Who is the author of The Buddha and the Badass?

Vishen Lakhiani is the author of The Buddha and the Badass.

Motivation & Inspiration

The Buddha and the Badass Book Summary - The Buddha and the Badass Book explained in key points

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The Buddha and the Badass summary

Name: The Buddha and the Badass
Rating: 4.4 (448 reviews)
Author: Vishen Lakhiani

Vishen Lakhiani

The Secret Spiritual Art of Succeeding at Work

4.4 (448 ratings)

29 mins

Brief summary

The Buddha and the Badass by Vishen Lakhiani is a personal development book that combines ancient teachings with modern techniques to help readers transform their lives and businesses.

Topics

Inspiration Career Progress Success

Table of Contents

The Buddha and the Badass
Summary of 9 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 9

What’s in it for me? Elevate your experience of life and work.

We’ve heard over and over that we need to work hard if we want to succeed. And so we hustle and strive, compromising our personal lives for the sake of jobs that, in most cases, we don’t even enjoy. But what if it doesn’t have to be this way?

Well, it is possible to be happy and fulfilled at work and in life. And achieving this requires activating two parts of ourselves: the Buddha and the badass.

The Buddha is deeply aligned with the inner self, and allows that self to guide. The badass is a changemaker, constantly improving and working to make a difference in the world. When we activate and combine the strengths of these two parts, we can easily identify inspiring goals and work toward them with joy and ease.

These blinks explore how to awaken the Buddha and the badass within and start mastering every aspect of your life.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

how to discover your foundational values;
just how often Google fails; and
that a few questions can change your life.

Knowing your foundational values brings clear direction and meaning.

Most of us know that every person has a unique fingerprint. Well, the author suggests that we also have unique soulprints.

While fingerprints form before we’re born, soulprints are created by our early life experiences. Everything we go through, the good, the bad, and the ugly, leaves an impression. The result of this soulprint is a set of foundational values that guide decisions and behavior, mostly on an unconscious level. Becoming aware of these foundational values is the first step to connecting to our inner selves and unlocking the Buddha.

The key message here is: Knowing your foundational values brings clear direction and meaning.

Foundational values are instilled during childhood and adolescence. They remain quite stable throughout adulthood as well, changing only in the wake of life-altering experiences such as trauma. Think of these values like a constitution, amended only rarely and for critically important reasons.

Once we’re aware of our foundational values, we can connect with what we truly desire and need. This makes it easier to know what impact we want to have on the world, as well as the actions and roles that will resonate with us. If we don’t know what our foundational values are, we might end up pursuing a career that makes us miserable.

So the question is: How do you uncover your foundational values?

The author recommends an origin story exercise. This involves careful reflection on your life to identify important experiences. Such events deeply inform your values because you never want to forget them – or hope never to go through them again. And this influences your future behavior.

Having singled out these experiences, the next step is to write them out in as much detail as possible. This should include what happened, who was present, and how you felt. Finally, think about what lessons and beliefs emerged from each experience, and what values they represent. For example, when the author reflected on encountering bullying and racism, he realized that these moments had instilled the values of compassion and diversity in him.

Once you’re conscious of your foundational values, you can use them to inform your decisions, the goals you set, and the projects you take on.

To attract the right people, communicate your deeper purpose and your plan clearly.

Once you’re pursuing work and goals that match your foundational values, you need to surround yourself with people who can help you accomplish them. But you can’t partner up with just anyone. The people you work with must be like-minded and aligned with your values. The good news is that you can ensure such people are drawn to you.

The key message here is: To attract the right people, communicate your deeper purpose and your plan clearly.

When you encourage social bonds, you increase happiness, engagement, and performance levels.

When collaborating on work or personal projects, what influences success?

You’re likely thinking of strengths, communication, responsibilities, and timelines. And you’re not wrong; these are definitely important when working with people. But there’s another component that’s absolutely essential – social connection.

Choose a mission that will leave the world a better place.

Today, the world is connected in more ways than ever. This has many benefits, but it also creates significant responsibilities. Our actions and choices have far-reaching consequences, a fact that is especially true in business.

