Paperback : $28.07
A remarkable book that will both guide and inspire, The Happiness of Pursuit reveals how anyone can bring meaning into their life by undertaking a quest. When he set out to visit all of the planet's countries by age thirty-five, compulsive goal seeker Chris Guillebeau never imagined that his journey's biggest revelation would be how many people like himself exist - each pursuing a challenging quest. And, interestingly, these quests aren't just travel-oriented. On the contrary, they're as diverse as humanity itself. Some involve exploration; others the pursuit of athletic or artistic excellence; still others a battle against injustice or poverty or threats to the environment. Everywhere that Chris visited he found ordinary people working toward extraordinary goals, making daily down payments on their dream. These "questers" included a suburban mom pursuing a wildly ambitious culinary project, a DJ producing the world's largest symphony, a young widower completing the tasks his wife would never accomplish, and a teenager crossing an entire ocean alone - as well as a do-it-yourselfer tackling M.I.T.'s computer-science course, a nerd turning himself into real-life James Bond, and scores of others writing themselves into the record books. 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 way enriches our lives -- and he was compelled to complete a comprehensive study of the phenomenon and extract the best advice. In The Happiness of Pursuit he draws on interviews with hundreds of questers, revealing their secret motivations, their selection criteria, the role played by friends and family, their tricks for solving logistics, and the importance of documentation. Equally fascinating is Chris' examination of questing's other side, including questers' acute awareness of mortality, their struggle against monotony, and their wistful feelings once a quest has succeeded. What happens after the summit is climbed, the painting hung, the endurance record broken, the "at risk" community saved? A book that challenges each of us to take control - to make our lives be about something while at the same time remaining clear-eyed about the commitment -- The Happiness of Pursuit will inspire readers of every age and aspiration. It's a playbook for making your life count.
Show moreA remarkable book that will both guide and inspire, The Happiness of Pursuit reveals how anyone can bring meaning into their life by undertaking a quest. When he set out to visit all of the planet's countries by age thirty-five, compulsive goal seeker Chris Guillebeau never imagined that his journey's biggest revelation would be how many people like himself exist - each pursuing a challenging quest. And, interestingly, these quests aren't just travel-oriented. On the contrary, they're as diverse as humanity itself. Some involve exploration; others the pursuit of athletic or artistic excellence; still others a battle against injustice or poverty or threats to the environment. Everywhere that Chris visited he found ordinary people working toward extraordinary goals, making daily down payments on their dream. These "questers" included a suburban mom pursuing a wildly ambitious culinary project, a DJ producing the world's largest symphony, a young widower completing the tasks his wife would never accomplish, and a teenager crossing an entire ocean alone - as well as a do-it-yourselfer tackling M.I.T.'s computer-science course, a nerd turning himself into real-life James Bond, and scores of others writing themselves into the record books. 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 way enriches our lives -- and he was compelled to complete a comprehensive study of the phenomenon and extract the best advice. In The Happiness of Pursuit he draws on interviews with hundreds of questers, revealing their secret motivations, their selection criteria, the role played by friends and family, their tricks for solving logistics, and the importance of documentation. Equally fascinating is Chris' examination of questing's other side, including questers' acute awareness of mortality, their struggle against monotony, and their wistful feelings once a quest has succeeded. What happens after the summit is climbed, the painting hung, the endurance record broken, the "at risk" community saved? A book that challenges each of us to take control - to make our lives be about something while at the same time remaining clear-eyed about the commitment -- The Happiness of Pursuit will inspire readers of every age and aspiration. It's a playbook for making your life count.
Show moreChris Guillebeau is the author of The Art of Non-Conformity, The $100 Startup, The Happiness of Pursuit, Born for This, Side Hustle, and 100 Side Hustles. During a lifetime of self-employment that included a four-year commitment as a volunteer executive in West Africa, he visited every country in the world (193 in total) before his thirty-fifth birthday. His daily podcast, Side Hustle School, is downloaded more than two million times a month. He is also the founder of the World Domination Summit, an event for cultural creatives that attracts thousands of attendees to Portland, Oregon, every summer.
“Chris Guillebeau is a rare combination of sage and adventurer, and
The Happiness of Pursuit is both a distillation of his wisdom and a
demonstration of his—and others’—passion for the questing life. The
passion Chris chronicles is infectious, and it becomes even more so
as we read about life-focusing action delivering deep meaning. Even
if you prefer never to leave your armchair, this book will inspire
you to take a beautiful voyage— one that can be either physical or
mental as you chase the thrill of steady accomplishment.”—Susan
Cain, cofounder of the Quiet Revolution and New York Times
bestselling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World
That Can’t Stop Talking
“It’s not easy to dream big—and it’s not easy to turn that dream
into reality. The brilliant Chris Guillebeau provides the essential
blueprint for those of us for whom the happiness of pursuit—such as
Chris’s successful quest to visit every country in the world—is a
key part of the pursuit of happiness.”—Gretchen Rubin, New York
Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project
“Guillebeau’s stories, biographies, observations, and personal
insights will get you thinking about a greater purpose. And there’s
a lot of how-to in here. If you’ve been wondering ‘What it’s all
about?’ this book could change your life.”—Rita Golden Gelman,
author of Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World
“The incredible quests Chris Guillebeau explores in The
Happiness of Pursuit, including his own to visit every country,
left me feeling exhausted. Of course, as a person who works from
home, I limit my quests most days to taking a shower. Bottom line:
these stories are inspiring--and very, very
entertaining.”—Joel Stein, columnist, Time magazine and
author of Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity
“When a quest is a journey or a sought-after goal, it can be
satisfying, fun, even paradigm-shifting. But when a quest begins
with an inner yearning and transforms into a calling, it becomes
medicine for the soul, and this
changes everything. The Happiness of Pursuit is an
invitation to listen to the part of oneself that craves
purpose. It says. ‘Hey! Wake up! Your unique adventure awaits
you.’”—Lissa Rankin, MD, New York Times bestselling
author of Mind Over Medicine
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
