituals on a daily basis thanks to them, and they will
also offer you the mental strength to deal with both expected and recurring difficulties.

The emphasis of Chapter 11: The Watch - Time is on the value of time management. The watch in Yogi Raman's tale
is a representation of time. It stands for the realisation that your time is both limited and valuable.

Sharma contends that people who make the most of their limited time will enjoy rich, fulfilling lives.

A clock represents time. for clear reasons. They frequently serve as metaphors for limited time; Sharma is suggesting
that because your life is finite, so is the amount of time you have to use.

The sumo wrestler in the story faints as soon as he takes up the stopwatch because the knowledge that his time is
limited overwhelms him.

The roses that awaken the sumo wrestler in Raman's story serve as a metaphor for helping others in Chapter 12 - The
Roses - Helping Others.

They quote a saying from ancient Chinese literature that reads, "A little perfume will linger on the hand that gives
away a rose

Sharma contends that having a large home or a fast automobile does not guarantee a high quality of life. No matter
how wealthy you grow, you will have nothing left over when you pass away since you had nothing when you were
born. (P.76) Working only for oneself is useless as a result. Instead, your contribution to society determines your
genuine quality of life, and helping others is your ultimate purpose in life.

The author focuses on happiness in life in Chapter 13 of The Path of Diamonds, Living in the Moment. The road of
diamonds, which signifies living in the now by completely experiencing and appreciating each moment as it comes
and goes, is the final allegory from Yogi Raman's narrative. The diamond route leads to happiness, according to the
story of the garden.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination, thus the route continues into the distance. To put it another way, you'll never
get at a place where you're "happy" and don't need to work for happiness any more. While having goals and
objectives is vital, Sharma advises against sacrificing the smaller pleasures in life in order to achieve them. Live in the
moment rather than waiting till a future that is unclear, such as after retirement or winning the lotto.

The Vajrayana school of Buddhism, whose name means "diamond route" or "diamond method," is referred to as the
"path of diamonds.

As a result, "The Monk who Sold His Ferrari" is a highly beneficial book for students, instructors, staff members, and
employers to increase motivation at their places of employment.