Book SummaryThink Like a Monk, by Jay Shetty

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Think Like a Monk

Former Vedic monk and award-winning content creator Jay Shetty claims that the route to happiness and fulfillment is to Think Like a Monk. According to him, monks are the calmest and happiest people in the world because they live with a sense of purpose that aligns with their true, inner selves.

Fortunately, you don’t need to cut yourself off from the modern world or shave your head to benefit from this mindset. Shetty draws from his experiences as a monk, ancient spiritual texts, and the latest psychological research to transform abstract concepts into actionable methods you can easily incorporate into your life.

Shetty claims that there are three ongoing stages to adopting...

Think Like a Monk Summary Part 1: Purify

In this first part of the guide, we’ll discuss how external influences and distractions clutter your mind and impact your ability to experience happiness. We’ll also explore methods you can use to clear away this mental clutter and cultivate an awareness of what you need to feel satisfied and happy.

Mental Shortcuts Create False Images of Happiness

Shetty claims that, throughout your life, you’ve been influenced by the various opinions and expectations of your family, friends, culture, and media. You learned early on that, to get along well with others, you needed to conform to their expectations of you.

• For example, you noticed that your parents were more affectionate when you got perfect grades. You unconsciously made the connection in your mind that perfect grades led to affection. More affection made you happy, therefore, you associated having perfect grades with being happy.

Shetty argues that various similar experiences led you to unconsciously conclude that your happiness depends on what you think other people think of you. As a result, you’re now so preoccupied with what other people think about you that you’ve developed different personas and...

Think Like a Monk Summary Part 2: Clarify

Now that you’ve discovered ways to calm your thoughts and think more positively, we’ll look at how you can use your newfound awareness to move toward happiness and satisfaction with conscious and deliberate intention.

Engagement Leads to Satisfaction

Shetty argues that the activities you enjoy offer a path to feeling more satisfaction and happiness. When you’re genuinely interested in something, you’re more likely to feel engaged when you think about it. This feeling of engagement makes you want to spend time perfecting your skills and makes you less prone to distractions. As a result, your feelings of satisfaction gather momentum without much effort on your part.

(Shortform note: We previously discussed how absorption in a task enhances your focus and discourages distractions, so it makes sense that the activities you enjoy encourage feelings of satisfaction. However, sometimes you’re too busy doing what you have to do to figure out what you want to do. According to the authors of Minimalism, there are four obstructions holding you back from discovering your interests: identity, status, certainty, and...

Think Like a Monk Summary Part 3: Exemplify

We opened the guide by discussing how you’ve been influenced by others throughout your life. Now that you’ve freed yourself from the influences that don’t benefit you and understand how to move toward happiness and satisfaction with deliberate intent, we’ll bring the discussion full circle. In this final part of the guide, we’ll explore how you can practice living your values in a way that positively influences the world around you.

Shetty argues that you can generate immense feelings of satisfaction and happiness by sharing your values, strengths, and compassion with others. He suggests that you begin to consider ways that you can make a positive difference and show your care for the people you value.

(Shortform note: Scientific research confirms that contributing to the wellbeing of others does make you happier. The studies showed that when you give (knowledge, assistance, time, or money) with the intention of helping others, you activate the same parts of your brain that are stimulated by pleasurable activities such as eating good food or having great sex.)

In addition, he suggests three...

Shortform Exercise: Define Your Values

According to Shetty, defining the values you want to live by is vital to experiencing satisfaction and happiness in your life.

Describe two types of experiences that feel most meaningful to you. Consider moments during which you feel satisfaction, joy, or at peace with yourself. For example, you may feel satisfied when you’re making use of your creative talents, or at peace with yourself when you’re walking your dog early in the morning and see the sun rise.

Shortform Exercise: Practice Gratitude and Focus on What’s Going Well

Shetty claims that the more you practice feeling gratitude, the easier you find it to remain positive and take advantage of opportunities that align with your values.

Consider your experiences over this past week and write down five things that you have to be grateful for. For example, you might feel thankful for the affection you got from your kids, the coffee your colleague brought to your desk, or the smile from your bus driver on a rainy day.