Leadership Wisdom From The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: The 8 Rituals of Visionary Leaders by Robin Sharma Read Free Book Online Page A

few of the golfers relaxing on the clubhouse verandah were leaning over the railing to see what would happen.
    The ball then dropped down from the sky onto the green next to the first hole and began to roll slowly but directly toward it. No golfer had shot a hole in one on this course for quite some time, but perhaps my friend, adorned in the robe of a traditional monk and wearing nothing on his feet but his faithful sandals, would be the first to end this drought. The ball kept on inching toward the hole. Then it seemed to stop.
    “Oh Julian,” I said, in sincere disappointment. “So close and yet so far.”
    “Just wait, Peter. One of the leadership lessons I’ve learned is that
immediately before a great victory, one will often experience some form of difficulty. The key is to maintain your focus and keep on believing.”
    Then, just when it appeared to all that the ball had come to rest, it rolled the remaining two inches and dropped into the hole.
    “Hurrah!” one of the groundskeepers shouted at the top of his lungs after witnessing this extraordinary event. Julian threw his fists into the air and began to do a little dance, obviously delighted by his achievement.
    I simply laughed and shook my head. “Wow, Julian. You never cease to amaze me! Congratulations!”
    After regaining my composure, I asked Julian how he did it. “Did you actually intend to shoot a hole in one?”
    “I did. But to be honest, I wasn’t certain it would happen. I’d rehearsed that very shot on this very course hundreds of times inmy mind when I was up in the Himalayas. It began to be a game I would play, just to keep my imagination sharp. I had great fun doing it. I must admit that even I’m a little surprised that my mental training produced such a fabulous result. But the fact it worked proves the important point I brought you down here to make,” offered Julian with a hint of mystery.
    “Does it have something to do with the piece of the puzzle you gave me yesterday?”
    “Yes, it does. Let me ask you this question, Peter. What do you think allowed me to shoot a hole in one the first time I stepped on a golf course after so many years?”
    “Well, I think you answered the question yourself, Julian. It was because of your mental rehearsals during the time you were up in the Himalayas. You practiced doing what you just did so many times that you must have created something similar to a blueprint in your mind. Then you came down here today and, against the odds, translated that mental blueprint into reality.”
    “Very good, Peter. You always had a quick mind and clearly understand the process I followed. I’m impressed.”
    “You know I love the game of golf and will do anything to shave a couple of strokes off my game. So, over the past few months, I’ve been reading a lot of books on the lives and lessons of the world’s greatest golfers. If there was one thing they all agreed on, it was that ‘golf is a mental game.’ Jack Nicklaus, for example, mentioned that after walking the course he was about to play, he would envision the shots he hoped to make hundreds of times in his mind’s eye. This became his secret advantage. So when you told me you did the same thing, it really didn’t come as such a surprise.”
    “And the greatest leaders in the world of business do the same thing,” Julian stated.
    “They all visualize their golf shots?” I replied with a grin.
    “No, Peter. They clearly envision their future paths in the present moment. They manufacture a crystal-clear blueprint or picture of what their companies will look like in the coming years. They know intimately the exact nature of the success they and their people are striving for. And every step they take is designed to move them closer to their vividly imagined future. In a word, my friend, they have a
vision
that inspires them to reach for the stars. That is the ultimate secret of their greatness as leaders.”
    “It seems so simple. Just clearly