'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari' and the Key to Happiness

In such a fast-paced world, where you constantly seem to have no time for...anything, you feel tired after a long day in the office, and always look for something more than what you already have, you keep asking yourself the same question-– am I happy?

A person, who can help you answer this question is the author of the book The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari- Robin Sharma. A worldwide renowned expert in leadership and achieving elite performance in every aspect of life, Mr.Sharma gives us an insight of how to find and keep happiness and also how to pass it to other people in his famous fable.

To give a quick description of the setting: the main character in the fable, Julian Mantle, a high-class lawyer, quits his job and lifestyle after suffering a heart-attack, goes on a journey in the Himalayas, and returns years later to his best friend, John, to tell and read to him the secrets of life with his newly gathered information and changed thoughts about life.

The climax of the book written by Sharma is in the beginning: a parable, which holds the secrets about life. The key symbols in it are the Magnificent Garden, the Towering Lighthouse, the Sumo Wrestler, the Pink Wire Cable, the Gold Stopwatch, the Fragrant Roses, and the Sparkling Diamonds Path.

Value your time.

All seven symbolize a certain habit, which Sharma believes should be implemented in one's daily routine and will improve life massively. For example, the Gold Stopwatch's meaning is to respect your time, because it is your most valuable belonging and you can't turn it back. Emphasizing on your priorities and simplifying your life will be rewarded with a rich, productive and happy life. As said by H.G.Wells: “We must not allow the clock and the calendar to blind us to the fact that each moment of life is a miracle and mystery.”

In order for one to respect his time, first a person must be able to clear his mind and evaluate what he can do with this time. A great method to gain back control over your mind is by doing the "Heart of the Rose" technique. Sharma says that with just a rose, a quiet spot and 20 minutes a day, a person can regain the ability to focus on one thing only without his mind being distracted in less than 3 weeks.

Yet, the key of the book is happiness, happy thoughts, a good feeling about you and your surroundings, etc. But what if unwanted, sad, even wrathful thoughts begin to occur in your mind hindsight? A technique called "opposite thinking" is revealed to us by Julian Mantle in the fable. The character was taught in the Himalayas that at any moment the human's brain can only hold one thought. With this technique, a person can easily substitute a negative thought with a positive one and build a positive and creative attitude in a short period of time.

The present is a present.

But if you are eager to overturn your fortunes not only in the short but also in the long run, our "monk" would advise you to follow the "Diamonds Path". It symbolizes the wealth of the present moment and tells that the present is actually a gift. Practice gratitude, do not sacrifice your happiness because of achievements, build your destiny and, most importantly, embrace the present.

We must not forget that The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is based on Robin Sharma's personal experience–he left his job as a lawyer at the age of 25 and began to help everyone who needed assistance in realizing their leadership potential. A philanthropist by heart, a quote from the fable would be a great ending to this article, describing his love and willingness to help people become better versions of themselves and actually find happiness: "Stop being a prisoner of your past. Become the architect of your future."