Think Like a Monk Book Summary I Jay Shetty -

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Book –Think like a Monk – For Peace and Purpose Every Day (Summary)

Author – Jay Shetty

Genre – Self-Help

Published in –2020

‘A layperson who is consciously aiming to be continuously alive in the Now is a monk.’

We are often advised to seek experts in the field to learn skills or trade. Jay Shetty claims that for learning calm, peace, and purpose, Monks are the experts to look forward to.

Jay claims without leaving worldly pursuits; we can adopt the mindset of monks and become more successful at our worldly pursuits while maintaining perfect peace inside. Becoming a monk is an attitude more than a monk-like life.

About the Book –

Jay Shetty chose to become Monk after completing college when most students prepare for jobs in corporate or starting a business. He spent three years learning from Monks, living in Ashram, and traveling with Monks.

The Monk’s teachings talk about forgiveness, energy, intentions, living with purpose, and other topics in ways that are as resonant today as they must have been when they were written.

Think like a Monk shares monk way by going deep within for self-examination. The book suggests ideas in three stages –

Stage 1 – we will let go, stripping ourselves of the external influences, internal obstacles, and fears that hold us back.

Stage 2 – We will grow by reshaping your life so that you can make decisions with intention, purpose, and confidence.

Stage 3 – We will give, look to the world beyond ourselves, expand and share our gratitude, and deepen our relationships.

Here are excerpts from Each Part –

Part I – Let Go

1) Identity –

Jay states that we have so many layered identities, and we constantly struggle to play a part in impressing others that we miss out on our authentic selves and don’t dare to do things we like to do to avoid criticism or upsetting others.

A line worth pondering about Identity – I am not what I think I am, I am not what you think I am, I am what I think, you think I am.

The only way to build a meaningful life is to filter out that noise and look within. No matter what you think your values are, your actions tell the real story. What we do with our spare time shows what we value.

2) Negativity –

When we criticize others, we can’t help but notice the bad in ourselves. But when we look for the good in others, we also start to see the best in ourselves,

Like the Idea of Switching Negative Channel – SPOT, STOP, SWAP –

Spot – This needs more effort initially to catch ourselves when we indulge in negative thoughts.
Stop – The moment you spot you have boarded the Negative thought train, stop the train.
Swap – When you stop, switch your thoughts to something positive or neutral. Have fun with this.

3) Fear –

Jay suggests that we will never be able to eliminate fear, and it’s not the feeling of fear, but what we do with it determines the outcome.

Work with Fear – Try shifting from I am angry to I feel angry. I feel sad. I feel afraid. It is a simple but profound change because it puts our emotions in their rightful place.

Part II – Grow

1) Routine –

Talking about his routine in Ashram, especially the morning routine, he advises waking up earlier than usual; it may not be 4 a.m. Start with 15 minutes to the standard time and increase it to an hour. Many books are written on benefits and ways to get up early, like The Miracle Morning and The 5 A. M. Club.

Considering morning is quiet, it is the perfect time for writing, meditation, quick exercise, a longer shower, or having tea with peace. This will help you start your day well and set the tone for the upcoming day.

2) The Mind –

Should-self, Want-self – There is a constant battle between our should-self and want-self to act on anything or not to work. We often ignore what we should do and what is good for us in exchange for what we want to do, which may not be the best solution.

Addressing yourself with name self-talk is a powerful way of improving self-awareness and reframing our self-talk to get better at everything we want to pursue.

3) Ego –

It follows that the biggest obstacle to learning is being a know-it-all. This false self-confidence is rooted in the ego.

In criticizing others for failing to live up to higher standards, we fail to live up to the highest standards.

Consider these three questions before you judge someone next time-

Am I finding fault to distract myself or others from my insecurities?
Am I projecting my weakness onto them?
And even if I am doing neither of those things, am I any better than the person I am criticizing?

Part III – Give

1) Gratitude –

When you start your day with gratitude, you’ll be open to opportunities, not obstacles. You’ll be drawn to creativity, not complaint. You will find fresh ways to grow rather than succumbing to negative thoughts.

Don’t judge the moment. As soon as you label something wrong, your mind starts believing it. Instead, be grateful for setbacks. Allow life’s journey to progress at its own pace and roundabout way. The universe may have other plans in store for you.

2) Relationships –

Whenever you give out any energy, love, hate, anger, or kindness, you will always get it back in one way or the other.

Focus on the quality of time spent with loved ones rather than quantity. When you are there, be 100%. It is better to spend 15 minutes with your kid with complete focus rather than spending 1 hour listening to him while fiddling with your phone simultaneously.

3) Service –

It’s hard to think about selflessness when we are struggling. And yet, that is precisely what Jay learned as a monk. Selflessness is the surest route to inner peace and a meaningful life. Selflessness heals the self.

In Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela writes, “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, background, or religion. People must learn to hate; if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

I have also created videos of a few quotes from the book I read- I hope you like them. Please subscribe to the YouTube channel self-help book quotes- Myread4change.

Conclusion –

One need not necessarily become a Monk to discipline the mind and lead a peaceful life. Think like a Monk. Show the way one gets the best of both worlds. Read this book, and you will have great ideas to improve your life.

If you like this book, you may also like Ikigai and The Untethered Soul.

I hope this book summary helped you in some way. Please share your thoughts in the comments. I would love to hear from you.

Thank you for reading.

Muzammil