LITERATURE: Mondays Book Talk

Written by Dule Savic

The Secret Letters of the Monk who sold his Ferrari by Robin Sharma

Our lives consist of work, work, and work. We cannot comprehend how difficult that reflects on our life, our connection with friends and family. Two questions we have to ask ourselves: When is it enough? When is the right time to turn the page and start a new life where we could enjoy ourselves without any restrictions? Life is about small things, not big events. 

“The secret letters of the Monk who sold his Ferrari” is exactly a book that some of us definitely need to read because it will open our eyes toward new destinations. Robin Sharma puts us into the character of Jonathan Landry, marketing sales executive who wants to succeed in life for the price of family, health and his personal life. He forgets how to live as he has only one thing in his mind – work will put me in the place that I always wanted to be, without fear of my future or that of my family – forgetting how it was when he was growing up. 

When his marriage is online, Jonathan refuses to recognise the problem even if they are showing at every corner. Knowing his problems, his mother urges Jonathan to talk to his cousin Julian Mantle, a former successful lawyer whom Jonathan has memories of as a wealthy man who owns a Ferrari. 

Caught up with his mother’s worries for him, as she didn’t tell why he should meet with his cousin, Jonathan finally accepts to go and meet with Julian. 

When Jonathan meets Julian, they exchange words about how Jonathan admires Julian for all the expensive items he has while working as a lawyer. Julian tries to explain that all the wealth he has means nothing if you have no enjoyment in it.

Julian decides to send Jonathan to collect his talismans but there is a tricky part. The amulets are dispersed all over the world, from Istanbul, Paris, Japan, Mexico, Sydney, Halifax to China including Phoenix and Delhi. 

In each country Jonathan meets with the talisman keepers who tell him stories about how each of their lives have changed thanks to Julian – from a busy world to a quiet and comfortable home with their families, enjoying life in the best possible way. 

Every talisman keeper has a story: 

1: Power of truth 

The biggest gift we can give to ourselves is that we live a true life, but to be what we really are is a hard task. We have to give up on things that other wants for our own good. Look within ourselves for hope, passion, strength, and weaknesses to discover how fragile or strong we are. If we continue our task, we will definitely reach our true self. 

2: Accept your fear 

There is something invisible that keeps us in pushing for more and the greatest risk in life is not taking any risk at all. Every time we face fear, we bring back one part of the power that “they” took from us because our fear is our strength. The more fear we face the stronger we become throughout our life. 

3: Fill your life with goodness 

Our life is filled with facts which do not represent who we actually are. Our acts toward others define us and if we don’t respect others, we don’t respect ourselves either. With every person that we are facing, we have to be the best we can, the most generous and the most positive we can be. 

4: Slowly make progress every day 

It doesn’t matter how big or small the things we do when we are progressing through our life. Wise men know that small things give excellent results.

5: To have the best possible life is to do your job the best way you can 

Every job is a good job, no matter how hard or easy it is. Only one thing that separates all of them is how much we enjoy doing our jobs. The more effort and passion we put into our jobs, we will attract more eyes toward us and people will admire us for that.

6: Be careful of people who affect you 

The world is filled with all kinds of people who could affect us – in a good or bad way. Always choose those who can make you progress in your life. The one who will be there even if you are not aware of it and the one who can reach us at the top without asking any questions. 

7: The simplest things give the biggest meaning of life - point of life is to love 

The purpose of life is to love and to share that love with others. Trust in your heart, believe in it, and follow that road. 

8: Look for something greater than yourself 

We are all here, on this earth, for some purpose or mission. You should create a world for yourself and for the people that are around you. It’s important to be successful. It’s very important that your life has meaning. Be useful to the number of people around you, help them, feel with them and let people remind you of who you are. Be the best of the best that ever lived. 

This whole journey leads to Jonathan’s improvement, something he has been failing for a long time and all the people he meets throughout the journey have corrected his flaws. Jonathan realises that happiness is within him as soon as he learns how to forgive himself. Small deeds of kindness, self-improvement, a basic life of love, choice of positive influence, the simple pleasure of life and the mission of making a difference. 

The author puts us in Jonathan shoes, for a specific reason. Maybe there is a story we need to tell, love to find, a talisman to discover, life to live – but of all the things that we are missing - it is time.

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