The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams and Reaching Your Destiny

The sumo wrestler in Yogi Raman’s fable symbolizes the philosophy of kaizen, a Japanese word meaning “constant and never-ending improvement” (94). John realizes that strengthening oneself is crucial to helping others. Julian explains that it takes courage to fulfill your purpose and achieve self-mastery. He lists the three human endowments as “mind, body and soul” (98) and tells John that living an enlightened life requires “unlocking the full potential of all three” (98). Stepping out of one’s comfort zone and entering the “Zone of the Unknown” (99) makes growth possible. This includes facing one’s fears head-on; experiencing fear can be a habit like any other.

Julian reveals the Ten Rituals of Radiant Living that he learned during his time with the sages and promises results in 30 days if John commits to practicing them one hour per day and makes them habits. The first strategy is the Ritual of Solitude, which is to schedule moments of peace during the day to heal and renew the self, like a “pit-stop for the soul” (108). The Ritual of Physicality requires training the body through exercise, which helps the mind and can unlock creativity. The Ritual of Live Nourishment means maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet, or at least cutting back on certain foods like red meat. John agrees to try vegetarianism for one month. The fourth ritual is The Ritual of Abundant Knowledge, which involves a commitment to lifelong learning and using “what you have learned in the classroom of your existence” (116). Reading books can help with this; Julian suggests insightful biographical works like Mahatma Gandhi’s The Story of My Experiments with Truth. The Ritual of Personal Reflection means making a habit out of thinking or engaging in contemplation. Julian asks John to reflect on his day to see where he made mistakes and how to improve tomorrow.

The sixth ritual is The Ritual of Early Awakening, or starting the day off right by waking up with the sunrise and not oversleeping. Relaxing in the crucial minutes before bedtime is important for having quality sleep, and starting the new day with positive thoughts sets the tone for the entire day. The Ritual of Music involves spending some time each day appreciating good music, “one of the finest motivators” (130) Julian can imagine. The Ritual of the Spoken Word is repeating positive mantras to create a positive self-image. The ninth ritual is the Ritual of a Congruent Character, taking “incremental action to build your character” (133) every single day. The tenth and final Ritual of Radiant Living is the Ritual of Simplicity, which is a requirement to lead a simple life with few wants. As an example of this, Julian recommends that John not worry about wearing expensive clothes. Julian stresses that it is not necessary to become an extremist in the practice of these rituals, but to do what feels right and not slide back into harmful habits. Failure is inevitable and should be embraced.