Book SummaryThink Like a Monk, by Jay Shetty

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Think Like a Monk

Would you climb Mount Everest in shorts?

You might assume that attempting such a feat would kill anybody—but it didn’t kill Wim Hof, also known as The Iceman. A renowned motivational speaker, Hof has baffled scientists with his record-breaking ability to survive extremely low temperatures that would kill the average human.

(Shortform note: Hof didn’t summit Mount Everest because he got frostbite on his foot; however, he did make it to 24,500 feet (7,467...

Think Like a Monk Summary How Wim Hof Developed His Method

In this section, we’ll first discuss Hof’s life and how he developed—and eventually dedicated his life to sharing—the Wim Hof Method.

Hof describes how his journey was practically prophesied from birth. Born in 1959 in the Netherlands, Hof is an identical twin. His brother Andre came first, and since echo technology didn’t yet exist, the hospital staff didn’t believe his mother when she insisted that another baby was coming. By the time they realized their mistake, they had to heavily medicate his mother so that she could deliver Hof safely. Under the influence of these drugs, Hof’s religious mother became convinced that her son would die—and yelled out to God that she would make her son a missionary if he let her child live.

Although Hof never became a religious missionary, he did ultimately discover his own mission: sharing the Wim Hof Method, which he started developing in his late teens. He narrates that after dropping out of school, he moved into a squatter’s home at 17 and spent his days living as he chose. He soon became intrigued by an icy pond at nearby Beatrixpark—and one day, he went into the water naked. Despite only staying in the water for a short time, Hof felt...

Think Like a Monk Summary Understanding Cold Exposure

According to Hof, repeated cold exposure is the first component of the Wim Hof Method. In this section, we’ll first explain why to practice cold exposure and then how you should do it.

(Shortform note: Hof never explicitly defines what constitutes “cold exposure.” Rather, he discusses two main examples of cold exposure: cold showers and ice baths. Our summary focuses on cold showers because Hof presents them (and not ice baths) as the cornerstone of the Wim Hof method.)

Why Repeated Cold Exposure Is Good for You

Many people hate the cold—so why should you bother exposing yourself to it? Hof contends that there are two main health benefits to cold exposure: reduced susceptibility to disease and a greater ability to handle stress.

First, Hof argues that repeated cold exposure reduces your susceptibility to disease by improving the function of your circulatory, or vascular, system—the muscles and veins that deliver blood and nutrients throughout your body.

Hof explains that when you’re cold, the smaller muscles of your circulatory system must work harder than usual in order to maintain your core body temperature. But due to the advent of climate-control...

Think Like a Monk Summary Understanding Breathwork

The second component of the Wim Hof Method, according to Hof, is his breathing exercises—which we’ll call breathwork. In this section, we’ll explain why you should practice breathwork and how to do it.

Why You Should Practice Breathwork

We breathe all the time—so why bother learning how to practice Hof’s specific brand of breathing? Hof argues that his breathwork has three main benefits: It increases your energy, it reduces disease, and it reduces inflammation.

First, Hof explains that breathwork increases your energy by altering your biochemistry. By controlling your breathing as Hof suggests, you increase the amount of oxygen in your body, which in turn increases the number of energy molecules (called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP) in your cells. This leads to more energy.

(Shortform note: In addition to breathwork, there are several other methods for increasing your ATP—and consequently, your energy. For example, experts recommend consuming more fats and protein from meat and fish and increasing your water intake.)

Second, Hof argues that breathwork can reduce disease....

Think Like a Monk Summary Understanding Your Mind

The third and final component of the Wim Hof Method is your mindset, or attitude. In this section, we’ll first explore why your attitude is critical to reaping the full benefits of the Wim Hof Method. Then, we’ll describe how you can embody the right attitude every day.

(Shortform note: Hof’s description of the mindset component, which he also calls the “power of the mind,” encompasses both the attitude with which you approach the Wim Hof Method and the will you develop by practicing the method in its entirety. Since these happen at separate times, we’ve presented them as two separate entities: your attitude, which we’ll discuss in this section, and your will, which we’ll discuss in the next section.)

Why Your Attitude Matters

Hof argues that your attitude is critical to the Wim Hof Method because it ensures that the other two components (cold exposure and breathwork) work as effectively as possible.

Why is this so? Hof believes that we’re able to consciously influence our autonomic nervous system not just via our breathwork but also via our minds. As evidence, Hof points to a 2008 experiment that found that he was able to control his vagus nerve—a cranial...

Think Like a Monk Summary Bringing the Components Together: The Benefits of Continual Practice

You’ve now learned the benefits of each component of the Wim Hof Method—but why do you need to practice all three together? According to Hof, continually practicing the Wim Hof Method has two major benefits: You gain greater control over unconscious physical processes, and you unlock enlightenment.

First, Hof argues that by continually practicing his method, you can access your “will”—your power over unconscious physical processes. Hof argues that by improving your understanding of your body, you improve your ability to impact it. By repeatedly exposing yourself to cold and practicing breathwork, you fine-tune your understanding of your physical body—notably, your interoception (your understanding of what’s happening within your body, such as whether you’re wired or tired). As a result, you improve your ability to manage the unconscious physical processes you can now sense—like your heartbeat.

Other Benefits of Improving Your Interoception

There is a lack of research on whether improving your understanding of your body can help you control your unconscious physical processes, but research does suggest that improving your interoception has some...

Shortform Exercise: Define Your Values

According to Shetty, defining the values you want to live by is vital to experiencing satisfaction and happiness in your life.

Describe two types of experiences that feel most meaningful to you. Consider moments during which you feel satisfaction, joy, or at peace with yourself. For example, you may feel satisfied when you’re making use of your creative talents, or at peace with yourself when you’re walking your dog early in the morning and see the sun rise.

Shortform Exercise: Practice Gratitude and Focus on What’s Going Well

Shetty claims that the more you practice feeling gratitude, the easier you find it to remain positive and take advantage of opportunities that align with your values.

Consider your experiences over this past week and write down five things that you have to be grateful for. For example, you might feel thankful for the affection you got from your kids, the coffee your colleague brought to your desk, or the smile from your bus driver on a rainy day.