Julian, a very famous lawyer who had every material possession one can imagine, was not happy in his life.
His greed for fame compelled him to work for more than 18 hours a day, leading to no personal life. At 53, he looked older than 80 due to stress and an unhealthy lifestyle.
Once in a courtroom, Julian collapsed with a stroke. Doctors said it was a life and death situation, and you have to choose your life over your job if you want to live.
This was when Julian realized that although he may have won many cases, he was actually losing in real life. Hence, he decided to choose his life and sold all his material possessions like his Ferrari and went to the mystical land of India.
It was believed that in the Himalayas, there lived monks who lived more than 100 years with great energy and happiness.
These monks had the highest wisdom about life with an enlightened soul and mind. But they lived in a secluded part of the Himalayas, which was not known to anyone.
With great determination, Julian found these monks and learned the 7 principles of a happy and successful life with the condition that he has to share these principles with others. He also learned the techniques and strategies from the monks which he has shared in the book.
The Mystic Fable
Julian’s teacher Yogi Raman put together a story to retain all the 7 principles of a happy and successful life in the correct order with their meaning.
The fable is as follows:
Imagine sitting in a lush, green, fully spectacular garden with incredible flowers. You find a lighthouse standing right in the center as you look around the magical garden.
Suddenly, you hear a creaking sound, and a 9-feet, 900-pound Japanese sumo wrestler, comes out of the lighthouse door.
This sumo wrestler is partially naked with only a pink cable wire covering his essentials. He starts roaming around the garden and stops when he finds a shiny golden stopwatch. After slipping it, the sumo falls to the ground with a thud and is rendered unconscious and still.
Just when he is about to take his last breath, he is stirred by the fragrance of some fresh yellow blooming roses. Energized by the roses, the sumo gets up and looks to his left to find a long winding path through the bushes. This path is sparkling with millions of diamonds jutted in the way, which leads to everlasting happiness and bliss.
7 principles of a happy and successful life are as follows:
- Extraordinary garden
The first principle of a happy and successful life is the extraordinary garden. This principle refers to mastering your mind. As a reference garden here symbolizes our mind. Sow good seeds to bear good flowers and sow garbage, and soon your mind will turn into tubs.
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/bridge-park-garden-japanese-garden-53769/
Your mind is an outstanding servant but a terrible master. A negative thinker has become so because he did not care for his mind.
The price of greatness is the responsibility for each of your thoughts. Like any other muscle, if you will not use your mind, it will grow weak.
As a Gardner to your garden or mind, you should only let positive thoughts enter your mind.
Make sure no negative thoughts, toxic wastes of worries, anxiety about the past, fretting about the future takes place.
Robin Sharma, the author, suggests always searching for positivity in any given situation. This will improve your thoughts and move your life to the highest dimension.
You can not control situations, but you can choose how to react to them. By controlling your thoughts and responses to events, you control your destiny.
Your outer world is the reflection of your inner thoughts. Keep them organized and filled with positivity.
The key to real happiness is finding what you love to do and then directing all your energy in doing it. Finding your passion will ensure no energy leaks in the form of endless worries, stress, etc.
While reaching the destination, don’t forget to enjoy the journey and process. See every setback and mistake as an opportunity for personal expansion and growth.
Don’t be afraid of failure. There are no failures, only life lessons. Learn from them.
- Kindle your inner fire
This principle of a happy and successful life in the fable is symbolized using a lighthouse. Having a purpose in life is what we call a life of purpose. Know what you want from life: materially, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Like the lighthouse guides us, when the sea is rough, clearly defined goals and priorities will anchor you to your dreams and help you achieve them.
Choosing the right path will lead you to your destination or purpose. Lasting happiness comes from steadily working towards the accomplishment of goals.
Goals are the starting point, and you will never achieve anything without goals. Writing goals on a piece of paper send a positive message to your subconscious, stating that written thoughts are more significant than any other thought in your mind.
The more you focus on your goals and targets, the more you will achieve, and the higher your success and happiness will be.
- Art of self-leadership
A Japanese sumo wrestler symbolizes the 3rd principle of a happy and successful life. The sumo in the fable represents the principle of kaizen. Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy that states you should practice continuous self-improvements in every sector of your life.
Source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/sumo-wrestlers-sports-ring-entering-2987725/
To improve the outer world, it is essential to first enhance the inner world. Self-mastery is the DNA of life mastery. And to ensure beneficial life improvements, self-mastery is vital.
Change is essential in every part of life. Most people fear it, but wise people embrace it. Change is the most powerful force that helps you achieve the highest level of achievement, fulfillment, and personal expansion.
One who is not a master of himself could never lead other people. Strong personalities develop mental toughness and courage that contribute to their virtuous life. Courage is another important aspect of living a fulfilled life. Courage ensures you have the self-control to persist where others have failed.
