October 30, 2021

I have a life that many people may covet.

But I've got (what may be shocking) news for you. I'm not necessarily doing exactly what I think I was meant to do for the rest of my life.

Now, that doesn't mean that I'm not grateful for the journey I've taken thus far. But what served me earlier in my career is no longer fulfilling. I have been beating up my body for 20 years in the name of “fitness,” but as I near my 40th birthday, I am looking to realize and share many redefined thoughts on optimal bodily and spiritual fitness.

Recently, I had the chance to discuss this shift—along with many other topics including longevity, my love for water, and habit change—with my friend Jay Shetty.

Jay Shetty is a highly influential content producer. He's the host of one of the top podcasts in the world, On Purpose with Jay Shetty, the New York Times bestselling author of the book Think Like A Monk, and a recipient of the Forbes “30 Under 30” recognition. Jay has taught more than 2 million students worldwide on success, habits, and purpose through his free online course Genius.

Jay Shetty has a fascinating story. At age 21, he heard a monk speak and it changed his life. For the next three years, he went back and forth regularly between working for a large financial organization and also living as a monk in India. At the end of that time, Jay chose the life of a monk, rising daily at 4 a.m., meditating for 4-8 hours, studying timeless wisdom, and serving local communities. When Jay did eventually leave his life as a monk, he found that he was able to take with him a changed perspective on gratitude, realizing that it boosted his immune system, his mood, and his quality of sleep. Mastering his mind helped Jay manage negativity and overcome overthinking in addition to promoting calm. Discipline gave him the means to make an impact, and meditation allowed Jay clarity, confidence, and focus. Jay says he owes everything to the lessons he learned as a monk.

The last time I hung out with Jay Shetty, we were eating incredible five-star Sardinian food at the transformational event Mindvalley University. I was sitting with the founder and CEO of Mindvalley, Vishen Lakhiani, who is also an entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker. Vishen introduced me to Jay and we hit it off right away.

Now, three years later, Jay Shetty and I met up on the other side of the world when I had a chance to swing by his place down in LA. We had a fantastic chat about physical, emotional, and mental presence, fitness, sleep, water, the disentanglement of bodily and spiritual fitness, and much more.

In this discussion with Jay Shetty, you'll discover:

-What Jay Shetty and Ben say when they catch up on time shared together, Blue Zones, and more…04:25

• Blue Zones by Dan Buettner
• MindValley
• Podcasts with Vishen Lakhiani:
  • My Favorite “Health Hack”, How To Get the Best Night Of Sleep Possible, And How I Took 17 Years Off My Biological Age.
  • The World’s Best Phone Apps For Sleep, Meditation and Relaxation.

-Ben's confession of his love for the water…12:15

• Woven into the DNA via family heritage
• Trauma, skills transferred via DNA
• Finis bone-conducting headphones
• Finis swimming goggles with in-screen display
• Aquatic Fitness training pool
• Cold thermogenesis for cellular resilience, longevity, etc.
• Morozko Forge
• Podcast with Jason Stauffer and Adrienne Jezick:
  • The Giant Cold Thermogenesis Episode: Everything You Need To Know About Ice Baths, Cold Therapy, How Cold, How Long & Much More With Morozko Forge Cold Bath Experts!
• Clearlight Sauna

-Sleep hygiene, light discipline, and mindfulness of circadian rhythms…18:05

• Sleep cycle begins in the morning
• Joovv infrared light panels to simulate sunrise
• Light box for computers and SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)
• Infrared sauna
• Turn rooms into light “cave” with red incandescent lights
• Dimmer switches on lights cause dirty EMF
• Simulate torchlight at night our ancestors may have known
• Iris blue light filter software
• Drift Box to remove blue light from tv screens
• iPhone red light trick
• RaOptics blue light blocking glasses
• HumanCharger (use code BEN20 to save 20%)
• Skin is affected by light as well as the eyes
• 63-64°F is an optimal temp for sleep
• Chilipad
• Pull on wool socks when you go to bed
• Sleep Stream app
  • Pink noise is the best background noise for sleep
• Your bed should be a place where you're not in fight-or-flight mode (no laptops or business books)
• Television can replace dreaming
• Gravity blankets

-Making your bed a sanctuary and optimizing sleep…37:25

• Sleep researchers:
  • Matthew Walker
  • Nick Littlehales
  • Michael Breus
• Sleep 7-9 hrs per night (or within a 24-hr period)
• Post-lunch nap can simulate a full 90-minute sleep cycle
• NuCalm device and app
• Podcasts with Jim Poole of NuCalm:
  • The Best Biohack For Stress & Sleep (Simulates A Full Sleep Cycle In 20 Minutes While Blasting Away Stress & Giving You A Deep Meditative Experience), with Jim Poole.
  • How To Simulate A Full Sleep Cycle In 20 Minutes, The Best Stress Biohack That Exists, Vagus Nerve Stimulation & Much More!
• Hyperbaric chamber
• Lavender essential oil 
• HapBee
• Apollo Neuro
• Lucy nicotine gum (use code BEN20 to save 20%)

