The Wealth Money Can’t Buy
By Robin Sharma
Crown Currency
ISBN: 978-0593798492
416pp.

Slumped alone in a rowdy, overcrowded café awaiting a tardy colleague, I came across a chapter from Robin Sharma’s book The Wealth Money Can’t Buy, which advocates eating alone as a way to grow spiritually and become braver.

“To just sit there alone is actually a rare thing,” Sharma writes. “Without a device. With zero escape routes. In a crowded restaurant. With others nearby laughing and drinking and eating and merrily connecting. To risk being judged as not good enough to be with another human over a meal. To dare to be considered an oddball and weird by having the audacity to eat alone. To be willing to be stared at by people who avert their eyes when you catch them looking at you. Well, that’s the stuff magic-workers are made of. And yes, my friend, that means you.”

I straightened my spine, looked up at the people staring at me, smiled confidently, asked for a Pina Colada and went back to reading Sharma’s bestseller.

Robin Sharma is best known for The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, which he self-published in 1997. After its stupendous success, he quit his job as a lawyer and became a writer. Sharma is also a renowned speaker, business and leadership coach. Sharma’s latest book challenges readers to think about living a more satisfying life that goes beyond the mere accumulation of wealth. Money alone does not define being wealthy. There are many rich people who are unhappy and unsuccessful as human beings.

A self-help book challenges readers to think about living a more satisfying life that goes beyond the mere accumulation of wealth

His novel viewpoint redefines wealth to encompass a wide range of experiences; one has to develop eight fundamental habits to lead a fulfilling life, he posits. Why? Because the foundation of an amazing external life can only be achieved by a beautiful internal life. Your inner world shapes your external reality. Once you start on the journey of personal mastery, you can achieve prosperity by moving past limiting beliefs and saying no to self-sabotage.

And what are these habits? First and foremost is ‘Inner Wealth’: a positive mindset, self-respect, internal peace and a strong spiritual connection. Sharma possesses the unique ability to intertwine philosophical understanding and abstract concepts with practical guidance and enthusiasm, peppered with anecdotes from his life.

For growth or inner wealth, he suggests worshipping our wounds and scars. Because “if you are willing to get into the game, exercise your native bravery and take some risks to live your future vision, you’re going to experience pain. The higher the mountain, the greater the danger.”

He also advocates not being a resentment collector. “Someone looks at us the wrong way. Someone close to us disappoints us. Someone we trusted lies to us. Such things are part of the essence of life. You can’t avoid them, much as you try. When we are not treated as we wish to be treated, it’s so easy to get angry. Or to withdraw. Or to harbour a secret resentment.”

Next on the list is ‘Physical Wealth’. Your health is your greatest wealth. “Why be the richest person in the graveyard?” Look after your health if you want to be a great leader. Linked to this is ‘Family and Social Wealth’. When your family life is happy, you will perform better at work. Sharma holds out hope for those who are single and unhappy to keep searching, because he found his true-life partner in his mid-50s after he was done with drama and zero stability.

Being with the right person is incredibly important because “your choice of mate is 90 percent of your joy.” Friends and community, including role models and trusted advisers, play a vital role in forging deep connections. “To have three friends who accept you, encourage you and love you for who you are (quirks and all) is a special gift of a life wisely lived.”

Sharma is not one to play safe. Instead of avoiding oddballs and misfits, he encourages readers to talk to them, because growth does not lie on the shore but out in the blue ocean. He advocates learning from people who are different from oneself and listening to their stories. As Mark Twain has been quoted in one of Sharma’s other books: “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

The next habit is ‘Career Wealth’. “Actualise your highest potential by reaching for your best in your career. Being world-class in your work is good for your self-respect.” Linked to this is ‘Economic Wealth’. Sharma shoots down the adage that money is not important. “Money is very important, because it makes life better. Money allows you to live in a nice home, take beautiful vacations and provide well for those you love.”

Birds of a feather flock together. Hence, he also posits developing a ‘Circle of Genius’. “You become who you spend time with, and your associations affect your mindset and performance. Surround yourself with exceptional people — their stardust will rub off on you.”

‘Adventure Success’ is another asset to achieve authentic wealth. Challenge is necessary because the human brain craves novelty. Since we are creative beings, we need to be creating constantly to feel joy. Last, but not the least, is ‘Impact Wealth’. “Perhaps the deepest longing of the human heart is to live for something greater than itself. Each of us craves to be significant. To make a difference. To know that the world has somehow been better because we have walked the planet. Leaders leave a legacy.”

Sharma leaves the readers with this question: “What is your legacy?”

As Mahatma Gandhi said: “The only devils in the world are those running in our own hearts. That is where the battle should be fought.” If you are seeking to vanquish these pesky demons, this is the book which will enable you to live a richer and more fulfilling life.

The reviewer is an author and communications strategist.

She can be reached at maheenusmani12@yahoo.com

Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, October 27th, 2024