The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: Robin Sharma’s Fable of a Burned-Out Lawyer Who Found Himself in the Himalayas
A distinguished lawyer devotes all his time to his profession and rises to the top of his field. Financially he moves in the highest circles, and he enjoys his most prized possession, a red Ferrari, along with other indulgences: fine food in luxury restaurants, expensive clothes. And yet he feels an emptiness in his life.
Author: Robin Sharma (born 1964)
Title: The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari (1997)
Format: English Kindle edition, 220 pages
Scope: Self-help fable
Amazon: www.amazon.es/dp/B00ALKPTFA (ASIN B00ALKPTFA)
Julian’s Journey
This leads Julian Mantle, the story’s hero, to set out on a journey that will completely change the way he sees the world. Leaving his material possessions behind and making some drastic decisions, he is rejuvenated. His body changes, and so does his character; those who knew him see a great change and recognise in him someone to admire.
Wisdom From the East
Putting into practice a set of lessons brought back from his journey to India, he realises the importance of little things and of living in the present. No longer caring what people will say, he begins to detach himself from his work and to manage his time so that he feels fulfilled and finds happiness.
The Lesson
The paradox is clear: time must be used well so that life does not pass you by without fulfilling some purpose. Live each day as if it were your last and appreciate what you already have, without craving, envying or comparing yourself with others. Keep improving yourself and growing as a person, never stopping learning. Life is a unique opportunity and no one can live it again, so it is better to make use of it now and seize every opportunity.
From Courtroom to Himalayas
The story begins dramatically: Julian Mantle, a brilliant, overworked trial lawyer, collapses with a heart attack in the middle of a court case. Faced with the wreck of his health and his happiness, he sells his mansion, his private plane and his beloved Ferrari and travels to India, where he eventually finds a community of sages living high in the Himalayas. When he returns, transformed, he shares their wisdom with a former colleague, John, who narrates the book.
The Fable of the Garden
The sages’ teaching is presented through a strange, memorable fable: a magnificent garden, a lighthouse, a huge sumo wrestler wearing nothing but a pink wire cable, a gold stopwatch, fragrant roses and a winding path of diamonds. Each element stands for a principle, from cultivating the mind and pursuing a clear purpose to self-discipline, valuing time, serving others and living in the present. The strange images are designed to stick in the memory, and many readers find that they do.
Robin Sharma
Robin Sharma is a Canadian writer who, like his hero, began his career as a litigation lawyer. He self-published The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari in 1997, before it was taken up by a major publisher and became an international bestseller. He went on to write many other books on leadership and personal growth, including The 5 AM Club, and to work as a speaker and adviser to companies.
A Simple Message
Critics have pointed out that the book’s ideas, borrowed from Eastern traditions and Western self-help, are familiar and sometimes oversimplified. Its appeal lies in the packaging: the fable form makes advice about health, purpose and balance easy to remember and to put into practice.
That is its real strength.
Its short chapters make it easy to revisit.
Who Is It For?
Readers who enjoy self-help in the form of a story, and anyone feeling burned out by a life that looks successful from the outside.
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