Jay Shetty is a storyteller, podcaster and former monk. Jay'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. Jay has created over 400 viral videos with over 5 billion views, and hosts the #1 Health and Wellness podcast in the world, 'On Purpose'. About the author: Jay Shetty is a social media star who rose in popularity by teaching what he learned from his three years as a Vedic monk. He has billions of views and millions of followers across various social media platforms. In 2017, he was named to Forbes 30-under-30 list. Jay also runs the podcast On Purpose. Prior to his journey as a Monk, Jay was pressured to take a traditional career path. Your mind is like a sponge, it absorbs what it is exposed to. Through stillness, you can listen to your own voice, reflect on what is true to who you, and discard the external noise and distraction. The goal of monk thinking is a life free of ego, envy, lust, anxiety, anger, bitterness, and baggage. The more we can evaluate, understand, train, and strengthen our relationship with the mind, the more successfully we can navigate our lives and overcome challenges.

Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpos…

The “dust” in life is the noise of external influences. Cleaning requires stillness and reflection. Imagining your own death gives you a bird’s-eye view of your life. If you find yourself questioning whether or not to do something—a significant change, learn a new skill, move to a new city, reflecting on death can give you the sobering clarity you need. If you only find joy in your own successes, you are limiting your joy. Find joy in the success of others as well. When you take pleasure in the successes of your friends and family, say 10 people, then you will feel the joy of 10 people.Be honest about what your intention is. The worst thing you can do is pretend to yourself that you’re acting out of service when all you want is material success. Real greatness is when you use your own achievements to teach others, and they learn how to teach others, and the greatness that you accomplished expands exponentially. Your values act like a magnet for the people, actions, and habits to live a fulfilling life. The problem is that our values are so easily tainted by media. What’s on your news feed is feeding your mind. And our values become easily tainted with envy, judgement, competition, and discontent. In every relationship you have the opportunity to set the level of joy you expect and the level of pain you’ll accept. I like to draw a contrast between the monk mindset and what is often referred to as the monkey mind. Our minds can either elevate us or pull us down.”

Think Like a Monk - Google Books

Instead of listening to our minds, we must pay attention to how an idea or activity feels in our bodies. Does it bring joy? Does it appeal to you? How does your body respond? Is it alive, comfortable, positive? Shetty reconnected with old school friends—many working for some of the world’s largest corporations—who were experiencing tremendous stress, pressure, and unhappiness, and they invited Shetty to coach them on well-being, purpose, and mindfulness. Since then, Shetty has become one of the world’s most popular influencers. In 2017, he was named in the Forbes magazine 30-under-30 for being a game-changer in the world of media. In 2018, he had the #1 video on Facebook with over 360 million views. His social media following totals over 38 million, he has produced over 400 viral videos which have amassed more than 8 billion views, and his podcast, On Purpose, is consistently ranked the world’s #1 Health and Wellness podcast. Your identity is a mirror covered with dust. When you first look in the mirror, the truth of who you are and what you value is obscured. Clearing it may not be pleasant, but only when that dust is gone can you see your true reflection.” When you deal with fear and hardship, you realize that you’re capable of dealing with fear and hardship. This gives you a new perspective: the confidence that when bad things happen, you will find ways to handle them. With that increased objectivity, you become better able to differentiate what’s actually worth being afraid of and what’s not.”It’s hard to relate with a monk, but easier to relate to Jay Shetty before he became a monk. He walked the common path of doing well in school to find a good job and have a long career. Many of us are on that path now so we can relate to the thoughts Jay had on his journey. Practice detachment. Understand that things are temporary and you will appreciate things more. Detach and realize nothings owns you and that you own nothing. See: Book Review: The Little Book of Stoicism by Jonas Salzgeber

Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose

Reframe your thoughts. Instead of looking at what goes wrong, tell your mind where it goes right. Reframe your self-criticism in terms of knowledge. Many of the frustrations we endure can be seen as blessings because they urge us to grow and develop. When we tune out the opinions, expectations, and obligations of the world around us, we begin to hear ourselves. Keep relationships strong and interesting by creating new memories. Fresh experiences bring excitement into your life and build a stronger bond. The monk mindset means that you stop spinning wheels and begin to live intentionally. It is commitment to a mission, vision, or goal, and the pursuit of meaning over pleasure.Combining ancient wisdom and his own rich experiences in the ashram, this book reveals how to overcome negative thoughts and habits, and access the calm and purpose that lie within all of us. Stay present. When thoughts of scenarios ahead turn into anxiety and worry or unrealistic aspirations, they are no longer productive. Over the past three years, Jay Shetty has become a favourite in the hearts and minds of millions of people worldwide. One of his clips was the most watched video on Facebook last year, with over 360 million views. His social media following totals over 32 million, he has produced over 400 viral videos, which have amassed more than 5 billion views, and his podcast, 'On Purpose', is consistently ranked the world's #1 health-related podcast.