Short Cuts to Happiness: Life-Changing Lessons from My Barber

“I mean that if you reach out to others and contribute to their well-being, then given that you are connected to them, you are also contributing to yourself. If you just focus on yourself—me, me, me—then you’re touching only a small part of the whole, and even if you do a great job of it, you are attaining only a tiny part of your potential for ful

In contrast, kids praised for effort show no impairment and often are energized in the face of difficulty.”

There is much research on what psychologists call equity theory, which shows that most people have the need to reciprocate what they get from others; in fact, most of us feel discomfort when we’re unable to give back something of equal value. This applies to material things, like a gift or money, as well as to nonmaterial things like kindness or tr

When we lose our mind—our thinking brain—even temporarily, we make space for our soul, our emotions, to flourish. We experience the world directly, without interrupting thoughts.

“But you know,” he added, “even if the product takes off, I’m not leaving my salon. This is my lighthouse.” “Your lighthouse?” I asked. “Yes, like for ships. No matter how chaotic or wild things get, this place is always there, lighting the way back to stable shore. We all need a lighthouse in our life.”

when it comes to some of the decisions I have to make, I just don’t know. So I’m waiting, either to know and decide, or to know that I cannot afford to wait any longer and decide.”

To move forward, you also need the wrong foot.”

“Moving fast is important, but so is knowing when to sit on the fence and wait.” He then added, “It’s not always easy to wait, and there is often a cost to it, but it’s necessary.”

We so often try to fit reality into our predetermined models, forgetting that our models need to be shaped by reality rather than the other way around. I thought back to all those business school case studies where managers failed because they refused to accept that the market had changed and a new approach was needed.

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”