Some companies focus only on profit, ignoring the harm that they or their products are causing. These are what the author calls Humanity Minus companies. Needless to say, this isn’t in alignment with either the Buddha or the badass mentality. Merging the strengths of both the Buddha and the badass means being Humanity Plus – having a mission that adds value to the world.

Don’t be afraid of bold visions; they help you accomplish great things.

Have you ever heard of the flea-in-the-jar experiment?

Scientists placed fleas in an open jar, and, as you’d expect, they all jumped out. Then they were placed in a sealed jar for a few days, and something interesting happened. When the lid was removed, the fleas didn’t jump out. Even though there was nothing stopping them, they’d been conditioned to jump only as high as the jar’s opening.

For an optimal work environment, allow people to communicate freely and act quickly.

Picture this: you’re brainstorming with a colleague and the two of you are on fire. You’re completely in sync, building on each other’s ideas with lightning speed. It’s fun and exciting, and you both feel that you’re on to something amazing.

There’s a term for this. It’s called brain coupling, and neuroscientists have found that when people experience it, their brains are literally on the same frequency. This means they operate like one unified superbrain.

For immunity to setbacks and pressure, know that you’re enough and design a life that’s uniquely yours.

You’ve probably met people who aren’t bothered by other people’s opinions of them. They march to the beat of their own drum, and easily brush off setbacks, be it a failed date or a bit of negative feedback. Such people have achieved something powerful; they’ve overcome the need to feel significant in the eyes of others.

This takes some work because humans naturally crave approval. But when people are totally comfortable with who they are, their confidence is impossible to shake and they gain full control of their lives. This is a badass quality, and, luckily, it’s an attitude that you, too, can develop.

Aim for constant, deliberate growth in all areas of your life.

Do you remember when you started chasing success? Maybe your parents encouraged you to, or you noticed that successful people are celebrated and praised. However you came to the idea, you’re not alone in thinking that life is all about how much you achieve.

But this isn’t the point of life at all. You shouldn’t be focused on pursuing success. Rather, your ultimate goal should be growth.

Your identity informs your experience. See yourself differently and your life will change.

What does your ideal self look like?

Maybe this perfect you is incredibly fit. Or in a fantastic relationship. Or rich enough to never worry about money. Now, what if someone told you that you can become that person? All you have to do is decide that that’s who you are.

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What is The Buddha and the Badass about?

The Buddha and the Badass (2020) breaks down how to master work and life by drawing on a deep awareness of self and learning how to make an impact. These blinks provide practical steps for bringing real meaning to your work, accomplishing bold missions alongside others, and designing and living your ideal life.

The Buddha and the Badass Review

The Buddha and the Badass (2020) by Vishen Lakhiani explores the concept of merging spirituality and work to create a fulfilling and successful career. Here's why this book is worth reading:

It offers a fresh perspective on integrating personal growth and professional achievement, providing practical strategies to combine passion and purpose.
Through compelling case studies and personal stories, the book demonstrates how embracing spirituality can lead to increased productivity, creativity, and fulfillment in the workplace.
With its engaging writing style and thought-provoking ideas, the book manages to make the topic of spirituality in business intriguing and relevant.

Best quote from The Buddha and the Badass

You dont have to save the world. Just dont mess it up for the next generation.

—Vishen Lakhiani

Who should read The Buddha and the Badass?

People who want their work to have meaning and impact
Leaders who want to inspire their teams
Anyone who wants to transform their personal and professional life

About the Author

Vishen Lakhiani is an author, speaker, and the founder and CEO of Mindvalley, an award-winning personal growth platform with over two million students. He’s also the brain behind A-Fest, an annual event that brings together thousands of people from around the world to learn from leading experts, entrepreneurs, visionaries, and more. Lakhiani’s first book, The Code of the Extraordinary Mind, is a New York Times best seller.

Categories with The Buddha and the Badass

Motivation & Inspiration Career & Success Mindfulness & Happiness

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