Robin Sharma is one of the world’s premier thinkers on leadership, personal growth and life management. He was born in Nepal in 1965. The bestselling author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. Robin Sharma is in constant demand internationally as keynote speaker at the conferences of many of the most powerful companies on the planet including Microsoft, Nortel Networks, General Motors, FedEx and IBM. He is a resident of Ontario, Canada. (Barnes and Noble) Robin S. Sharma holds two law degrees including masters of law, LL. B ,L. L. M, and PhD.
Robin is the founder of Sharma Leadership International Inc. , a global consultancy that helps people in organizations. Clients include Microsoft, GE, NIKE, FedEx and IBM. About the book It’ a fable or just another self-help book, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari does inspire you to change your life for the better. While the book sheds light on life’s bigger questions, it shows you how moderate changes in lifestyle, diet, exercise and how you deal with your relationships can help you develop better mentally, physically and spiritually.
It defines success not in terms of material wealth but in terms of how well you know yourself. It encourages you to read more, eat less, exercise every day, spend more time with your family and think positive. About The Characters. Julian Mantle- A rich lawyer turned monk to re-discover his life. John- Close friend & co-worker of Julian. Yogi Raman- The most oldest & the head of the sages of sivana. Yogi Krishnan- Lawyer turned monk like Julian. Jenny- John’s wife to whom his happily married & has 2 children.
Story Following his heart attack Julian Mantle had sold all his property (Yes, his Ferrari too) and left for India. The author tells us about Julian’s Indian odyssey, how he met the sages of Sivana who had a life changing effect on him. Julian Mantle shares his story of transformation, his secrets of a happy and fulfilling life with his friend John. Julian describes Sivana- a small place located in the Himalayas, the land of rose covered huts, placid blue waters with white lotuses floating, youth and vitality, beautiful glowing faces, fresh and exotic fruits.
He tells John about the sages of Sivana who knew all secrets of how to live life happily and how to fulfil one’s dreams and reach one’s destiny. Julian relates his experiences with yogi Raman the leader of the sages of Sivana and the person who taught Julian his secrets of a happy and fulfilling life. He narrates to John the fable that contained the seven virtues for a life abundant with inner peace, joy and a wealth of spiritual gifts. He tells John the techniques that he learned from yogi Raman on how to master our minds with simple techniques like “the heart of rose technique” and “the secret of lake technique”.
He tells John how to cultivate the mind and how to use setbacks for expanding knowledge of the self. He talks about setting and following our own purpose and teaches John the ancient art of self-leadership with techniques such as “do the things you fear” and “the 5 step method for attaining goals”. He waxes eloquent about the value of self-discipline and respect for time. He describes techniques such as “the ancient rule of 20” and “the vow of silence”. He teaches how to focus on the priorities and thereby maintain a balance and simplify life.
He gives examples that prove that willpower is the essential virtue of a fully actualized life. Julian teaches John the virtue of selflessness in serving others. He asks John to embrace the present and live in the present – “Now”, never to sacrifice happiness for achievements and to savour the journey of life and live each day as his last one. At the end he asks John to spread these secrets for the benefit of other people. Embracing John like the brother he never had, Julian leaves. For the reader who might be in the rat race for material success and money, this book might be food for thought.
But the message is a trifle too cliched and the lectures too pedantic for the reader who is more or less conversant with the principles and insights garnered by Julian Mantle from the sages of Sivana. The presentation in the form of a story redeems the book to some extent. The book might perhaps be more satisfactory for readers who are unfamiliar with and hungry for oriental wisdom. Robin calls them the Seven Virtues of Enlightened Learning. He uses stories and symbols to help you learn these key concepts and easily apply them to your life. Seven Virtues of Enlightened Learning
- Master Your Mind (Symbol: The Garden) The garden is a symbol for your mind. Master it. Cultivate it daily. Be mindful of what you let into your mind stream.
- Follow Your Purpose (Symbol: The Lighthouse) The lighthouse is a symbol for goals and a life of purpose. Your goals and your purpose give you direction. They shine a light in the darkness so that you know which way to go.
- Practice Kaizen (Symbol: Sumo Wrestler) The sumo wrestler is the symbol of continual self improvement. I call Kaizen the art of baby-steps. Kaizen is a Japanese word or concept for timeless continuous improvement. Success on the outside begins within.
- Live With Discipline (Symbol: Pink Wire Cable) The pink wire cable is a symbol for self-control and self-discipline. This is about embracing and using your willpower. Start small and build up to the bigger challenges within your life.
- Respect Your Time (Symbol: Stopwatch) The stopwatch is a symbol representing the limited time that we all have. Become time conscious. It’s a technique that Buddhist’s use to steer their minds and lives toward success. It’ll work just as well for you. Be mindful of your time. It’s a non-renewable resource.
- Selflessly Serve Others (Symbol: Yellow Roses) The roses are a symbol of service. There’s ancient Chinese proverb that says “A little bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that give you roses. When you work to improve the lives of others, you indirectly elevate your own life in the process.
- Embrace the Present (Symbol: Path of Diamonds) The winding path of diamonds is a symbol for understanding and paying attention to the miracle of this very moment.
