08 Nov 5 happiness tips from none other than … bill gates!
I wouldn’t normally think of referring to Bill Gates when suggesting happiness tips.
But when I stumbled upon this article, and reviewed the happiness advice, I thought … this is actually very good!
So if you’re interested what the world’s richest man has to say about getting happy then keep reading…
via Forbes by Remy Blumenfeld
It’s maddening, but sometimes Forbes readersdismiss the wisdom of a life coach. You tend to pay more attention to the life lessons delivered by billionaires. The problem is that while most life coaches are not very rich, most billionaires are not tremendously happy.
So you can imagine my delight when, about 30 minutes into his most recent “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit, Bill Gates, the world’s second-richest man, was asked two very personal questions. “Are you happy?” and “Through it all, what makes you happy?” His answers were not only wise, but surprisingly affordable.
As a life coach, I don’t believe in the idea of happiness—I’dhave preferred it if he’d been asked about balance, fulfillment or gratitude. Still, to the first question Bill Gates, 63, responded: “Yes! When I was in my 30s, I didn’t think people in their 60s were very smart or had much fun. Now I have had a counter-revelation. Ask me in 20 years and I will tell you how smart 80-year-olds are.”
To the second question, Gates said, “Some recently said that when your children are doing well it really is very special, and as a parent, I completely agree.Today In: Leadership
“Sometimes following through on commitments to yourself, like doing more exercise, also improves your happiness.”
Unlike me, Gates—as far as I know—is not a qualified coach. However, as I am not a billionaire, I thought it would be great if the two of us combined our experience. So, here are Bill Gates’ 5 secrets to happiness, universalized in a relatable way by me.
1. Ditch your 20-year-old self and talk to your future self
There is no surer way to gain a fresh perspective on any thorny problem than to speak to yourself in 20 years. Your future self is very wise. They know what will bring you peace, ease, and joy. As Bill Gates admits, most of us at 40, 60, even 80, remain in a dialogue with our 20-year-old. This is not a life-affirming dialogue, because at 50, your 20-year-old self thinks you are old and past it. Your 70-year-old self, on the other hand, will tell your 50-year-old person, correctly, that you will never be so young, powerful, vital or fit again. Yourself in 20 years is wise. They know not to sweat the small stuff. They know what will bring you joy.
When you have 15 quiet minutes alone, do this easy future-self visualization. A word of advice: If you are at an age where you do not feel, realistically, that you will be alive in 20 years from now, but still want to access a wisdom that eludes you, try imagining speaking to yourself from beyond the grave. What would your long-dead self tell you to do or say right now?
…keep reading the full & original article HERE