Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty is a good guide to attain the monk mindset. The monk mindset enables a person to come out of confusion, distraction and helps to discover clarity, meaning and direction.
First off, the introduction is very impressive and sets the tone of the book. A solid introduction gets the reader immediately interested in the book. The introduction here paints a picture of a better future and the benefit the reader can get from reading Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty.
Jay Shetty shares the moment he chose to become a Monk, and the external pressure he faced for that choice. I am going to share my learnings and a few concepts from the three parts of Think like a Monk by Jay Shetty.
“Remember, saying whatever we want, whenever we want, however, we want, is not freedom. Real freedom is not feeling the need to say these things.” – Jay Shetty, Think Like a Monk.
The first part of Think like a monk is titled, “Let go.”
Identity –
A cluttered mind is restless and unfocused. We need to declutter the external noises and focus on what we truly want in life. We need to have control over our values and actions. They must go hand in hand. Auditing our time, values, and companions will tell us whether our life is headed in the right direction.
Negativity –
This was one of my most favourite chapters from Think like a Monk. Negativity is everywhere in today’s world and sometimes we too have been instruments to spread negativity by gossiping or ranting. Jay Shetty has listed down the types of negative people which helps us to manage each type of relationship. I loved the 25/75 principle. For every negative person, we need to surround ourselves with three people who are happier and inspire us to do well in life.
Transformational forgiveness is an important concept. This is to find the strength and calmness to forgive a person who did you wrong without expecting an apology or anything in return. Jay Shetty also writes about an interesting concept called Fear.
We need to accept our fear and change our perspective about it. Fear arises when we are outside our comfort zone, and that in turn increases our mental strength.
The second part is titled, “Grow.”
The importance of our Dharma and connecting our passion and purpose of life was an eye-opener. This chapter also comes with a Vedic Personality test, where we can learn our traits and find out what we want in life. Having a proper routine gives us a sense of control. Having read about the perks of rising early in this chapter gave me a chance to make some healthy changes in my daily routine.
Jay Shetty rightly says, “Our mind should work in our interest.” We need to understand the voice inside us and make the right decisions. Ego – This is hands down my favourite segment of this book. Jay Shetty shares the negative shades of ego and why we need to eliminate ego from our lives.
“The more we define ourselves in relation to the people around us, the more lost we are.” – Jay Shetty, Think Like a Monk.
The third and final part is titled, “Give.”
The author rightly points out that gratitude is the mother of all qualities. Expressing gratitude is a good thing not just for our mental well-being, but also for building relationships and our physical body.
The next topic Jay Shetty covered is relationships and trust. The stages of trust were beautifully written and illustrated. He has written about six loving exchanges and shared about his relationship too.
The final topic is about service. He asks us to serve with a positive intention. When we do so, we turn to become instruments of grace and compassion.
All three parts are equally good. I enjoyed reading the first part more. There is a key take away from every chapter and, that slowly leads us to attain the monk mindset. I took my time with this book as there was so much to learn from it. This book also includes many illustrations and practical activities in between chapters.
The only drawback, I felt was that he covered too many concepts and, this book is similar to the other self-help books. There is nothing new or fresh to learn from Think like a Monk by Jay Shetty.
Think like a Monk by Jay Shetty is not just a self-help book. He has also included his journey, which makes it a memoir too.
This Self-help book is tailored for modern world readers.
Get your copy – https://www.amazon.in/Think-Like-Monk-Jay-Shetty/dp/0008386595
You might also like – https://gentlepages.com/who-moved-my-cheese-book-review/
About the author –
Jay Shetty is a storyteller, podcaster, and former monk. Shetty’s vision is to Make Wisdom Go Viral. He is on a mission to share the timeless wisdom of the world in an accessible, relevant, and practical way. Shetty has created over 400 viral videos with over 5 billion views and hosts the #1 Health and Wellness podcast in the world, On Purpose.
