Neil Pasricha On The Happiness Equation, Why We Shouldn’t Retire

Canadian writer Neil Pasricha‘s latest book, The Happiness Equation: Want Nothing + Do Anything = Have Everything, was inspired by the news that he was soon to become a parent.

Neil Pasricha On ‘The Happiness Equation’

On the way home from his honeymoon, Pasricha’s new wife realized that they were expecting a baby. The revelation that he would soon be responsible for another human life, inspired Pasricha to flesh out the best way for his child to have the happiest life possible.

“When we landed at home, I started writing a letter. It turned into a 300 page letter to my unborn child on how they can find happiness if I wasn’t around to help them,” Pasricha told uInterview in an exclusive interview. “That letter has evolved into the book you’re holding, The Happiness Equation.”

At the crux of Pasricha’s philosophy is that happiness needs to be achieved before anything else can be achieved.

“If [you’re] happy first, by choosing to be happy and investing in your happiness – and that’s the secret –then you do great work,” claims Pasricha. “In fact, you’re 31 percent more productive, you have three times the creativity, and you have big success afterwards.”

You’re also happier, according to Pasricha, if you eliminate the idea of retirement. According to his research, people who have no concept of retirement live longer and happier lives. Pasricha believes that there’s a far better alternative to retirement – finding further purpose.

“Find a job with the four S’s: Social, structure, stimulation and story,” Pasricha advises. “It can be volunteer work, non-profit work, whatever, but as long as you’re doing something productive with those four S’s you’ll always be doing something you love and you’ll have a lot more purpose in your life.”

In The Happiness Equation, Pasricha talks at length about channeling fears into successes and eliminating the clutter of day-to-day life. Both suggestions are anchored by the idea of being present and invested in possibility.

“You get rid of the fear you have by thinking you can’t do it and that you wanna do it and you place a little baby step of action ahead of time,” says Pasricha. “So just run to the corner of the street if you wanna run a marathon. Start writing on a piece of paper if you wanna write that book. Don’t wait for perfection, don’t wait for the perfect shoes or the perfect notebook or the perfect coffee shop, because you’ll be waiting forever.”

The Happiness Equation: Want Nothing + Do Anything = Have Everything is currently available in hardcover.