Practice kaizen by pushing yourself daily. Work hard to improve the trilogy, including mind, body, and soul. You have to work hard to improve the trilogy as a whole. Any victory without fulfilling any one of the three trilogies is hollow and incomplete.
People grow the most in the zone of unknown. So you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Conquer your fear and have courage. Remember, the only limit is one you set for yourself.
- Power of Discipline
Power of self-discipline is the 4th principle of a happy and successful life. The cable wire in the story symbolizes self-control and discipline. One wire can break easily, but many cable wires together are solid. Similarly, self-control and discipline together make us strong.
Taking small steps towards your goals will bring more significant and influential changes in your life. Routinely performed little acts pile on one another to produce immense inner strength and power.
Self-discipline provides you with the mental reserve when life throws its slight curve.
Willpower allows you to do what you want to and when you want to do it. It will enable you to keep your commitments to others and yourself.
Self-control enables you to do things you always wished to do. It brings immense freedom and liberty, which alone can change your life.
Willpower, self-discipline, courage, and self-control are like a bunch of wire cables that allow you to live your dream life without any breakage.
- Your most precious commodity
The 5th principle of a happy and successful life is the present time. Your most precious commodity time is symbolized by a stopwatch. Whether rich or poor, everyone in the world gets 24 hours in a day. Not one minute less, not one minute more.
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/pocket-watch-antique-fine-gold-2535775/
The time usage or management system separates successful people from unsuccessful ones. Most people usually procrastinate or waste time, also known as time killing.
Using time wisely with intelligent time management strategies will help you gain incredible results. Be time conscious and understand the importance of time. It quickly slips away from your hands like sand.
Being an excellent time manager does not mean becoming a workaholic. Instead, it involves balancing your work with other activities effectively.
Cultivate the habit of planning your week in advance. Sit down on Sunday and plan all your activities, meetings, outings. Planning before time brings a sense of balance, meaning, and peace in life.
Manage your time so that you don’t sacrifice your most important things for some less important ones.
Time is a non-renewable resource that, once gone, will never return. So use it wisely, and you will be rewarded with rich, satisfying, and productive lives.
- Ultimate life-purpose
The ultimate purpose of life, which is the 6th principle of a happy and successful life, is represented by a rose. It signifies kindness and helping others.
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/purchase-sale-shop-woman-inside-3090818/
Helping others brings a different level of happiness along with a sense of satisfaction to you.
Rich and renowned people often donate their money, time, and energy to others to give and gain real happiness. Author Robin Sharma says to selflessly serve others.
By improving others’ lives, you will automatically uplift yours in the process. Each day serve others to cultivate richer, fuller, and sacredness in your life.
A Chinese proverb says when you give a rose to someone, some fragrance is always left behind in the hands of the giver. No matter what you achieve in life or how much money you make, the quality of your life boils down to your contribution to the world.
Adopt a positive paradigm which means a positive outlook towards every circumstance, event, or life in general. Being an optimist who always sees half glass full is far better than a pessimist who sees half glass empty.
As you were born into this world with nothing, you are destined to leave with nothing. Hence, the real purpose of your life is to give yourself to others and contribute to others’ lives in the most meaningful way.
- The timeless secret of lifelong happiness
The 7th principle of a happy and successful life is symbolized by the path of diamonds. The timeless secret of lifelong happiness is to embrace the present. Past is water under the bridge, and future is the distant sun on the horizon of your imagination.
Remember, the most crucial moment is now. Some people never live in the present. They are constantly worrying about past or future endeavors that they forget to live there today.
Live for today. There would never be another one like this one. Start cherishing whatever you have; friends, family, children, work, etc. Make time for things you like such as reading books, playing sports, learning a new instrument, etc.
Money is important. Thinking and planning for it are also essential, but money can never buy happiness. You may have a lot of money, but you can never enjoy it if you are not in good health.
Attach your happiness with the journey and not destination. Enjoy the time and experiences that life offers you. Slow down a little and enjoy the sacredness and beauty that surrounds you.
This does not mean to stop setting big goals. Goals energize you and keep you inspired. But never put off your happiness for the sake of achievement.
Never put off living by thinking you can be a better partner, parent, friend tomorrow.
Related: Technique and strategies from the monk who sold his Ferrari.
Conclusion
These principles were explained from the book ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’. Further, in the book, the author Mr. Robin Sharma has also presented some tricks and techniques to master these 7 principle of a happy and successful life.
The fable told by the monks to Julian helps us to memorize the 7 lessons of life with ease. As suggested by the monks, Julian has spread the incredible knowledge received with the world. So make sure you, too, share this summary with everyone you know.
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