What Are You Doing with Your Life? summary

Imagine a revolution. Inspired to fight against injustice, the people come together to challenge a system that’s rigged against them. They stage a general strike, and bring everything to a halt. They overthrow their government and the elites who benefited from things as they were. They propose a new constitution, with a whole suite of new laws designed to make things fairer, to lift up the downtrodden, and to put an end to violent conflict.

That’s what many people imagine when they hear the phrase “transform the world.” According to the author, though, things will never change if this is what we’re waiting for. 

Happiness: we’re all seeking it. After all, isn’t the pursuit of happiness the whole point of life? Whether obtained through love, career, or family, happiness is the ultimate aim of everything we do. The trouble is, it’s hard to find happiness that lasts. And when we’re looking for it, it always seems to stay hidden. 

So what’s the trick to seizing happiness?

What do we mean by “intellect”? The word evokes images of university dons, scientists working to solve complex problems, and straight-A students. 

The definition of intellect is thought functioning independently of our emotions – a kind of analytical or deductive thinking. Intellect is also something that can be trained in a particular direction. Modern education does just that, in fact. Through education, you can train your intellect to be sharper at mathematics, physics, or economics, for example. 

You’re bored. You feel dull and uninspired. So what do you do? You rent a movie, you go for a jog around the block, you call a friend and see if he wants to go out for a drink. And what if you’re bored with your whole life? You change it – you find a new job, take up a cause, travel around the world. You try to run away from the boredom. 

But what if this is exactly the wrong thing to do? What if your boredom is telling you something more fundamental about who you are? If that’s so, then you need to confront it and learn more about it. 

What is the purpose of life? That’s the million-dollar question! Many have asked themselves this over the centuries. Philosophers, religious leaders, and gurus of various stripes have dipped their quills in ink, bent over their manuscripts, and tried to come up with a satisfactory answer. Many other ordinary people have racked their brains in a similar fashion. 

Perhaps you’re asking yourself the same question right now. Well, according to the author, the question itself is the wrong place to start.