Book Nook: Solve for Happy

I'm a math teacher, so it always tickles me when the language of math is used in other areas. Solve for Happy, a book I got to review, is written by logical problem solver Mo Gawdat, Chief Business Officer for Google's [X], the team of engineers that makes up Google's "dream factory."

Although he was successful, he was unhappy. So like any engineer would, he looked for an algorithm, a set of steps that can be found to complete a process. Looking at the evidence he could collect and applying rational thinking, he discovered the equation for permanent happiness.

He realized he had been going about everything backwards. Instead of working for wealth and assuming happiness would follow, he began with the pursuit of happiness. With an understanding of happiness as our "default state" (based partly on the idea that children tend to be happier and more carefree than adults), he created the equation that happiness is related to our perception of events and our expectations. If our expectations are greater than our perception of events, we won't be happy. But if the way we perceive events is greater than our expectation, then happiness follows.

The idea of our mindset being the key to happiness isn't new. I've seen it in plenty of books. However, Mo's approach as a rational, logical engineer makes the tone of this book different, and could definitely be a plus for people who may have found other "positive thinking" books too abstract. His writing style is clear, without relying on a great deal of tired quotes, and periodically he sums up the main points with bold "remember" statements that drive his point home.

If you've been looking for happiness form a secular viewpoint and haven't found it, this is a good book. It's also appropriate for people of any religious background who may have peace or joy based on their beliefs, but it hasn't translated into day-to-day happiness.