About this episode
Today, Jay opens with an honest observation: most books don’t actually change your life. While many offer inspiration in the moment, they rarely shift how we truly think or live. What makes the difference, Jay explains, isn’t how much you read, it’s whether a single idea stays with you long enough to reshape your decisions, habits, and identity. Jay shares 10 books that genuinely changed his life, and the specific lessons that stayed with him long after he turned the last page. From rethinking how we judge our decisions to letting go of the need for approval, each book challenged a belief he once held. Jay explores how we often misinterpret our experiences, chase a single definition of purpose, and overwhelm our minds with unnecessary mental clutter. He also unpacks the hidden patterns that drive so much of our stress, like the illusion of certainty in our thinking and the instinct to defend our beliefs instead of questioning them. Through these insights, Jay invites you to look at your own thinking more closely, and to become more intentional about how you make decisions, what you believe, and how you show up every day. In this episode, you'll learn: How to Clear Mental Clutter and Think Better How to Question Your Own Thinking How to Take Action Without Perfection How to Understand People You Disagree With How to Focus on Effort, Not Results You are allowed to grow at your own pace. You are allowed to not have everything figured out. What matters is that you keep showing up with intention, with awareness, and with the courage to do things differently, even when it feels uncomfortable. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here: https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe  Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast  What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 01:46 Book 1: How to Decide: Why We Judge Decisions the Wrong Way 04:49 Book 2: Finding Your Element (The Myth of One True Purpose) 07:07 Book 3: An Organized Mind 09:48 Book 4: The Courage To Be Disliked 13:28 Book 5: Thinking, Fast and Slow 16:36 Book 6: Flow State  18:50 Book 7: The Lean Startup - Stop Overthinking, Start Testing 21:33 Book 8: The Righteous Mind 24:50 Book 9: Lessons From the Bhagavad Gita 27:04 Book 10: Breath: A Simple Way to Reset Your State See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Listen to this episode in English to learn English
Podcast episodes are one of the highest-density ways to absorb English at native pace. 10 Books That Changed My Life from On Purpose with Jay Shetty gives you natural dialogue, unscripted speech, and vocabulary that actually appears in real conversations.
In the Hinto app, every word in the transcript is tappable. Tap an unknown word, see the translation in your language instantly, and keep listening without breaking flow.
Episodes to Learn English
- CAMILA MENDES: "Perfectionism Was Ruining My Life" Jul 27, 2026
- How Healthy Couples Fight (3 Shifts You Need to Make) Jul 24, 2026
- KEKE PALMER: "At 17, I Had a Midlife Crisis” Jul 22, 2026
- KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS: How I Survived the Hardest Year of My Life Jul 20, 2026
- Your Dream Life Is 3 Brave Decisions Away Jul 17, 2026
- JAKE SHANE: “I Was Scared People Would Find Out Who I Am” Jul 15, 2026
- MILLIE BOBBY BROWN: "I Had A Panic Attack For 3 Months" Jul 13, 2026
- How to Let Go & Start Over (4 Shifts That Will Change Your Life) Jul 10, 2026
- Jay’s Must-Listens: The Biggest Lessons From 10 of Our Most Inspiring Conversations Jul 8, 2026
- Lucy Guo: The Fastest Way to Build a Business Today (The #1 Strategy That Saves You Months of Wasted Work) Jul 6, 2026
- Dr. Chris Palmer: Your Diet Could Be Causing Anxiety, Depression & Brain Fog (6 Simple Changes to Make Today) Jul 3, 2026
- Lucy Kalanithi: What Loss Can Teach Us About Living (The Perspective Shift That Changes Everything) Jul 1, 2026
- Layla Taylor EXCLUSIVE: The Truth She's Finally Ready To Share Jun 29, 2026
- If You Can't Stop Thinking About Your Ex, Do This (The Path To Real Closure) Jun 26, 2026
- John Mackey: Not Sure You're on the Right Path In Your Career? (Use THIS Framework When You Feel Lost About What's Next) Jun 24, 2026
- Dr. Jill Biden: The Hardest Moments No One Saw (The Untold Story of the White House Years) Jun 22, 2026
- Always “Too Tired” After Work? 5 Shifts to Optimize Your 5–9 and Finally Build the Life You Want Jun 19, 2026
- Stop Waiting to “Figure It Out!” (Do THIS In The Next 48 Hours to FINALLY Take the First Step in Finding Your Purpose) Jun 19, 2026
- Emilie Kiser EXCLUSIVE: The Loss That Changed Her Forever Jun 17, 2026
- Dr. Ramani: If You're Thinking About Going No Contact With a Family Member - Listen to THIS (How to Know If It's Time To Walk Away) Jun 15, 2026
- The Simple Question That Makes Every Decision Easier (Use THIS Daily Framework To FINALLY Get Unstuck) Jun 12, 2026
- Riz Ahmed: How to Silence Your Inner Critic (And Build REAL Self Worth) Jun 10, 2026
- Coral Santoro: The #1 Reason Most People Never Reach Their Goals (Use THIS 1% Rule to Keep Making Progress When Motivation Disappears) Jun 8, 2026
- Miles Chamley-Watson: #1 Mindset Shift That Changes Everything (Try THIS to Stay Sharp, Focused, and In Control) Jun 3, 2026
- Sara Al Madani: Stop Falling for “Potential” (Look for THIS Instead So You Don’t Waste Months on the Wrong Person) Jun 1, 2026
- Stuck in Hustle Mode 24/7? (7 Types of Rest to Finally Recharge Without the Guilt) May 29, 2026
- Matthew Hussey: The #1 Dating Mistake Keeping You Stuck (Focus On THIS Over Chemistry and Build a Lasting Relationship) May 27, 2026
- Alex O’Connor: #1 Shift That Stops Endless Overthinking (FINALLY Get Unstuck) May 25, 2026
- 7 Mindset Shifts That ACTUALLY Work (Finally Change How You Think, React & Show Up) May 22, 2026
- Dhar Mann: Not Where You Want to Be Yet? (Follow THIS 5-Step Framework to Stop Overthinking and Finally Take Action) May 20, 2026