I recently got a book Recommendation for the book “the Monk, who sold his Ferrari” and added it to my list right away.

It is based on a true story and i’ll say the book was worth reading as it contains so many life changing lessons.

Who influenced Robin Sharma for his book “the monk who sold his Ferrari?”

Robin Sharma wrote this classic after one of his mentors at work, Julian Mantle, a fearless and hard-driven trial attorney had suffered from a massive heart attack.

The event brought him back down to earth,  he went away to find himself and finally undergone a miraculous transformation that impacted others like the author and millions of others worldwide.

Which are best lessons from the book the monk who sold his ferrari?

Here are 30 life lessons I took note of while reading the book:

1. Be Present

Your life becomes more meaningful and simpler when you let go of the baggage of the past.

“Real generosity toward the future consist in giving all to what is present.” – Albert Cannus.

2. Everything happens for a Reason

Failure can be essential to personal expansion. Every event including setbacks has a purpose and lesson.

3. Ultimately life’s all about choices.

Your destiny unfolds according to the choices one makes.

4. Success on the outside means nothing unless you have success within.

To find your highest self and living a life of your dream – seek self-mastery and take consistent care of your mind, body and soul.

5. You can’t learn until you can unlearn.

Just like an overflowing cup, most of us are full of our own ideas… “how can any more go in … until you first empty your cup.”

Being stuck to your own ideas and only what you’re accustomed to will dull your creativity and limit your vision.

6. Investing in yourself; is the best investment you’ll ever make.

Not just will it improve your life; it’ll improve the lives of all those around you.

7. Guard your heart; protect and nurture it like a garden.

The people with the healthiest minds are people who care, nurture and cultivate it like a fertile rich garden.

The most joyful, dynamic and contended people of this world adopt a positive paradigm about their world and all that is its it.

8. The way you think stems from habit.

“The price of greatness is Responsibility over your thoughts.” – Winston Churchill.

9. Perspective matters:

We all see the world as we are, not as it is. One’s man meat can be another’s poison.

The key is how we interpret and process the circumstances of life. E.g every setback offers an equivalent opportunity if you take the time to search for it.

10. No mistakes only lessons.

No such thing as a negative experience, only opportunities to grow, learn and advance.

Most of life’s event offer us lessons which can fuel your inner and outer growth.

Do you feel invincible or “old” or experienced. Successful or Rich.

What matters is what you’re doing right now. If you do it right, life only gets better with age: Be kind to your Future self

11. Expand your imagination

All things are created twice. Live more of your imagination, than memory.

12. We are human beings, not human doing.

Reflect and reconsider all thoughts and actions we make on autopilot. Create a life you want rather than spending so much time making a living.

13. Mental fitness starts from training your mind.

The mind is like any other muscle in the body, use it or lose it. Your mind will do wonderful things for you if you only let it.

14. No quick fix on personal growth

All lasting inner change requires time and effort. Focus less on the outcome but on the process of personal expansion and growth.

The longest route to success is a shortcut.

15. Focus single mindedly

To harness the power of your mind, you need to focus your mind on a single purpose.

The key is to concentrate on a meaningful and definite objective to produce startling results.

16. Do what you love

The healthiest, happiest people have found their passion and commit their energy on it with a goal to serve others with it.

17. Pursue Worthy objectives

Your passion would give you purpose if it is a worthy pursuit.

Worthy in a sense that it must in some way improve or serve the lives of others.

18. Worry is an Energy leak

Worry can drain your creativity, optimism and motivation, leaving you exhausted.

19. Learn to take Risks

Risk taking is always the road less taken; as many of us are so risk adverse. It requires shaking up our lives a little bit.

Stop living within the confines of your comfort zone.

The best thing you can do for yourself is regularly move beyond the confines of your comfort zones.

A little Reflection, calculated risk taking will pay you huge dividends.

20. Take time to meditate

Even ten minutes of focused reflection a day will have a profound impact on the quality of your life.

Being too busy to meditate is like saying you’re too busy driving and don’t have time to stop for gas.

21. Learn to get familiar with Stillness

The chaotic mind finds stillness and silence as something foreign and comfortable.

“Stillness is the stepping stone to connecting with the universal source of intelligence that throws through every living thing.”

22. Either you control your mind or it controls you.

The mind is a good servant but horrible master. E.g. like the heart of the rose; you’ll meet thorns along the way but with faith, persistence, believing in your dreams you’ll eventually move beyond the thorns into the glory of the flower.

To live life to the fullest, care for your thoughts as you would your most prized possessions.

Your minds is like a fertile garden, for it to flourish you must nurture it daily.

23. Practice daily in cultivating a stronger mind

Weak minds lead to weak actions, but through daily practice, you can cultivate a strong disciplined mind.

24. Harness the power of visualization

Pictures affect your self-image and your self-image affects the way you feel, act and achieve.

Spend some time daily in the practice of creative envisioning.

25. Run your own race

There’s nothing noble about being superior to some other person. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.

What matters is not what others are saying about you, but what you say about yourself.

26. Don’t measure yourself against other people’s net worth

“Every second you spend thinking about someone’s dreams, you take time away from your own.”

27. Fatigue is a creation of the mind

Those who are living without direction and dreams are the ones most dominated by fatigue.

The antidote, consistently direct your mind to live in the present and you’ll have boundless energy, no matter what time the clocks reflects.

28. Common sense is not always common

What appears obvious, doesn’t always. “Only those who seek, find.”

29. You’ll be happy only if you’re working towards your dharma

Dharma = life purpose and gives livelong contentment. It springs inner harmony and lasting satisfaction.

Discovering the main objective of your life is the key to happiness.

30. Mastery over self is the key to self awareness

Self-knowledge is the DNA of self-enlightenment.

That’s a wrap. I can proudly say this book is my most gifted book due to the life-changing lessons it carries.

How about gifting a friend ‘the monk who sold his ferrari’ too?