By Chris Guillebeau
Harmony House Publishing, 292 pages.
I think commonly we believe the vast majority of folk are happy where they are at in life. Not really venturing outside the box too much and comfortable in those shoes.
These ideas are challenged in Chris Guillebeau’s book The Happiness of Pursuit, when as a goal he set to visit all of the planet’s countries by age thirty-five. It was a goal he had set for himself. But along the way what he didn’t expect was to find so many people had a quest of their own that they also were diligently pursuing.
Many people today want to make things easier for themselves. Some people don’t even want to try something hard but Guillebeau’s book takes a hard look at why these attitudes are wrong-headed.
He offers several stories of people who have changed their lives for the better by going after a goal. These goals varied from excellence in the arts to sports to everything in between. Pursuing that goal builds confidence and self-esteem. The more Chris spoke with these strivers, the more he began to appreciate the direct link between questing and long-term happiness — how going after something in a methodical thoughtful way enriches our lives — and he was compelled to complete a comprehensive study of the phenomenon and compile the best advice through countless interviews.
He concluded that for the quest to be valid, it must have a clear goal, a planned end and require some sort of sacrifice. He also says the quest should be driven a sense of mission and that it involves a series of small steps toward the goal.
This is a refreshing work that can help you get off that chair or couch and do something bold. It’s a work that proves that ordinary people can do extraordinary things
