Fit Mind - by Liam McClintock (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Bridging cutting-edge neuroscience and ancient meditation tools, Fit Mind is a practical guide to unlocking our highest potential for well-being in everyday life.

Our minds rarely savor the present. Instead, they replay painful memories, spiral into needless worries, mildly panic when the Wi-Fi drops, and chatter internally at up to 4,000 words per minute. While this may seem normal, there's a better alternative: a fit mind.

Buddhist monk and FitMind founder Liam McClintock shares a powerful, little-known meditation method that's accessible anywhere--at home, at work, or on the move. This training is both simple and enjoyable. Yet it goes far beyond conventional mental health, tapping into our full capacity for vitality, presence, compassion, and enduring joy. That is, mental fitness.

Despite an Ivy League education and a promising career in private equity, Liam found himself unfulfilled. The problem, he realized, was all in his mind. So he left finance and studied under renowned meditation masters across the globe--from the Amazon jungle to the Himalayan foothills. How do these "mental Olympians" train? Which techniques are most effective? And how do they live, day to day?

Eventually, Liam met a Buddhist monk who had the answers. This eccentric teacher revealed a method for optimal mental fitness. Grounded in 2,500 years of contemplative wisdom and supported by modern science, it offers a complete toolkit for beginners and experienced meditators alike.

Readers will discover how to:

• Activate blissful "playlists" in the brain on command
• Quiet the mind's excess chatter--going beyond thought entirely
• Enter profound altered states of consciousness
• Gain deep insights into the workings of the mind
• Experience lasting shifts in perception, awareness, and well-being

Fit Mind also demystifies how the brain works, uncovering new findings on meditation that challenge popular assumptions. Overall, the neuroscience points to a higher potential within all of us. And, thankfully, it doesn't require escape from daily life. With this method, anyone can train an extraordinary mind--right in the midst of an ordinary routine.

Review Quotes

"Liam McClintock's Fit Mind is the real deal. It takes the ancient contemplative practices that transformed my own life and leadership and fuses them with cutting-edge neuroscience in a clear, no-nonsense 4-step system any warrior, leader, or high-performer can put to work immediately. These are battle-tested tools to rewire your brain for lasting bliss, laser focus, and authentic joy that no external circumstance can touch."--Mark Divine, Retired U.S. Navy SEAL Commander, Founder of SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind, bestselling author of The Way of the SEAL

"This book is a beautiful blend of contemplative and theoretical neuroscience. It offers a truly authentic narrative for enhancing the adaptive fitness of our minds that is easier to understand--and implement--than it should be."--Karl Friston, PhD, Professor of Neuroscience at University College London, ranked the world's #1 most influential neuroscientist by Semantic Scholar

"If you've ever wondered how to experience the depth of meditation without stepping away from daily life, Fit Mind will show you the way. The book offers a practical guide to accessing profound states and transformative insights, even amidst a busy schedule. Its 4-step method is elegant, grounded in science, and surprisingly fun."--Shauna Shapiro, PhD, Professor of Psychology at Santa Clara University, author of Rewire Your Mind

"Fit Mind gives you a no-nonsense mental tune-up. Liam McClintock lays out science-backed steps that cut through reactivity and sharpen focus. It's a practical guide for anyone who wants a stronger mind and a more balanced way to meet the chaos of daily life."--Cortland Dahl, PhD, Scientist & Meditation Teacher, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Tergar International, Chief Contemplative Officer at Healthy Minds Innovations, co-author of Born to Flourish

"This book is a rare gift for translating between the ineffable and the scientific...The new groundbreaking science of deep meditation has never been more accessible."--Ruben Laukkonen, PhD, Computational Neuroscientist & AI Researcher, Co-Director of the Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing at Oxford

"Fit Mind is an accessible and insightful guide to understanding--and training--the mind. By masterfully weaving neuroscience and storytelling, contemplative wisdom and practical tools, Liam McClintock outlines a path to presence, resilience, and happiness. A valuable companion for anyone seeking to live with greater clarity and wellbeing."--Tal Ben-Shahar, PhD, former Harvard Lecturer on Positive Psychology, Co-Founder of Potentialife, bestselling author of Happier

"I recommend Fit Mind to anyone who is serious about training their mental faculties. This book is a striking testament to the potential of advanced meditation, skillfully bridging insights from contemplative traditions with a modern science-informed perspective to guide powerful possibilities for mind training."--Matthew D. Sacchet, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Director of the Meditation Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

About the Author

Liam McClintock is the founder of FitMind, a mental fitness nonprofit. After leaving a career in private equity, he traveled to Asia to study meditation and eventually ordained as a Buddhist monk. Liam holds a B.A. from Yale University and an M.S. in applied neuroscience from King's College London. He has contributed to meditation research at Harvard Medical School and Mass General Hospital.