Summary of Think Like a Monk

Jay Shetty is an award-winning host, viral content creator, motivational speaker, and author. Jay launched his YouTube channel in 2016 to provide wisdom videos. Four years later, he has obtained over four billion views on YouTube and has over 20 million followers globally. On top of this, Jay was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30.

Jay’s life was changed when he met a monk at the age of 18. Jay started redefining success for himself and wanted to serve others. At age 22, he spent three years traveling across India and Europe as a monk. His daily routine was waking up at 4 a.m., taking cold showers, meditating, and eating. He would meditate approximately 4-8 hours daily. Half of Jay’s day would be spent on personal growth, and the other half serving others. Today, he has moved back into society. However, he aims to help people apply the monk mindset to busy city life.

Think Like a Monk provides the key lessons that Jay Shetty has learned from his transition to Buddhism and his experience of applying these messages to the modern world. The concept is that being a Monk is compatible with technology, relationships and full-time jobs. As long as you find your identity in the right areas, think positively and treat your loved ones well, you will start to think like a monk.

One criticism of the book is the simplifications it makes. For instance, while meditation is a beneficial activity, it can also trigger negative insights for some people.