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Think Like a Monk
Book

Think Like a Monk

Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day

Simon & Schuster, 2020 more...

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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Engaging
  • Insider's Take
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Do you know your true calling? Former Vedic monk Jay Shetty shares advice he draws from both scientific research and ancient spiritual texts to help you live a happy, meaningful life. He guides you in learning to embrace detachment and overcome negative self-talk and toxic influence; in building healthy relationships and self-esteem and overcoming your ego; and in living mindfully with compassion and gratitude. Shetty believes each person has his or her own “dharma” – a Sanskrit word that roughly translates into “purpose” or “calling” – and that it’s never too late to discover yours.

Summary

Stop performing roles and tune out negative distractions.

People tend to adopt different roles and personas when navigating distinct contexts. But making others’ expectations more important than your personal values can leave you depressed, insecure and dissatisfied. Living an authentic life is a better choice, even if doing so means you risk losing relationships.

Assess the values that have steered your life so far, then identify the source of each value – for example, perhaps your school taught you the value of knowledge while the media taught you to value physical appearance. Eliminate distractions to reflect on whether you want to live a life in pursuit of these values or update them. Audit the time and money you invest each day, reflecting on whether your actions support your values.

For example, do you spend countless hours browsing social media instead of interacting with your family? Try to embody higher values from the ancient Hindu Bhagavad Gita, which include gratitude, charity, honesty and integrity. Perform a “companion audit”: Reflect on the people you spend the most time with and whether their values align with yours. Be mindful of letting those...

About the Author

Jay Shetty is a New York Times best-selling author, award-winning storyteller, podcast host of On Purpose and former monk. In 2019, he was AdWeek’s Young Influentials cover star. In 2017, Forbes named him to their 30 Under 30 List for his game-changing impact in media. His videos have been viewed more than eight billion times and he has more than 40 million followers across social media.


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