The most hilarious and insightful motivational book (that's not a motivational book) you'll ever read.

"Even though I detest running (send me out on a 100 mile bike ride anytime), there's a lot of crossover when it comes to ultra-endurance sports. In "Living with a SEAL," the reader gets a very up close, and often hilarious, look at how the mindset of an endurance athlete is forged.

On the surface, Itzler's diary-like account of his month in hell is a breezy and entertaining glad-it's-not-me read but, when you look between the lines, there is a profound motivational quality lurking just under the surface thanks to SEAL's blunt words of wisdom and how Itzler interprets them. So much of the endurance game is mental and getting woken up in the wee hours of the morning by being called a "motherf'er" by one of the baddest motherf'ers on the planet is a swift kick in the motivational pants for both Itzler and the reader.

For anyone who's looking for a spark to get out of the rut of routine or a reminder that all it takes to go farther and harder is the will to do so (the 40% rule is a particularly big help), "Living with a SEAL" is a must read."

 I Couldn't Put This Book Down - Loved It!

"Jesse is about pushing the boundaries and doing things 'outside-the-box.' He's all about fitness, eating healthy, (only fruit until noon) running marathons, and staying in tip-top shape. Oh, and he's also a husband and father to four children.

This book tells the tale of when he hired a Navy SEAL to live with him and his family for 31 days to get him in the best shape of his life. The SEAL, who is only referred to as SEAL throughout the book, is a simple, no nonsense, tough as nails, light on words, bad-ass. The SEAL is known as 'the toughest athlete on the planet' and when you read the book you understand why.

We follow these two over the 31 days while Jesse still works flying back and forth between New York and Atlanta, Boston, and to their getaway home in Connecticut.

Jesse is put through a torturous routine of running, push-ups, pull-ups, weight-lifting, sit-ups, box jumps, burpees, and other exercises that push the human body to the limit.

It's a fantastic book and Jesse has an incredible sense of humor. There were a handful of times where I was literally laughing out loud."

Best Sports Motivation Book! Embrace the 40% Rule!

"This book is hilarious. I read it in one day. I just couldn't stop reading. Living with a SEAL is the perfect combination of a self-help book and a comedy. SEAL is the ideal motivation coach, period. He is able to push Jesse from 100 to 1000 push-ups in less than 4 weeks! On the other side, Jesse tells his training story with Seal in a funny and entertaining way and adds witty anecdotes of himself (co-founder of Marquis Jet and Zico, former rapper), his companies and his wife Sara Blakely (founder of Spanx).
After reading Living with a Seal I started to work out much more and applied Seal's 40% rule: when you think you’re done and have reached your limit, you’re only 40 percent done. You can still tap into your reserve tank. SEAL believes our limits are self-imposed. The book offers many motivating quotes from SEAL, like: If you want to be pushed to your limits, you have to train to your limits."

Entertaining Book That Also Makes You Stop and Think

"I loved the author's first book (Living with a Seal) so I was real excited for this one. But I have to admit, I feared it might be a letdown and just more of the same. I didn't have to worry -- it was just as good, if not better than the first! And it's different - I think "Seal" has more laugh out loud moments, while "Monks" is consistently enjoyable and thought-provoking throughout.

Both books draw you in and make you feel like you're experiencing a life challenge together with the author. As Jesse leaves his fast-paced life to spend time living with monks, you find yourself rooting for him to make it through and also stopping to think how his experiences apply to your own life. I particularly loved the 10 real world benefits at the end - you can only fully appreciate them if you read the book, but they are set off in a separate ending chapter to make it easy to refer back to them in the coming months. Overall, I highly recommend this book!"

READ THIS BOOK!!!!!

"I can not say enough good things about this book. It's just a book you have to read to understand why I love it so much. It's witty, deep, philosophical, spiritual, hilarious, thought provoking, and overall a fun and easy read. Reading it will bring about some sort of change for you whether that is something spiritual, intellectual, professional, or personal.....read it, do the work, and then pass the book to a friend. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!"

Many Good Takeaways!

"This is an easy read with some good takeaway lessons. ‘Remember tomorrow’ is my new mantra meaning you should consider how you will feel tomorrow as you do whatever you are doing today. Don’t quit or put in a lesser effort because tomorrow you will be disappointed in your choice to give less than you could have today. Slowing down, being present in whatever task you are doing, taking pride in your work- including the mundane task of life, smiling and finding joy in the simple things, meditating/praying...there are so many good reminders for those of us that feel too busy all the time (all of us!). It was fun to live through Jessie’s experience at a monastery but his other takeaway point is to go create those adventures or experiences for your life resume for yourself- don’t just read the books and go to the seminars. That is why I signed up for his 29029 challenge with my husband. Let Jesse and this book inspire you to do more with your life and to build your life resume!"