Jay Shetty’s MasterClass has just come out. And the moment I saw the title, Navigating Change, I thought to myself: well, isn’t this exactly what I need right now?
The next thought that occurred was: isn’t that what everyone needs right now?
As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus supposedly said, the only constant in life is change. Dealing with all kinds of changes is inevitable, and yet, more often than not, we are terrified of it.
In his MasterClass, Jay Shetty discusses why we struggle to embrace change. More importantly, he talks about the ways we can break those barriers successfully and become better at making decisions.
In the following paragraphs, I’ll tell you all about my learning experience so you can determine whether this course is the type of change you need in your life.
Table of Contents
What is the Jay Shetty MasterClass?
“Jay Shetty teaches Navigating Change” is an online course offered by MasterClass, a subscription-based platform known for well-produced video lessons taught by experts in the field.
Jay Shetty is a popular British author, podcaster, and life coach. He is best known for his podcast, where he chats with experts and public figures about the common and uncommon challenges of life.
Some of the topics Shetty often talks about with his guests, as well as in his written work, include motivation, change, and purpose. In other words, he comes well-prepared as the instructor for this course.
Unlike most of the other MasterClasses, Jay Shetty’s course contains only one video with a duration of 1 hour and 18 minutes. It’s a rather short course, but it’s fast-paced and condensed, offering a wealth of information regarding change and effective ways people can deal with it.
Apart from sharing his knowledge and tips on how to navigate change, Shetty is joined by renowned experts to discuss various relevant topics such as resilience, decision-making, and uncertainty.
Who is Jay Shetty?
Jay Shetty is a British-Indian best-selling author, former monk, and podcaster. With more than 64 million downloads, his podcast has been proclaimed one of the best health podcasts in the world.
Jay Shetty’s journey began at age 21 when he became a monk. After leaving India, he applied what he learned to the real world. For him, mindfulness wasn’t just a tool; it was a way of life.
Shetty now lives in Los Angeles and is one of the world’s most popular podcasters. He has interviewed many public figures, stars, and experts. Except from the podcast, he shared the lessons he learned as a monk in his book Think Like a Monk, which became a best-seller.
He also published the book 8 Rules of Love in 2023.
Through his work, Shetty aims to help people become more aware of their capabilities. As he claims, he can’t make your problems disappear, but he can give you the tools to overcome them.
Who is Jay Shetty’s MasterClass for?
The target audience for Jay Shetty’s MasterClass is pretty wide.
The thing is, everyone has to deal with change on a day-to-day basis. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or someone in between jobs, learning how to accept change and overcome uncertainty can be very beneficial.
Changes happen in personal lives as well, and that’s sometimes even more difficult to handle.
And sometimes, a life-changing event just happens, and there is no way of stopping it. The only thing you can do is choose how to react to it.
Whether it’s the change you choose or the changes that choose you, approaching it mindfully can only result in something good. Things are never 100% successful, as Jay reminds us, but you can learn to make better decisions. And ultimately, you can learn how to make these decisions more successful.
That being said, Jay Shetty’s class is for anyone who is ready to think more deeply about decisions, life changes, uncertainty, and grief.
It’s a very useful course that offers a bunch of tips that can help you deal with whatever comes your way.
What does Jay Shetty’s MasterClass cover?
As I just mentioned, Jay Shetty’s course is ideal for those struggling to accept change, as well as anyone ready for some self-reflection.
The course is short and concise, though, so it doesn’t provide an in-depth look into certain topics. I wish some topics were explored in a deeper, more detailed way, especially the parts when Jay is discussing and exchanging stories with fellow experts.
But perhaps the purpose of this course isn’t to educate as much as to motivate. If that’s the case, I think it certainly achieved its goals.
Jay provides a great foundation to build on, and he encourages you to use his exercises to dig deeper into yourself and the meaning of the decision you’re about to make.
Some of the things Jay and other renowned experts discuss and teach in the course include:
- Why change is difficult
- How to make better decisions
- How to overcome uncertainty
- How to strengthen resilience
- A meditation for navigating change
My favorite parts of Jay Shetty’s MasterClass
Why change is difficult
We aren’t built to facilitate change. And that’s why we’re often scared of making a big change.
In this chapter, Jay Shetty is joined by an award-winning behavioral scientist, Dr. Katy Milkman. They discuss why we aren’t built to facilitate change and what it means to be present biased.
It was interesting to hear what modern science has to say about change. And it’s always comforting to hear that we are all the same.
How to make better decisions
In this insightful chapter, Jay digs deeper into decision-making tools. He explains five stages that can help you make better decisions:
- Learning
- Experimenting
- Performing
- Struggling
- Thriving
All of these stages are proof that decision-making isn’t binary and that it’s not all about one big decision.
