The monk who sold his ferrari

Father Christmas left a copy of 'The monk who sold his ferrari' under the tree for me this year.

I read it yesterday, and it is quite entertaining. I still struggle a little bit with reconciling my belief in the value of Karl Popper like cynicism where you aggressively try and find the holes in an argument, and the obvious value of 'postive thinking'.

Is it possible to develop the skill of critical analysis in a particular environment where it is useful, say in Law, Investments or Risk Planning; but to have the optimistic mindset that leads to happiness outside of that? Can you create pockets of mental processes that can be switched on and off? As another example, can a doctor develop emotional numbness that allows them to deal with the extreme traumas they face yet still maintain empathy for their patients, and a degree of weakness when facing real but not extreme traumas in their own personal lives?

I don't think Sharma's point is that every high powered executive should just throw the towel in and become a monk! While I think the book falls short in terms of applying critical analysis of what is being said (which it refers to every now and then since the author is a lawyer), I do think within it there are a number of very valuable points of how to work towards a happier and more productive life.