Hey All,
Wishing you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year!
Reflecting back on 2022, had its own ups and downs and entering into 2023 with a very positive affirmation as I try to make the most out of this weekend. I definitely don’t have a list of resolutions but keeping the coming year healthy, adding more to work, and growing more as a father. Here's wishing you immense happiness and wisdom for the coming year!
I am a tech guy; I love to learn about technology and keep updating myself with what’s new in the market space! However, today I am here doing completely different and taking on the challenge with a bang! I recently read the book " Think Like A Monk" which completely amazed me with the insights shared by our friend Mr. Jay Shetty. Oh No...I don’t know Mr. Shetty, I didn’t even know there was a book worth reading...I mean books and blogging is my wife's forte and certainly not mine. However, she read this book and recommended the book to me sometime back. Knowing me, she already knew I would dough behind in my work hence she dared me to read a few pages at my own pace. So, I started reading this book and to my surprise just loved it! I wanted to share some of my key takeaways from this book that grabbed my attention while reading.
Part I - Let Go
Personally, I have seen people who struggle immensely with the concept of letting go, including me! It's the most basic human nature which is usually surrounded by fear, negativity and intention. And as far I know, Shetty was once sailing on the same boat as us until he came across an extra tool that helped him to heal and grow from this “Fight or Flight” response. I think the biggest takeaway from this section of the book is to deep dive into the "Monk Mindset". If we reflect on our actions, we act like a monkey, we want to achieve everything in one day! Always trying to multitask and distracted with everything; do even realize to savor the moment? This behavior is referred to as the “Monkey Mindset” which compels our fast brain to hijack our thinking and actions. Hence, no matter how hard we try we miss living in the moment and witnessing our life just pass us by! Maybe this could be one of the new year's resolutions to single-task instead of multi-tasking and channel our actions from a more clammer and compose part of the brain. I know it’s challenging to transition from a fast brain referred to as Monkey Mindset to a slow brain called as Monk Mindset however with little practice every day, we can enhance our quality of life!
Part II - Grow
This section is very vivid with tools and charts are given in the book that helps us to find our own purpose in life! We all are in different phases of our life, and all are trying to comprehend the bigger purpose. Irrespective of whatever stage you are in your life, there is one very important aspect that is perhaps underrated - The power of Routine. If we want to develop the "Monk Mindset" we need to intentionally indulge in single-tasking work, and cultivate space at our home or even at work that can help us focus on a clear purpose. I really liked this section, since it explains the fact that a lot of time, creativity emerges from structure! When we have essential parameters covered in the structure then it becomes simpler to look for things that can make it even more creative. However, if we don’t have a structure, then we are perhaps aimlessly doing stuff. Once we have strong routines that are aligned to our priorities and life, we basically enable ourselves to accomplish more in life! Simple...yet profound to see how routine can root us!
Part III - Leverage Fear to Elevate Quality of Life
This is my favorite section since it urges the journey inward and calls to focus on the drive within. To quote Mr. Shetty, "If we face our fear- we stay, we deal with the fire, we have the tough conversations and become much stronger as a result". You see we are conditioned to treat fear as a negative feeling that can paralyze us instead it can be the mechanism for growth. Yes, it’s not the first response that clicks in our minds, and definitely, we need to exercise to build that muscle! Our friend Mr. Shetty gives us an analogy about how two wolves are in constant quarrels inside us and feed on the commotion which we try to hide. The majority of the time we fuel the wrong wolf and consistently activate the monkey mindset instead of looking at a perspective that can urge us to perhaps take the road least traveled. You see, if we let go of things that are perhaps counterproductive, we will be able to grow more!
This book definitely inspired me to do more in my life and hope these takeaways help you develop the Monk Mindset!
Keeping it short and wishing you the very best of 2023!
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