What Does Happiness Look Like For You?

When asked about the most important thing he had learned from interviewing or researching extraordinary people, Walter Isaacson responded: "Know yourself."

This is a man who spent years with Steve Jobs, Jennifer Doudna, and Elon Musk, who researched and studied the lives of Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, and Leonardo Da Vinci. He is one of the best biographers of our time.

Isaacson goes into great detail about their lives. And I'm not saying that all of these people were good or exemplary. However, they achieved extraordinary things, some at incredible personal and mental costs. And they are worth studying.

By delving into the lives of these remarkable individuals, Isaacson suggests we all make an effort to get to know and understand ourselves. This sentiment echoes that timeless quote cherished by the Yogis:

You might say, "Wait a minute, Elon Musk doesn’t seem to even attempt to conquer himself; he is more focused on conquering the world." And you are right. Isaacson mentions how Musk is not happy; how he doesn’t even prioritize his well-being. He can’t even stop for a moment to enjoy his life.

A biographer presents us with the reports of someone’s life in the most unbiased way possible so that we can extract the things that serve us and discard those that don’t.

Certainly, I wouldn’t want to be the richest person in the world and not prioritize my physical and mental well-being. I’d rather live a modest life, have a healthy body, have inner peace, and know what "enough" is. Because I’ve taken the time to know myself, and I will continue to invest time to learn more about myself.

It's key to know what you're good at, what your skills are, what you like, what you don't like, what you want to be doing in life. This is how you'll find your own reason for existing. The meaning of your life.

Learn from your mistakes, from your experiences, and take the time each day to reflect on what you do, reflect on your thoughts, reflect on the things you learn and the challenges that life brings you. Then ask yourself, "Do I like this? Is this the path I want to follow? Is this the life I want to live? Do I want to be happy? Do I just want to accumulate money? What does happiness even look like for me?"

These are the important questions; start asking them.

Listen to this email on your favorite podcast platform

Read previous posts here

Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here