Ryan Michael Reavis-The Monk who Sold His Ferrari

Author of Book: Robin Sharma
Date Read:

Book Report

I read this book to rekindle a little of the motivation I feel like I’ve been lacking. A good inspirational book is healthy for the mind any time, but especially in prison.

The Monk who sold his Ferrari is a fictional story about a lawyer who seemed to have it all, suffering a life changing heart attack in the courtroom. The narrator of the story is a one time intern turned protege of the lawyer, who himself becomes successful in his career after his mentor disappears from society. Some time goes by, and one day the narrator is visited by none other than his missing mentor, who at first is unrecognizable in his appearance. He looks 30 years younger and full of life. The lawyer tells his younger friend about how he traveled to India after his heart attack to study under a yogi in a village high in the Himalayas, and how he learned the 7 virtues of enlightened living. In return for this teaching, the yogi asked only that the lawyer return to his homeland and pass on the knowledge to others. His old protege was the first person to receive this passed on wisdom, and it consists of what the lawyer calls the 7 timeless virtues.

The first virtue is the mastering of ones mind. Since all of reality is subjective, the idea is that one can create their own positive paradigm about the world and everything in it. And that there can be no such thing as a negative experience. This is difficult to accept to anyone who has experienced great loss, but the mind really does have the power to heal and learn from any experience, though it may be extremely difficult and take time for some who have gone through traumatic life experiences. The lawyer in the story teaches some exercises to clear the mind of the excess noise and thoughts we all experience daily, and describes a process called opposition thinking. He explains that negative thoughts have no place in our minds, and any time one comes up, to promptly replace it with a positive one. When practicing this one personally, I found that at first in was difficult to let go of some of my negative thoughts, like I was actually fighting against what was bothering me by thinking about it, and that not thinking about it would somehow be wrong. But that’s ridiculous. The more I practice replacing negative thoughts as soon as they enter my mind, the easier it becomes.

The second virtue is the following of ones purpose. Many whole books have been written about this subject, and it is not surprising that most people have trouble identifying their purpose in life. But for simplicities sake, I’ll note that in this book the common denominator for all purpose in life is service to others. Whatever form that takes, discovering and then realizing your life work brings real and lasting fulfillment.

The next virtue is my favorite, and the one I practice most in my life. The practice of constant and never ending improvement. The Japanese word for this is Kaizen. Achievement of noble goals is an incredible source of happiness. The lawyer quotes Victor Frankl, “Success, like happiness, cannot be perused. It must ensue. And it only does so as an unintended side effect of ones personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself”. This quote is so powerful, as it encapsulates the virtue of Kaizen and the virtue of living to follow ones purpose in the same breath. The best method used to practice Kaizen is the setting of goals. A lifetime of reaching goals in each area of ones life is a lifetime of achievement. Small achievements lead to big changes and the feeling of fulfillment.

The fourth virtue is to many the most difficult. It is to live with discipline. Living with discipline takes courage, especially in the beginning of any new venture or change of habit. But performing small acts of courage builds character and strength. The methods described for living with discipline are creative envisioning, mantras, and doing the things you fear.

The fifth virtue is to respect ones time. Time is the most precious commodity we have. It is more valuable than money, so time should always be ones number one focus. Enlightened people are priority driven, and a priority driven life is one of simplicity. This means saying no sometimes, and spending time on the things in life that really matter.

The next virtue is the selfless serving of others. The quality of ones life comes down to the quality of ones contribution. Improving the lives of others will elevate ones own life to the highest levels. This can be as simple as a random act of kindness to someone you encounter during your day, or scheduled volunteering at a charitable organization. Whatever form it takes, the service of others is a necessary component of living an enlightened life.

The last virtue is to embrace the present. Many people spend the majority of their time thinking about the future or dwelling on the past. That’s a lot of time not being spent living and experiencing the present. Taking time to appreciate ones environment or the gift of family is so important. Planning and preparation is important too, but a fulfilled life is balanced with living in the now.

Reading this book has refreshed my mind on some of the important practices I’ve implemented in my life over the years and I feel like it was a good time to read it. I’ve also reinforced my attitude towards self-mastery and constant improvement through setting smart goals. I’m glad I read it.