How to overcome uncertainty
One of the reasons people usually fear change is uncertainty. So, in this chapter, cognitive researcher Maya Shankar talks with Jay about tools and techniques to deal with uncertainty.
They explain and discuss mental time travel, venting, and the significance of awe-inspiring experiences.
How much does the MasterClass cost?
MasterClass is a subscription-based learning platform, so it’s not possible to purchase courses individually. If you want to take this MasterClass, you have to become a subscriber.
The standard annual plan has been renamed "Plus" and is available at $120 a year (which makes it $10 per month, billed annually), and now provides access to all MasterClass courses on two devices instead of one. The Premium plan, providing access for up to six devices costs $240 per year.
A MasterClass subscription gives you unlimited access to a catalog of 200+ classes, so if you want to take multiple classes throughout the year, the subscription is definitely worth it, and there are pleny of interesting courses on related topics to explore.
Also, the platform offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, so if you’re not happy with your learning experience, you can request a full refund.
Note that the "Standard" membership, priced at $72 per year, only gives you access to their short-form learning content – none of their full MasterClasses are included.
What I liked about Jay Shetty’s MasterClass
Although I think some things could be improved, I generally enjoyed the course.
After all, it’s a short course, and I believe its purpose is to provide a foundation to build and, well, inspire change.
Either way, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn how to navigate change and understand their own mind a little better.
Some of the reasons why I believe this class is worth taking include:
Great teacher
Obviously, Jay is a great speaker and teacher. He knows how to speak in a clear and understandable yet informative, condensed way.
His points are always clear, and he is not hesitant about sharing his personal views and experiences. He doesn’t speak too much of himself, though, which makes this course well-balanced.
I’m not familiar with his books, but I agree with many of the points he made in the course. For instance, I agree that it’s not good to advise people that they should only see the positive side of life. It’s important to see reality, and that’s the only way to really get to know yourself and the world around you and do something purposeful.
Inspiring ideas
I think this course is not as educational as it is encouraging and inspiring.
At the end of the day, you can learn a lot about psychology and ancient practice in a library or online. But learning about someone’s personal life-changing experiences and insights is another thing entirely.
Jay evidently has a lot to share. He is a former monk and one of the most sought-after speakers and health podcasters in the world. In a way, this MasterClass is a summary of what he learned about change so far.
On the other hand, he left most of the work to me as a learner. He gave me the tools and motivation, and it’s on me to do further research and exploration.
Useful tips
Although it’s here to inspire and motivate, Jay’s class also provides a bunch of useful tips.
For example, when talking about grief and difficult life events, he suggests asking yourself what’s the smallest thing you can do. That’s precisely what he did when he found out his friend had died.
Drawbacks of Jay Shetty’s MasterClass
As you can see, Jay’s MasterClass has many benefits.
But there’s one thing that could bring it to the next level…
The structure could be better
The idea behind Jay Shetty’s MasterClass is to inspire as well as equip learners with the necessary tools to navigate life’s inevitable change. They’ve done so by providing a single video lesson that combines discussions, 1-to-1 lessons, and exercises.
While the whole course flows in a nice and logical way, I do prefer bite-sized lessons. They help me stay focused and organized, and I can easily go back to some parts I want to re-watch.
In this case, you can’t just go back to exercises, and there’s no accompanying class guidebook that often contains this sort of information. So, if you want to take something out of it for good, you need to make a lot of notes.
Finally, due to the course’s structure and short duration, I didn’t feel like I learned something completely new from Jay. He has a ton of content online, so I guess I expected a little bit more from his MasterClass.
Review conclusion: Is Jay Shetty’s MasterClass worth it?
I was familiar with Jay Shetty’s work before taking this course. And I got exactly what I expected. Whether this is a good thing or not depends on the way you look at it.
Needless to say, Jay is a skilled speaker. He is eloquent, confident, and friendly, and his conversations are generally interesting to watch.
In his class, he tackles important topics such as grief, overcoming uncertainty, and understanding your reasons. He provides concrete tips and useful exercises that can help you improve your decision-making skills and generally make you more accepting of change.
Although Jay’s class doesn’t offer in-depth theoretical knowledge or some fresh perspectives I’ve never heard before, I think it’s important to have this kind of course and discussion. We are all capable of understanding ourselves and others a little better, and that can ultimately improve the quality of our lives.
It’s not easy, but it’s definitely possible.
In any case, if you’re interested in exploring the ways you can get to where you truly want to be, Jay’s class would be a great place to start.
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