What the president of Ukraine & a group of janitors in America have in common

Happy Friday! I was so much in my zone today rewriting the chapter about the brain in my book. Honestly speaking, using?my?brain to work on?the?brain was challenging but it was also very rewarding and satisfying.?I hope your week was filled with focus time, the time when you are deeply engaged in a challenge you love, too.?

As I mentioned in last week's Happier YOU letter, I want to talk about the President of Ukraine, and specifically about the making of his courage. And please scroll down to the P. S. section for a mini-conversation with my then 10-year-old son on being a president (please expect a president to hide and seek!).

By now, you may have seen a?lot of media, both mainstream and social, covering how brave the President of Ukraine is. Many are awestruck to see a president, a former actor and comedian, with a family of his own and with very young kids, is willing to risk his life to protect his nation. He doesn't even know if he would be?gone at any moment. His wife also stays the course?with him?while they all could have accepted the invitation for a ride for escape. It's his courage that pulled his people together and heightened their commitment to their country. They are inspired by his?action, they admire his leadership, and they follow him.

So what makes him so courageous? You may ask. And the clarity of purpose. It is. For him, it's about protecting Ukraine's independence and dignity. This. Propels. Him. Forward. And. Guides. His. Decision. And. Action.?When you are driven by a big "why" much larger than yourself and your immediate family,?with a lot of emotions resonance, challenges, even as gigantic as his, are surmountable.

A wonderful example you may have seen?is?Viktor Frankl, the author of "Man's Search for Meaning". He?could have surrendered to the inhuman and barbaric tortures at the Concentration Camp. Yet, it was his purpose that helped him break the record of human endurance and survive. That purpose was the love for his wife and beyond that, a book with fundamental contribution?to psychology and uplifting human beings?he was meant to write. And he did. The book became an international best seller and has been inspiring millions around the world to find?meaning in their lives.

A group of janitors at a hospital, in a popular study by?Amy Wrzesniewski, is another example not to be missed. The study showed that these janitors were, very interestingly,?happy in their not-so-glamorous-at-all jobs. The reason is they found a purpose in what they did. Their job was not just cleaning but also connecting with and helping to comfort patients. Their job was not just about suffering the smell of the chemicals and?making the rooms clean but also about creating a loving and caring environment for the ones who were less heathy than them so they could get better sooner than later. What they did were worthy and meaningful.?

So with the clarity of purpose, you not only survive the toughest conditions, like Viktor Frankl,?but also dare to do seemingly impossible things, like?Volodymyr Zelenskyy,?and happily thrive in life and at work, like this group of janitors.

For a happier YOU:

Ask yourself?why?you do what you do, from big things like your job at work, to the small things like creating a new healthy habit or an action you want to take but keep delaying.

For when you do, even when you still perform the same job, you feel authentically happier, and this often leads to novel ideas and hence, better results. Of course, great opportunities will follow. Maybe, your overarching life purpose points you to another career direction, but when you are not yet able to make the move, connect such purpose with the mission of your organization and the mini mission of your job, and re-craft your job where possible. I bet you will be enlightened. I facilitated this exercise with a group of audience at a conference and everyone in the room was delighted to see how their seemingly "mundane" jobs suddenly became important and meaningful. I saw happiness in their eyes, and I knew that they would go back to work no longer the same people with just a job.

If you are a leader, please consider do this exercise with your team. No perks could motivate them as much as this simple yet powerful activity.?

With a new habit like eating healthy food or exercising, I often ask my clients to list at least three reasons why doing so is important to them. Often, they are linked with something much larger than the habit itself.?Examples are good health will help fuel their dreams or good health will help them not be the burden to their family but enjoy the great moments with their loved ones instead.

Wishing you?more clarity of?purpose?in your life. And if you are curious about mine, here you?go.

With pizza and movie night waiting,?

Onwards to Happiness Infinity,

Amy Nguyen

P. S. If you love this newsletter and think your friends may benefit from it, I'd like to invite you to spread happiness and share?this subscription link?with them.

P. P. S: Here's the mini conversation I had with my son, who was 10 then,?on being a president, about?two years ago.

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Son: Being president is not good.

?Mom: Tell me the reasons why.

Son: When you want to pass a bill, you have to get it rectified. And you can’t rescue somebody in a fire.

Mom: Because you are responsible for the whole nation so you can’t risk your life?

Son: Yes.

Mom: Tell me what is good about being a president?

?Son: You have the chance to make a difference to America.?

Mom: And?

Son: The White House is so big that you can play hide and seek. There are so many hidden spots. And you know the White House used to have a lot of pets. One of the presidents even had a crocodile as his pet.

Son: So do you want to be a president?

Son: Nope. Too much work mom.

Mom: So who do you want to be?

Son: A software engineer.?

Mom: Why? Like I am a coach so I could change many women’s lives. Or Steve Jobs wanted to create unique products that improve our life quality. So what’s your biggest dream?

?Son: I have some that is not in real life.?

And we continued...