Nov, 2015

Step 8: The Integrated Good Life and The Four Pillars of Eudaimonia

The Big Idea: The good life integrates four pillars of health, wealth, love, and happiness.

  • The Amish are so happy because they do not compartmentalize work from life.
  • Do whatever it takes to avoid hating Mondays.
  • The 2 Mile Rule: work and shop within 2 miles of your home; traffic (work/life compartmentalizing) is an enormous source of stress.
  • According to The Story of the Human Body by Liebermann, people used to sleep in one big room so today’s quiet, dark bedrooms (live/sleep compartmentalizing) are not what we are evolutionarily used to.
  • My life is my work and my work is my life.
  • If you only look forward to weekends and vacations, you’re doing something wrong.
  • Warren Buffett says he tap dances to work every day.
  • Eudaimonia is the good life.
  • The four pillars of the good life are: health, wealth, love (friends, family, romance), happiness (fulfillment).
  • Measure your life based on these 4 pillars and how well they are integrated.
  • Choose activities that integrate 2+ pillars.  Eg. office gym, physical work, read before a nap.
  • People in the material world aren’t happy.  Happiness is being part of something bigger than yourself. — Mother Theresa
  • The longest lasting married couples are childhood friends.
  • Work with your friends to integrate wealth and happiness.
  • Avoid the trap of doing something you don’t love to make money to do something you love.

Tai Lopez is an entrepreneur, investor, and blogger who runs an awesome online book club. 67 Steps is a lecture series teaching how to be successful in health, wealth, love, and happiness.  I’m a big fan.