-That time in the distant past that Ben didn't feel Boundless…47:35

• Education was centered on classical education (Latin, reading the classics, etc.)
• Tennis was the first exposure to physical activity, learning about the body
• Beyond Training by Ben Greenfield
• Boundless by Ben Greenfield
• “Healthy on the outside, dying on the inside”
• There's a yearning in our soul for something beyond earthly pleasure
• “God-shaped hole” in our hearts – Blaise Pascal
• Devices and biohacks are the means by which we better achieve our purpose in life

-How our health affects our quality of life, for better or worse…1:01:34

• The best businesses are built on making an impact, and the money will follow
• We often neglect physical health while pursuing spiritual or emotional health; we need all three in balance
• Know your motives for exercise; to love others rather than look or feel a certain way

-Where we go wrong when it comes to changing habits…1:10:08

• Understand why you're doing a particular thing
• Make things as accessible and convenient as possible
• Stack or multitask biohacks and other tasks whenever possible

-Jay Shetty's rapid-fire questions…1:16:42

• The worst health advice Ben has ever received
• The best health advice Ben has ever received or given
• Ben's current life purpose
  • The Official Greenfield Family Q&A Podcast: Parenting, Cooking, Traditions, Legacy-Building, Family Game Nights & More!
• The first thing to do in the morning, and the last thing to do before bed
• What universal law Ben would ruthlessly enforce on humanity

-And much more!

Upcoming Events:

• Keep up on Ben's LIVE appearances by following bengreenfieldfitness.com/calendar

Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

– Jay Shetty:

• Jay Shetty Podcast
• Think Like A Monk

– Podcasts And Articles:

• My Favorite “Health Hack”, How To Get the Best Night Of Sleep Possible, And How I Took 17 Years Off My Biological Age, with Vishen Lakhiani.
• The Giant Cold Thermogenesis Episode: Everything You Need To Know About Ice Baths, Cold Therapy, How Cold, How Long & Much More With Morozko Forge Cold Bath Experts!
• The Best Biohack For Stress & Sleep (Simulates A Full Sleep Cycle In 20 Minutes While Blasting Away Stress & Giving You A Deep Meditative Experience), with Jim Poole.
• How To Simulate A Full Sleep Cycle In 20 Minutes, The Best Stress Biohack That Exists, Vagus Nerve Stimulation & Much More!
• Why Wild-Caught Fish Isn’t Necessarily Better, The Truth About Farmed Fish, How To Get Guilt-Free, Gourmet Seafood, Delicious DIY Sushi & Sashimi Recipes & Much More!
• Sunlight Makes You Skinny & Blue Light Makes You Fat: 11 Ways To Biohack Light To Optimize Your Body & Brain.
• Sabbath Ramblings: Who Am I?

– Books:

• Blue Zones by Dan Buettner
• Beyond Training by Ben Greenfield
• Boundless by Ben Greenfield

– Other Resources:

• MindValley
• Finis Music Player With Bone Conducting Headphones
• Finis Swimming Goggles With In-Screen See Through Display
• Endless Pools Aquatic Fitness Pool
• Morozko Forge
• Clearlight Sauna
• Red Incandescent Lights
• JOOVV Infrared Light Panels 
• Light Box
• RaOptics Blue Light Blocking Glasses
• HumanCharger (use code BEN20 to save 20%)
• Chilipad
• Wool Socks
• Sleep Stream App
• Gravity Blanket
• NuCalm Device And App
• Hyperbaric Chamber
• Lavender Essential Oil 
• HapBee
• Apollo Neuro
• Lucy Nicotine Gum (use code BEN20 to save 20%)
• iPhone Red Light Functionality
• Iris Blue Light Filter Software
• Sleep researchers:
  • Matthew Walker
  • Nick Littlehales
  • Michael Breus

Episode sponsors:

–Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations, Kion blends ancestral wisdom with modern science.

–Organifi Gold Chocolate: This superfood hot chocolate is loaded with herbs, medicinal mushrooms & healing ingredients to help the body fight disease during sleep. Receive a 20% discount on your entire order when you use discount code BENG20.

–Butcher Box: Delivers healthy 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage breed pork directly to your door on a monthly basis. All their products are humanely raised and NEVER given antibiotics or hormones.

–Lucy Nicotine Gum: If you are looking for a cleaner and tastier alternative to other nicotine products, then this product is for you. The gum comes in three flavors – Wintergreen, Cinnamon, and Pomegranate – and the lozenges in cherry ice. To save 20% on any order, just use discount code BEN20.

Got a question or comment about anything Jay Shetty and I talked about in this episode? Leave a comment below and one of us will reply!