The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari

you will never be able to hit a target that you cannot see. People spend their whole lives dreaming of becoming happier, living with more vitality and having an abundance of passion. Yet they do not see the importance of taking even ten minutes a month to write out their goals and to think deeply about the meaning of their lives,

Goal-setting will make your life magnificent. Your world will become richer, more delightful and more magical.”

The first step was to form a clear mental image of the outcome.

Step two was to get some positive pressure on myself.

Pressure is not always a bad thing. Pressure can inspire you to achieve great ends. People generally achieve magnificent things when their backs are up against the wall

when you train your mind to associate pleasure with good habits and punishment with bad ones, your weaknesses will quickly fall by the wayside.”

The learned men and women of his world believed that, for new behavior to crystallize into a habit, one had to perform the new activity for twenty-one days in a row.”

row.”

row.” “What’s so special about twenty-one days?” “The sages were absolute masters of creating new, more rewarding habits that governed the conduct of their lives. Yogi Raman once told me that a bad habit once acquired could never be erased.” “But all evening you have been inspiring me to change the way I live my life. How can I possibly do this if I can never erase any of my bad habits?” “I said that bad habits can never be erased. I did not say that negative habits could not be replaced,” Julian noted with precision. “Oh, Julian, you always were the King of Semantics. But I think I see your point.” “The only way to permanently install a new habit is to direct so much energy toward it that the old one slips away like an unwelcome house guest. The installation is generally complete in about twenty-one days, the time it takes to create a new neural pathway.” “Say I wanted to start practicing the Heart of the Rose technique to erase the worry habit and live at a more peaceful pace. Do I have to do it at the same time every day?” “Good

for new behavior to crystallize into a habit, one had to perform the new activity for twenty-one days in a row.”

The only reason to do something is because you want to and because you know it is the right thing for you to do.”

when you insert any activity into your routine by doing it the same way at the same time every day, it quickly grows into a habit.

a day without laughter or a day without love was a day without life.”

make sure that you have fun while you are advancing along the path of your goals and purpose. Never forget the importance of living with unbridled exhilaration. Never neglect to see the exquisite beauty in all living things. Today and this very moment that you and I are sharing is a gift. Remain spirited, joyful and curious. Stay focused on your lifework and on giving selfless service to others. The universe will take care of everything else.

Every experience offers lessons. So stop majoring in minor things. Enjoy your life.”

Reclaim the joy of waking up every morning full of energy and exhilaration. Breathe the fire of passion into all that you do.

beginner’s mind: those who keep their minds open to new concepts — those whose cups are always empty — will always move to higher levels of achievement and fulfillment.

when you have taken the time to build a strong character full of discipline, energy, power and optimism, you can have anything and do anything you want in your outer world.

“Courage allows you to run your own race. Courage allows you to do whatever you want to do because you know that it is right. Courage gives you the self-control to persist where others have failed.

When you dare to get out of your circle of comfort and explore the unknown, you start to liberate your true human potential.