“Solve for happy” by Mo Gawdat

The author 🖋

Mo Gawdat is a bestselling author, engineer, serial entrepreneur and former Chief Business Officer at Google [X], the company’s innovation lab.

He was experiencing deep unhappiness despite his professional success and spent years researching an "algorithm" for happiness which was put to the ultimate test after the tragic death of his son Ali.

Key takeaways 🎓

1. Happiness is our default state

Happiness isn’t something to chase, it’s our natural state of being.

When we stop attaching happiness to external outcomes, we realize it’s already within us.

A simple stop to worrying about what we don’t have or what might happen allows us to experience this innate happiness.

2. The equation for happiness

Gawdat introduces a simple formula: Happiness = Reality − Expectations.

He emphasizes that unhappiness arises when reality doesn't match our expectations.

By aligning expectations with reality or by lowering unnecessary expectations, we reduce the gap and eliminate much of our suffering.

3. Let go of what you can’t control 

Much of our distress stems from trying to control things beyond our influence.

Therefore, we should focus on what we can control - our thoughts, actions and responses - while accepting the rest as it is.

Letting go of things we can’t change helps us live in the present moment, creating space for contentment and peace.

Closing thoughts 🧠

The book offers a unique, engineer's approach to achieving happiness that blends personal experience with scientific insights.

Gawdat presents a simple yet profound equation for happiness and offers a guide to rediscovering this natural state within us to create a more peaceful, joyful life.

Hope you also learned something cool!

- Monty

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