“The happiness of pursuit” by Chris Guillebeau

The author 🖋

Chris Guillebeau is a serial entrepreneur, multiple-time bestselling author and host of the Side Hustle School podcast.

He is best known/respected for putting his ideas into practice himself and visiting every country in the world - 193 in total - before turning 35.

Key takeaways 🎓

1. Quests give purpose & meaning to life

A quest is a personal journey or goal that brings meaning to our life.

It's something that challenges us, aligns with our values and ignites our passion.

Discovering our quest involves self-reflection, exploring our interests and identifying what truly motivates you. The quest should be specific, measurable and have a defined end point in order to give us a sense of purpose and direction.

2. Have fun along the way

The pursuit of our quest is often more rewarding than achieving the end goal.

We should embrace the challenges, setbacks and unexpected turns along the way because the journey itself is what actually provides the opportunity for new experiences, personal growth and meeting like-minded people.

3. Minimize regret

The worst cause of unhappiness is regret.

Quests often arise from external events that awaken an inner calling within us - it can be anything from a moment of discontent with our current situation to a realization about the shortness of life.

When we feel that spark inside, we should pay attention to it.

Closing thoughts 🧠

The book explores the idea of finding purpose by identifying and pursuing our personal quests.

I loved the fact that Guillebeau blends his own experiences with stories from others to show how pursuing meaningful challenges can lead to a more satisfying life and shares how he believes is best to discover what deeply motivates each of us.