Summary
Dr. Raj Raghunathan studies the impact that people’s judgments and decisions have on their own happiness and fulfillment. Based on his research, he teaches a very successful course on Happiness around the world.
Fifteen years after getting his MBA, Raj Raghunathan spent some time with his old classmates. He noticed that though they’d all done well, there didn’t appear to be much correlation between their academic success and career success. What Raj found even more curious was the even smaller correlation between career success and what he calls life success. The greater the career success, the more unhappy, out of shape, harried and distracted his friends were.
If intelligence helps with decision-making, smart people should naturally make better life choices. So why are so many of the smartest, brightest, most successful people profoundly unhappy? This lead him to researching and writing, If Your So Smart, Why Aren’t You Happy?
In this chat we discuss his book an happiness. It will give you a powerful new perspective on your work, personal goals and relationships, whether you’re already successful or just starting out.
Leave your comments and until next time peace, passion and purpose.
Key Take Outs
- Success doesn’t necessarily mean happiness. Having this awareness and knowledge earlier in life may just mean you live more of your life with a greater sense of meaning, purpose and happiness. Chasing after that lifestyle that you have been bought up to believe that is essential to creating your happiness is not always the case. Happiness is found by living now.
- Happiness is golden. Living with happiness has been shown to improve creativity, productivity, health, team-work, positivity, and meaning in life.
- Mindfulness found without judgement. I believe that being aware is the key to mindfulness. When you are aware you will be better able to remove judgements or sour perspectives that might show up and then approach them with greater attitudes.
- Raj’s 5 Keys to Happiness.Have the basic necessities meet. This needs must be meet first to start living towards the others.Mastery. Becoming the expert in what we do is important but the chase for that comes in comparing ourselves to the world. Instead of comparing ourselves we should simply do what we love, be passionate about it and in that we will find greater happiness.Belonging. The reliance on others to fill our happiness cup is a wrong approach. We have enough love and value to give so start giving that, the law of reciprocity states that you will then in return receive back.
Autonomy. Self control and independence has some valid strengths however can often leave us living with reliance on the externals of life – these are actually without our control. Looking inwardly, taking responsibility for you life and finding internal harmony through mindfulness exercises is a better approach.
Mindset. Remove your scarcity mindset and adopt an abundant mindset. Some practices include, journaling, gratitude’s, mediation, forgiveness and leaving the victim mentality behind.
Do you have any routines and rituals that you believe contribute to your success?
Having a solid mindfulness practice. Writing and journaling about the day. And exercising everyday.
What advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?
Life will be great, don’t worry about it.
Raj’s interpretation of success
How meaningful and fulfilling your life is based on how happy you are.
Quick round questions
Favourite Food
Thayir Saadam (Yogurt and rice dish)
Favourite Leisure Activitiy
Favourite book(s)
Atonement: A Novel
by Ian McewanSearch Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace)
by Chade Meng-TanIf You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Happy?
by Raj RaghunathanQuote
“The situation is hopeless but its not serious.”
What does living life with passion and purpose mean?
What do I feel is a set of activities that is so absorbing to me that I can completely loose track of time, that is my purpose. And passion comes from that.
How to find Raj and other links
You can visit Raj’s Website here called Happy Smarts.
You can also connect with Raj through is Professional Website and email him should you wish, here.
If you are interested in finding more freedom, fulfilment and happiness in your life take the opportunity to jump on the Discovery Call. Valued at $250, this is a one on one coaching session to help you define your hidden why and discover the action steps to getting your there.
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Agree with “career success (& related to monetary success)” not necessarily linked with “happiness”;
“Belonging” (& therefore “support”) is 1 of a set of “human needs”;
EQ (or EI (emotional intelligence) better than IQ;
I have found that “Happiness” for me has 3 basic goals:
1. EARNING – Receiving enough money to fund a healthy life;
2. LEARNING – Finding out new things about our world, & myself; assuaging my curiosity about most things;
3. YEARNING – Having a Purpose/Passion for doing something (a goal to strive for); else “why am I here?”
Hey Viv, I agree. The more I look within the greater my clarity around happiness and life. I reflected on my basic needs, food, shelter, water, clothing etc in relation to what I earn and it didn’t make sense to desire more money when my quality of living is already well above majority of the world. This gave me greater reason to deepen my search to better understand myself and also greater reason to help others and offer greater value to as many people as I can. Tony Robbins describes 6 fundamental human needs which are very insightful. Thanks for your comment!