A Life-Changing Book Turns a Depressed Man Into a Thriving Businessman

Minghui

Realizing the dream of owning two successful companies at the age of 27 would be a nearly intimidating ambition for any youngster.

A young businessman from Poland who endured significant challenges shares how a life-changing book pulled him out of a depressed mindset and propelled him to the path of success.

Fabian reading Zhuan Falun, the main text of Falun Gong. Minghui

Lonely Teenage

Behind Fabian’s success lies a troubled and lonely journey. He never experienced the warmth of family love and bonding as his parents divorced shortly after his birth and started their own families. Emotionally bruised by a broken family, he was raised by his grandparents.

“I became very miserable as I grew older because my classmates had parents, but I didn’t,” he told Minghui.org. “My grandparents were my parents.”

Fabian’s grandparents wanted to guide him to the path of faith in God and thus always took him along when they went to church. Nevertheless, Fabian said, seeing how some of the congregation were not practicing what they preached made him “not to believe in anything” instead.

He grew up to be an intelligent boy who enjoyed immersing himself in books. However, Fabian lost interest in attending school as his intellect was way ahead of his age.

“It was too easy for me,” Fabian said. “When I asked my teachers questions, they would tell me that’s how it’s written in the textbooks. When I disagreed with my teachers’ viewpoints, other students would jeer at the teachers.”

Illustration - Sabphoto/Shutterstock

Lost amid the big dye vat of society and peer pressure, Fabian, along with his group of friends, got involved in the unethical acts of hacking data: they stole confidential information to sell it to companies.

Though they made a lot of money as hackers, Fabian’s conscience was tugging at him. He tried to dissuade his group from continuing, but his advice fell on deaf ears. Amid all this chaos, Fabian grew anxious about his future as his grandparents were getting on in years.

“I often worried what would happen to me if they were to die one day,” Fabian said. “I wanted to break free from this mire and leave this group of friends. I wanted to prove to my grandparents that I could support myself through my own efforts.”

Rediscovering Hope

Eventually, Fabian left his hometown and moved to Germany in search of a better future; he didn’t take a single penny of the money he amassed as a hacker. Once in Germany, Fabian slept on the streets and ate simple food. During those days, while thinking about how he could continue to survive, a chance encounter with an old man in a bar led Fabian to secure a stable job.

The elderly stranger was the owner of a small company in Frankfurt that specialized in replacing lost or stolen locks. The man hired Fabian on the spot for his new company in Berlin after listening to his marketing ideas. Under Fabian’s assistance, the new company performed well and witnessed increased sales. Young Fabian’s hard work earned him a managerial-level promotion.

Do you feel happy after making money? How do you find real happiness in life?

— Fabian

In 2016, just when Fabian’s career was taking off, he received devastating news from his grandmother.

“I received a phone call from my grandmother while I was holidaying in Spain,” Fabian said. “She was crying at the other end. She told me my grandpa had passed away.”

Fabian couldn’t accept this sudden and painful news; it hit him “like a bolt out of the blue.” He began to ponder the meaning of life. With more negative thoughts appearing in his mind, Fabian said, he was heading toward a dangerously depressive direction.

“I started to think about who I was, what was I going to do from now on, what could I do, was the world really like that, should I keep making money?” Fabian said.

“I began to think that money was not the most important thing, because it cannot buy time, nor was there a way to bring my grandfather back to life. When I saw a car while I was walking, a thought would suddenly come to mind, ‘It wouldn’t be a bad idea to get hit by the car.’”

Immersed in painful emotions, Fabian began his journey to find a solution to his life questions. He searched on the internet and posted a plea asking people: “Do you feel happy after making money? How do you find real happiness in life?”

While there were some who laughed at him, many suggested him to read self-help books, including those on spirituality and faith. Determined to pull himself out of his negative, depressive emotions, Fabian took the advice seriously. He started reading the recommended books and finally found the answers to his lifelong questions.

I would say that if not for '<em>Zhuan Falun</em>,' I would not be alive today.

— Fabian, from Poland

“When I opened the 15th book on my list, Zhuan Falun, and read the first chapter, I knew this was what I had been searching for,” Fabian said.

Zhuan Falun is the main book of Falun Gong (or Falun Dafa)—an ancient mind-body cultivation practice based on the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance. It has been translated into more than 40 languages, and over 100 million people across the world have benefited from the universal principles of upright and noble living explained in the book.

Fabian practicing the fifth exercise of Falun Gong. Minghui

Fabian said he finally understood the meaning of life and felt relieved from the agony of his negative emotions. He said his faith in Falun Gong also taught him to let go of his resentment toward his parents. He has since contacted his parents and his half-siblings.

“In the past, I felt as if I was walking while holding a giant rock. It was so difficult to walk and breathe. Life was not worth living at all. My whole world was dark,” he explained.

But after reading the book, Fabian felt like his “whole world became bright.” Fabian added that practicing Falun Gong also helped to restore his health.

“I also experienced huge changes physically. I used to suffer from headaches and nosebleeds frequently. I kept seeing doctors and taking lots of medicine. Now I don’t have to deal with these issues,” he said.

A New Chapter in Life

Fabian said that he later learned that the company he was working for was engaged in some dishonest work. In order to sell expensive products to customers, he said, the employees used to tamper with or even damage the locks under repair so that they could sell new expensive products to customers. He tried to reason with the staff that what they were doing was wrong but couldn’t convince them.

Having decided not to compromise on anything against his conscience, Fabian decided to pack up and leave the job. Though he had to leave the company that he had been with for many years, he knew he made the right choice.

“I know that as long as I follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance taught by Falun Dafa, I won’t be lost,” he said. “No matter how hard it is, there is a solution for it.”

Today, Fabian has one company each in Portugal and Germany and is planning to start another business in Taiwan. He credits his success in life to the teachings of Falun Gong.

“I would say that if not for Zhuan Falun, I would not be alive today,” he said.