The author’s story immediately caught my attention — and my curiosity about this book.

Jay Shetty, the author of Think Like a Monk, is an Indian-English man who grew up in London. During his first year of college, his friends invited him to attend a lecture given by a monk. He wasn’t interested — but he went anyway, since they planned to head to the bar afterward.

The speaker was a Hindu monk who had once studied technology at one of the most prestigious and competitive universities in India. But instead of following the traditional path, the monk left everything behind to live in an ashram.

At that time, Jay didn’t think much of monks. He admired CEOs, entrepreneurs, and successful graduates from top universities — the kind of people he followed and attended talks from.

But that one lecture changed his mind, and changed his life too.

He saw something in the monk he hadn’t seen before:

Peace. Stillness. Joy.

Not hype. Not ambition. Just inner peace.

Jay realized — this was what he truly wanted in life. He wanted to learn from the monk.

But he couldn’t leave everything behind just yet. So he made a choice: during his summer breaks, he would live two lives.

• One half working as an intern at a finance company.
• The other half living in an ashram in India.

After graduation, he chose to become a full-time monk and spent three years in the ashram in India.

Eventually, he returned to the outside world — not because he gave up, but because he realized what he was meant to do: 
To share what he learned, and help others find peace, happiness and purpose.

“Before enlightenment, you chop wood. After enlightenment, you chop wood. The chore is the same. You are different.” (Zen proverb).

Life on the outside may look the same, but your inner world can be completely transformed.

The Timeless Questions (and Timeless Answers)

This book doesn’t offer trendy hacks or quick fixes. Instead, it answers the questions we all ask ourselves:

• How can I feel less anxious?
• How can I live with more peace?
• How can I be truly happy?

These aren’t new questions. They were asked 3,000 years ago. And they were answered 3,000 years ago too.

What’s remarkable is that modern science now supports the truth behind many of these ancient teachings.

In this book, Jay shares that timeless wisdom with us — in a way that fits our modern lives.

The 3-step to your heart: Let Go — Grow — Give

Jay offers a simple three-step path — to return to your heart and find your inner peace.

Step 1. Let Go

This step is about awareness. You now learn to aware of:

• Who are you really?
• Are you living your truth, your own values, or the version of you others expect?
• What thoughts, beliefs, and emotions are not yours?

Let go of what’s not truly you — the negativity from both the outside world and within yourself.

Letting go clears space for the next step.

2. Grow

Once you let go of what doesn’t belong, you begin to nurture what does. 
You ask:

• What do I truly want?
• Why do I want it?
• What is the deeper purpose behind my wants?

The “Why Ladder” can help you with it. It is a simple exercise where you keep asking “why” until you discover the root of your wants.

Then, build routines around your true values.

3. Give

The final step is about service.

Giving doesn’t just help others — it helps you too. You’ll learn how small acts of service can create deep joy and meaning in your life.

A Workout for the Soul

Just like exercise keeps your body strong, reading keeps your mind sharp, these practices are workouts for your soul.

You don’t become a monk to escape life. You train your mind and spirit so you can live it fully — with clarity, calm, and compassion.

It’s a daily practice.