How to Think Like a Monk with Jay Shetty

Bulletproof radio, a state of high performance. Why are people in their early 20s or even late teens so much more flexible than people later in life? Because you were able to just make that big transition. Why?

I mean, I think it's because we just get more and more set in our ways and habits and stagnant. And it's kind of the way society has been set up too. It's almost like you're studying up until the age of 21, you have a lot of change and you're kind of spoon fed or guided the whole way. And then all of a sudden after 21, there's no map anymore. And so I think we almost get shut off when we get into fear and security mode because all of a sudden there's no next step. Whereas when you're studying, you're like, oh yeah, I know I've got to go college next year or I'm going to go to this class next year, I'm going to study that next year. Once you're after 21, there is zero map, zero guidance, zero trajectory. So you go, okay, let me play it safe, let me, let me figure it out. And I also think as your responsibilities grow in your life, you start to think differently. So when you get married, you now start thinking about someone else. When you buy your first house, you now start thinking about the mortgage. I think as we grow older in life, our responsibilities scare us from taking new steps. But that doesn't mean it's not possible. I still know plenty of people that have taken those wild steps later on that. But I think it becomes harder and we have to be much more intentional.

It makes a lot of sense. There's really not that much to lose when you're 19, right? And so many entrepreneurs have done it. The problem is though, when you're 19 or 22 or whatever, you really don't know what you don't know yet. So you're more likely to make stupid mistakes. Which is why you see very few people like Mark Zuckerberg. Oh, I started this thing when I was 23, 24, 25. It's because they were getting really good advice and I'm seeing something new. I put my hat on, you know, 20 something years ago when I was 25 and I was like, no, I know everything and you know, I'm going to. And my career was, I made $6 million when I was 26. I wasn't screwing around. But I lost it when I was 28 because I didn't take advice right? And I look at what I could have done if I would have just listened. But now I see, you know, you've got whatever, 20 million something followers, and it's like there's a hunger from young people to actually learn and listen that wasn't present in my generation. I'm talking like I'm old here. I'm not particularly old. I'm 28% of my lifespan. But what's different about this generation that you see? By the way, how old are you?

I'm 30. I was 33 yesterday. Yesterday was my birthday.

All right, so you've lived through your 20s, but you still got your 30s and 40s. So what do you think is different? Do you have a sense of that?

I think one parts of part of its access, and that's what it was for me. Like, I never expected to meet a monk. And now you may not have to meet a monk, but you have your own monk in your life that you can now meet because of social media and because of courses online and because of books across the world that are easy to access. So I think one part of it is access. I think I know stories of people in the 60s and 70s that hitchhiked across the world, world searching for the truth. I know some of my monk teachers who hitchhiked across the world looking for the truth and spiritual paths in ways that we would never do because they were so dangerous that we feel today. So I feel like the journey's different because there's more access. And these themes have become more prevalent in today's society because I think more people have taken on the responsibility to share and to educate and to teach. I think there are much more. There are many more teachers and educators in the world today than there ever been. And that's a positive thing because it means that more people have more choice about who they want to learn from.