HarperCollins Publishers UK has announced that it will publish THINK LIKE A MONK: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day by Jay Shetty, on April 14th, 2020. HarperNonFiction Publishing Strategy Director Oli Malcolm acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Anna Carmichael at Abner Stein and James Levine at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. HarperNonFiction will publish alongside Simon & Schuster in the US and with its sister companies in India, Australia and New Zealand.
In his forthcoming book, Shetty, social media superstar and host of the #1 podcast “On Purpose,” distills the timeless wisdom he learned as a monk into practical steps anyone can take every day to live a less anxious, more meaningful life.
Shetty writes, “I grew up in a family where you could become one of three things: a doctor, a lawyer, or a failure. My family was convinced I had chosen option three. Instead of attending my college graduation ceremony, I headed to India to become a monk, to meditate every day for 4-8 hours and devote my life to helping others.”
After three years, one of his teachers told him that he would have more impact on the world if he left the monk’s path to share his experience and wisdom with others. Heavily in debt, and with no recognizable skills on his resume, he moved back home to north London with his parents. Shetty reconnected with old school friends—many working for some of the world’s largest corporations—who were experiencing tremendous stress, pressure, and unhappiness, and they invited Shetty to coach them on wellbeing, purpose, and mindfulness.
Since then Shetty has become one of the world’s most popular influencers. In 2017, he was named in the Forbes magazine 30-under-30 for being a game-changer in the world of media. In 2018, he had the #1 video on Facebook with over 360 million views. His social media following totals over 32 million, he has produced over 400 viral videos which have amassed more than 5 billion views, and his podcast, “On Purpose,” is consistently ranked the world’s #1 Health and Wellness podcast.
In this inspiring, empowering book, Shetty draws on his time as a monk in the Vedic tradition to show us how we can clear the roadblocks to our potential and power. Drawing on ancient wisdom and his own rich experiences in the ashram, THINK LIKE A MONK reveals how to overcome negative thoughts and habits, and access the calm and purpose that lie within all of us.
The lessons monks learn are profound but often abstract. Shetty transforms them into advice and exercises we can all apply to reduce stress, sharpen focus, improve relationships, identify our hidden abilities, increase self-discipline, and give the gifts we find in ourselves to the world. Shetty proves that everyone can—and should—think like a monk.
“I’ve been so fortunate that I could bring the wisdom I learned as a monk to so many people through my videos, posts, and talks. But for a long time I’ve wanted to dive into that wisdom more deeply, to offer more detail, more insights. And I’ve heard from my audience that they want the same,” said Jay Shetty. “A book is the perfect way to provide that deep insight, and I’m thrilled to be sharing this book with the world.”
Publishing Strategy Director Oli Malcolm says “It’s an immense privilege to be publishing THINK LIKE A MONK by Jay Shetty onto the Thorsons list at HarperCollins, and it goes without saying this will be a hugely important book for us in the UK, in India and in many, many other international territories. Given the clarity of his vision, and the engagement of his colossal global following, it’s entirely appropriate that Jay will sit alongside some of the icons of this list including Paolo Coelho, Robin Sharma and Steve Biddulph.”
Jay Shetty is a storyteller, podcaster and former monk. Shetty’s vision is to Make Wisdom Go Viral. He is on a mission to share the timeless wisdom of the world in an accessible, relevant and practical way. Shetty has created over 400 viral videos with over 5 billion views, and hosts the #1 Health and Wellness podcast in the world, “On Purpose.” More at jayshetty.me
