Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Everyone wants a Ferrari ..

I am sure its every one's dream to want a Ferrari and own it but am sure you have heard about The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. Hey, don't be misled about monks being rich. Its a best selling title of a book on fulfilling one's dreams and reaching one's destiny.

Recently, I have been reading quite a number of such books - inspirational, motivational type of books. Maybe there is nothing much interesting at the book stores thus the purchase. Oh, have also gotten a novel by David Morrell but its with my mum who is also a great fan of the writer.

Let's talk about the fable of the Monk and his prized Ferrari and why he sold his Ferrari. Look at it this way, having own a Ferrari, its again every one's dream to want something more fanciful, something better, maybe if its you, your eyes will be set on a four-engine Dassault jet plane.

I guess its natural human greed to want something of a higher value that reflects better prestige. In our society these days, its what we possess that matters. Its how much we earn that measures our success - a rather sad fact in life and it goes the same for me. I kinda thought I will be happy with where I am now but truth be told, am not. I want more. Look at it this way, I have only just started off the long and winding journey.

So where do we draw a line in what we want ? I am sure the appetite for the finer things in life gets bigger each day and we can never have enough material well-being to sustain the desires we have. Just like Pepsi's 'Dare for More', it creates more desires and thus makes the Cola drinking generation think big, win big mindset.

Is it good or bad I am not sure. I didn't study psychology but its always mentioned in books and told to me by the psychiatrist I visited when I visited when I was younger that by aiming low, you'll never get results. Maybe in another blog I will tell you what made me visit a psychiatrist. Not that I went cuckoo.

Back to the main topic, is it wrong to dream and motivate ourselves to achieve better results and a better life? The fable about the Monk who sold his Ferrari talks actually about a successful lawyer who has everything in life - career, love and many more assets but for all the hard work he has put in , he never cared much for his health and thus a heart attack hit him really hard.

It was only then did the famed lawyer realized that it wasn't only money that matter in life. There were much more to look out for in life than just material. He then decided to sell off his possessions and seek serenity with his dented soul by traveling to India, hopefully finding what he has set his heart to find - the way to happiness.

This thought came to my mind when this once successful and famed lawyer decided to trade his Armani suits to humble robes. Is there really happiness without money? Is it really possible to lead a happy life without the source with which all our food depends on? Can one be really happy making the smallest amounts in wages? I don't know what the answer is but I know its rather profound.

I think it all falls right down to how you want your mind to perceive happiness. Maybe its the upbringing of a generation. I am not too sure if what I am about to say is true but even holy monks now need a mobile phone. Would the monks be contented even if they were not able to communicate freely? Perhaps its the technology world that evolves mankind. People seek for more wants and nothing less.

Let's take time to think on what makes us really happy. It could be the laughter of your baby boy or even a setting sun but surely something will have to make you happy because if nothing does, I really suggest that you read the book by Robin Sharma, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and you'll find that being contented and happy is no difficult task.

**Hey, I don't get paid for recommending the book so don't get me wrong for the good intention I have. ; )

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