Ashish Kothari: Why Happiness is the Secret to Optimal Human Performance

Are you tired of chasing happiness, always thinking it’s just one step ahead? In this insightful episode of The Conscious Entrepreneur podcast, host Alex Raymond sits down with Ashish Kothari, founder of Happiness Squad and author of “Hardwired for Happiness.” They delve into a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of entrepreneurship: the integral role of happiness in achieving success and fulfillment.

Ashish brings a fresh perspective, challenging the common notion that happiness is a distant goal. He argues that happiness is a key driver of human performance and an essential state for operating at one’s best. This isn’t about chasing external rewards; it’s about nurturing an internal state of contentment and joy.

The discussion pivots to Ashish’s book, “Hardwired for Happiness,” which presents nine practical strategies to combat stress and live a fulfilling life. These strategies range from developing self-awareness and defining personal purpose to embracing gratitude and investing in well-being. Ashish explains that these practices are grounded in comprehensive research across neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy.

Ashish also shares his personal transformation from a high-achieving consultant to a happiness-focused entrepreneur. His journey underscores the importance of aligning one’s career with their core values and purpose, a realization that came from confronting his own anxiety and lack of fulfillment.

A key takeaway from the episode is the power of community in the pursuit of happiness. Ashish highlights how collective efforts can lead to transformative experiences, both personally and professionally. He encourages listeners to start with small, manageable practices like brief daily meditations to gradually build a more mindful and aware lifestyle.

Key Takeaways:

Happiness is linked to human performance. When we are happy, we operate at our best and are more successful, productive, and resilient.
Happiness is an internal game. It is not something we can find externally or in future achievements. We need to cultivate happiness from within by practicing self-awareness and other key habits.
Self-awareness is a foundational practice for happiness and conscious entrepreneurship. By understanding ourselves and our beliefs, we can better navigate challenges and make conscious choices.
Mastering our emotions is a challenging practice but essential for happiness. By learning to sit with difficult emotions, witness them, and respond rather than react, we can increase our emotional resilience and well-being.
Building a community is crucial for personal growth and transformation. Surrounding ourselves with like-minded individuals who are also on a journey of self-discovery and personal development can provide support, inspiration, and accountability.

Quotes:

“The data is so clear from the science of happiness, right? That as individuals, if we can teach people to be happy, they are more successful, more productive, more creative, more innovative, are kinder, are more resilient. (3:48 | Ashish Kothari)
“The hardest practice is mastering your emotions.” (19:49 | Ashish Kothari)
“If all you take away from this podcast is this, do this tomorrow. Find five one minute breaks in your day. Everybody can do that. And in that, on that one minute, all I want you to do, is stop what you’re doing, plant your feet, close your eyes, and just take six mindful breaths. Follow your breath in, letting your belly expand, and breathe out, feeling the air leave you, feeling your body relax and contract. Just do that five times in a day, and notice The effect of that on your level of stress at the end of the day, the level of energy that you might have left at the end of the day, and just your ability, clarity of how you think right after that practice.” (40:19 | Ashish Kothari)
“The power of meditation is paying attention on purpose at the present moment without judgment.” (41:44 | Ashish Kothari)

Links

Connect with Ashish Kothari:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/