Think Like a Monk
Jay Shetty
Summary
Practical advice from a modern monk
Rating: 4/5
Notes
The only thing that stays with you from the moment you’re born to the moment you die is your breath
‘I am not what I think I am and I am not what you think I am. I am what I think you think I am.’ - Cooley
'Your identity is a mirror covered with dust. When you first look in the mirror, the truth of who you are may be observed. Cleaning it may not be pleasant but only when that dust is gone do you see your true reflection.’ - Gauvanya Das
Cancers of the mind: complaining, complaining, criticizing
Letting go gives us freedom and freedom is the only condition for happiness
The more we define ourselves in relation to the people around us, the more lost we are
In the theatre of happiness, there is no limit
The cause of fear: attachment. The cure for fear: detachment
Our fears are more numerous than our dangers and we suffer more in imagination than reality - Seneca
Don’t judge the moment
When we deny fear, our problems follow us
Success doesn’t guarantee happiness and happiness doesn’t require success
External goals cannot fill internal voids
In getting where you want to be, meditation may show you what you don’t want to see
Living in your dharma is a certain route to fulfillment
You can’t be anything you want but you can be everything you are
Past beliefs sneak in to block our progress
‘Follow your bliss.’ - Joseph Campbell
Dharma is passion in the service of others
Change happens with small steps and big priorities
‘For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends but for one who has failed to do so, it is his greatest enemy.’ - Bhagvad Gita
Reframe self criticism in terms of knowledge and progress
Treat yourself with the same love and respect you want to show others
Only by detaching can be truly gain control of the mind
Make your mind your friend
You are who you are when no one is watching
The arrogant ego desires respect whereas the humble worker inspires respect
You can only be filled with knowledge and rewarding experiences if you allow yourself to be empty
Don’t take everything personally - it’s usually not about you
‘What belongs to you today, belongs to someone yesterday and will be someone else’s tomorrow.’
You are not your success or your failure
‘There more for me out there.’
Be more specific with your gratitude
Whenever you give out energy, you will always get it back
Too often we love people who don’t love us but we fail to return the love of those who do
‘People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime’ - Jean Dominique Martin
Until you understand yourself, you won’t be ready for love
Everyone can always give more
The highest purpose is to live in service
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Make Something Wonderful
Steve Jobs
Summary
The life of Steve Jobs in his own words
Rating: 5/5
Notes
Make something wonderful and put it out there
‘You appear, have a chance to blaze in the sky, then you disappear’
When you’re a stranger in a place, you notice thing you don’t otherwise (Jobs after India trip)
Whenever you start with nothing, always shoot for the moon. You have nothing to lose.
You never achieve what you want without falling on your face a few times
Never be afraid to fail. You never achieve what you want without falling flat on your face a few times
We are never taught to listen to our intuitions, to develop and nurture them. But if you do pay attention to these subtle insights, you can make them come true
Creativity equals connecting previously unrelated experiences and insights others don’t see
Believe that some of what you follow with your heart will come back and make your life richer. And it will. And you will gain even firmer trust on your instincts and intuitions
Make your avocation your vocation. Make what you love your work.
The journey is the reward. The reward isn’t in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it’s in crossing the rainbow
To find A+ talent, if experienced, look at their track record and results
The world we know is a human creation and we can push it forward
The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do (read whole ad ‘here’s to the crazy ones)
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit - Aristotle
Hire people better than you are
You can’t plan to meet the people who will change your life
It’s impossible to connect the dots looking forward, but they make sense looking backwards so you have to trust the dots will somehow connect in your future
Everything around you that you call life was made up by people no smarter than you
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