Think Like a Monk Summary

Our true identity is just like a mirror covered in dust of the influence of others. Shetty explains that cleaning your mirror will not be a pleasant experience. Only once you have removed the dust obscuring your mirror can you see your true reflection - who you truly are.

Know the difference between attachment and detachment - 

• Attachment is wanting something to happen in a particular way.
• Detachment occurs when you want something to happen in the best way.

The problem with attachment is that we think we know the best way.

If you wanted to know how to dominate the basketball court, you might turn to Michael Jordan; if you wanted to innovate, you might investigate Elon musk; you might study Beyoncè to learn how to perform. If you want to train your mind to find peace and purpose? Monks are the experts

To find true peace and happiness, you need to detach yourself from the noise around you.

Shetty explains that detachment doesn't mean you own nothing; it means that nothing owns you.

You should reduce your attachment to material possessions, toxic people, and negative thoughts. This helps you stay calm and focused.

The first step to thinking like a monk is to get clear on your values. How?

1. List your values.
2. Identify the origin of that value.
3. Reflect on whether or not that value aligns with your true self.

After listing your values and identifying which ones are truly your values, audit your life to see if you are living in accordance with those values.

In order to overcome bad habits, Use Spot, Stop, Swap:

1. Spot the negative feeling.
2. Stop to understand what it is.
3. Swap in a way of processing the feeling.

It is better to Live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection.

When you give yourself space & stillness, you can clear the dust and see yourself, not through others’ eyes, but from within.

It is impossible to build one's happiness on the unhappiness of others.

Negativity is everywhere and it's contagious.

The less time you fixate on everyone else, the more time you have to focus on yourself.

Negativity often rises from fear.

SPOT a feeling or issue

STOP to understand what it is

SWAP in a new way of processing. 

The monkey mind seeks instant gratification. It is restless, self-absorbed and worried. Negative tendencies in thinking and feeling as well as indecisiveness are characteristics of the monkey mind.

The monk mind is focused. It is striving towards a higher purpose such as serving and is willing to take the risk. Being highly empathetic, decisive and strategic, the monk mind seeks purpose.

Your goal should be in cultivating the monk mind.

You should be your most authentic self unapologetically at all times possible. Who we are is defined by our values.

Figure out what you value most in your life:

1. Write down a list of values that you share: Looks, status, relationships, empathy, wealth, intelligence or something else?
2. Where are these values coming from? From your parents, society, the media or somewhere else?
3. Do you share these values? Take a look at your actions to determine if you are really living in accordance to your deepest values.

Have strong values and principles (dharma) in your life. You protect your dharma and your dharma will protect you. We can have multi-faceted principles and it is okay if they overlap each other. Often times, we may find ourselves being distracted or diverted away from our dharma. Jay Shetty asks us to aware and then shift our focus back to our original principles.

We all have fears about our career choices and families. But when we embrace our fears and work on them, we can reach our biggest breakthroughs in life. If we don't work in our fears, they will work on us and stop us from achieving success in life. The only thing to fear is fear.

There are 3 simple modes to describe the relationship with money.

"I want more and as much as I can get" - it is self-sentered and all I want is for m self. I don't want to share and serving is not my focus.

"I have just enough to get by, I am not suffering but I have nothing to give."

"Think Like a Monk" is a book that offers practical advice on how to live a more fulfilling and purposeful life by adopting the mindset and practices of a monk. The book emphasizes the value of mindfulness, positive relationships, and a sense of purpose and meaning.

By identifying our core values and aligning our actions with them, we can live a more authentic and fulfilling life. This means thinking about what is truly important to us and setting goals that align with those values.