I finally sat down with a book that so many people have recommended over the years: The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma. I’ll be honest…I kind of expected it to be one of those overly zen books that tryed to convert me to some type of spiritual path. But what I found was something practical, easy to digest, and actually kind of beautiful.
Spoiler alert: The story follows a high powered lawyer who has all the success you can imagine, wealth, the Ferrari in the driveway…but suffers a literal collapse from stress and burnout. He sells everything, disappears to India, and comes back transformed, sharing his lessons on how to live with more meaning, balance, and joy.
I know it sounds like a wellness retreat ad…which is what I thought it would be, but what I liked about it was how simply the ideas were laid out. It’s less ‘woo-woo spiritual’ and more ‘here’s how to stop feeling like you’re drowning in your own life.’
The Big Lessons That Stuck With Me
Your mind is like a garden - If you don’t weed it, negativity takes over. Simple, but true. We spend so much time curating our skincare routines but forget to curate our thoughts.
Self-mastery is non-negotiable - This one was one of my favorites…discipline isn’t punishment, it’s freedom. The book reframes routine as a way to create space for joy instead of stripping it away. I’m pretty disciplined in my life and sometimes I wondered if I was being a bit too rigid, but this put my mind at rest.
Happiness isn’t in things - If I’m being honest, I personally find happiness in ‘things’ but the way it’s explained in the book kind of hits different. The Ferrari becomes this symbol of everything we chase that doesn’t actually give us what we’re chasing…which is actually very true, because as much as I know I find a bit of happiness in ‘things’, I also know it’s short lived.
Purpose is fuel - Without a sense of why we’re doing things, we’re just spinning our wheels. This one felt particularly real for me because it’s so easy to get caught up in the numbers, the analytics, the endless ‘more, more, more’ grind.
My Thoughts…
This isn’t a book that’s going to blow your mind with revelations you haven’t heard before. But it’s a book that gently reminds you of what you already know deep down but don’t always practice. It’s a soft reset button. And honestly, sometimes we all need this.
I think if you’re feeling like life is running you at the moment instead of the other way around, give this one a go. You might find yourself rethinking how you spend your time, your energy, and what ‘success’ actually looks like for you.
Wow I’m somewhere in the middle of that path. One foot in the material and the other in the spiritual. Balance is the key. It’s not always so easy. I’ll check it out