This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" by Robin Sharma. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
Like this article? Sign up for a free trial here .
What are some The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari lessons? How do these lessons highlight strategies for success?
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari lessons cover a wide range of topics for improving your life. Among The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari lessons are the need for discipline and self-control.
Keep reading for The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari lessons using the metaphor of a wire cable.
The Cable: The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari Lessons
We now return to Yogi Raman’s fable of the garden, and the next metaphor. The sumo wrestler’s pink wire cable represents discipline. Discipline is one of the important The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari lessons.
Wire cables are made of many thin wires wrapped around each other. Together, these weak wires become very strong. Discipline is like a wire cable: Many small actions and habits reinforce each other to create immense inner strength.
Discipline and willpower are required to keep your commitments and build your character. They’re what will enable you to perform the Ten Rituals every day without fail, and they’ll also give you the mental fortitude to handle life’s everyday challenges and unexpected problems.
Many people don’t use their willpower because they don’t believe they have any. These people will blame any external factors they can think of for their shortcomings. They are not their own masters, and that’s reflected in their stressful, unbalanced lives. It seems like a paradox, but discipline will bring you freedom—if you’re enslaved by your desires and have to chase after every whim, you are not free.
Similarly, those who just do whatever anyone else asks of them are not free. If you’re visiting family and someone from work calls with a problem, don’t just rush straight to the office. First, consider which is more important to your well-being and your Dharma. True freedom is the power to make your own life and your own choices. That’s the core of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari lessons.
How to Build Discipline
According to The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari lessons, anyone can build discipline and willpower relatively quickly. You can strengthen your mind through appropriate exercises, just like you can strengthen your body at the gym. Much of what Julian has already taught John are mental exercises to build willpower, such as the Heart of the Rose and Opposition Thinking. Yogi Raman would exercise his willpower by going entire days without speaking, except to answer direct questions.
However, you don’t need to do anything so dramatic. Even simple tasks like making your bed when you don’t want to, or doing the dishes even if you don’t feel like it, are effective for building discipline. Small victories like doing your chores every day will form the building blocks of larger, life-altering victories like letting go of fear. Small changes will give you the momentum and motivation to make larger changes.
At first, you will be tempted to fall back into your old habits. However, positive always overcomes negative. Fight every negative thought that appears, and eventually they will leave on their own. Keep pushing yourself (remember kaizen) and you will keep improving. This is the power of discipline and self-control.
Julian offers John a mantra and tells him to repeat it at least thirty times a day. The mantra reminds John that he’s more than he seems to be; that he has all the power of the universe inside him. This mantra will help him tap into the endless willpower inside him.
At this point John notices the sun is rising and, despite having gotten no sleep at all, he feels energized and excited for the upcoming day and the rest of his life.
———End of Preview———
Like what you just read? Read the rest of the world's best book summary and analysis of Robin Sharma's "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" at Shortform .
Here's what you'll find in our full The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari summary :
- Why your career success might actually be killing you
- How to live a simple and fulfilling life
- The 10 rituals you should practice for health and healing
