Who is the author of Happy Sexy Millionaire?

The author of Happy Sexy Millionaire is Steven Bartlett.

Biography & Memoir

Happy Sexy Millionaire Book Summary - Happy Sexy Millionaire Book explained in key points

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Happy Sexy Millionaire summary

Name: Happy Sexy Millionaire
Rating: 4.4 (361 reviews)
Author: Steven Bartlett

Steven Bartlett

Unexpected Truths about Fulfillment, Love, and Success

4.4 (361 ratings)

17 mins

Brief summary

Happy Sexy Millionaire by Steven Bartlett is a book that challenges societal norms and encourages readers to pursue happiness on their own terms, by embracing their unique talents and passions.

Topics

Entrepreneurial Stories Meaningful Living Memoirs Success Inspiration

Table of Contents

Happy Sexy Millionaire
Summary of 5 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 5

What’s in it for me? Think success is being a happy sexy millionaire? Think again.

Picture this: you’re 25 years old and the CEO of a lucrative startup. Your net worth is in the six figures, as is your social media following. At least once a week, you leave your plush New York pad to travel internationally – first-class and five-star only, of course.

Then, one day, you wake up to the news that your company has just listed on the stock exchange for $200,000,000. How do you feel?

In 2019, this was Steven Bartlett’s reality, and in his case, he felt nothing. Instead, Bartlett found himself questioning everything he believed to be true about life and what truly matters.

At first glance, Steven Bartlett seems to epitomize the rags-to-riches narrative. Born in a small village in Botswana, Africa, Bartlett grew up in a black, bankrupt household in the UK. He was kicked out of school, dropped out of university, and disowned by his mom. At 18, as he scavenged fast-food joints for leftovers while hustling non-stop to build his first company, he scrawled down his ultimate goal in a diary: to become a happy sexy millionaire.

Seven years later, he was exactly that – to the outside world, at least. Inside, he felt as empty and lacking as ever.

In the years since, Bartlett has come to realize that he’d got his initial goals wrong – led astray by the siren songs of societal expectations. What his 18-year-old self really wanted was fulfillment, love, and success. And today, he’s found them – just not where he was told he would.

If you’re ready to leave the “happy sexy millionaire” lie behind, too, you’re in the right place. Buckle up. Let Bartlett steer you toward the truly fulfilled, loved, and successful person you are!

Kill comparison

Had Bartlett’s family stayed in their small village in Botswana, Bartlett would have grown up with a very different notion of “enough” and what truly matters. After all, the average life expectancy there was just 49 in the early 2000s.

But, instead of a life perched at the top of the social ladder in Botswana, Bartlett experienced a life at the very bottom in the UK. As comedian Dave Chapelle once said of himself – and this hit home with Bartlett the instant he heard it – “My parents did just well enough so that I could grow up poor around rich white people.” Like Chappelle, Bartlett inevitably contrasted his family’s stressed existence with that of the better-off people around him..

Our brains are wired to compare. As we can’t possibly assimilate all the information we’re bombarded by at every moment, our brains use relativity – comparing and contrasting – to make quick decisions as we go about our day.

On the one hand, we’re incredibly fortunate we have the ability to do this. The alternative would be so laborious and draining that we’d be exhausted by lunchtime.

On the other hand, it’s a behavioral pattern causing us serious harm in today’s hyper-connected age. No longer are we judging ourselves against those only in physical proximity; Instagram and the internet mean we’re just as likely racing to keep up with the Kardashians as the Joneses.

The solution? Strive to compare yourself only to the person you were yesterday. Instead of measuring your growth and progress from the distance between you and some social media influencer, measure yourself from where you started. Few of us take the time to recognize how far we’ve already come, and it’s a practice we’d be better for.

If necessary (and it often is), mute or unfollow these people online, and do the figurative equivalent in real life.

If you’d like to keep inspiring figures and role models in your life – virtual or otherwise – go for it – but seek out only a handful, and make sure they’re real individuals who promote healthy ideals rather than their latest sponsorship.

Center around connection

Bartlett doesn’t believe that marriage, cohabiting relationships, or kids are for everyone. But both he and a great deal of science do believe that everyone needs genuine human connection.

In a recent study of adults from Western countries, nearly half of the 20,000 people surveyed said they felt alone and lacked meaningful social interaction. Further, this entire generation – the “connected” generation – is considered the loneliest ever recorded, which is concerning, as loneliness has been linked to early death and susceptibility to disease.

Don’t “follow your passion”

Here’s something you mightn’t expect: Bartlett thinks the “follow your passion” spiel is BS. And surprisingly, there’s research to suggest he may be right.

In general, we’re terrible at predicting what will make us happy, and even worse at appreciating our ineptitude in this arena. Remember the moment Bartlett became one of the richest under-30-year-olds in the UK? Case in point.

Stack instead of specialize

Bartlett is the first to acknowledge how surprising his entrepreneurial success may seem, given he was expelled from high school and left university after one lecture. He’s also the first to admit he isn’t “the best” in his field – despite winning awards that would suggest otherwise.

Nonetheless, Bartlett has enjoyed what by any measure is great success, and he attributes this to his skill stack – the unique array of diverse yet complementary competencies he’s honed and articulated.

Prize time

Let’s assume you live to be 80 years old. That gives you around 700,000 hours – or 500,000 active hours, given you’ll spend roughly 33 years in bed.

For Bartlett, fully metabolizing this helped put life in perspective. And to maintain this perspective, he keeps a specific image top of mind.

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What is Happy Sexy Millionaire about?

Happy Sexy Millionaire (2021) is part unfiltered memoir, part practical guide, and part desperate plea to today’s connected generation. Challenging pervasive narratives around what we “should” be chasing, it posits that fulfillment, genuine relationships, and intrinsic success are the true markers of a life well lived, and offers a range of strategies to get you on your way.

Happy Sexy Millionaire Review

Happy Sexy Millionaire (2022) by Steven Bartlett is a motivational book that combines personal experiences, practical tips, and thought-provoking ideas to help readers achieve happiness, success, and financial freedom. Here's why you should read it:

With its engaging storytelling and relatable anecdotes, the book takes you on a journey towards finding fulfillment and living a meaningful life.
The author provides practical strategies and insights on building wealth and creating a positive mindset, making it a valuable resource for personal growth.
Through his inspiring perspective, Bartlett challenges societal norms and encourages readers to redefine success on their own terms, empowering them to pursue happiness and financial abundance.

Who should read Happy Sexy Millionaire?

Those feeling they may be chasing the wrong things
Entrepreneurs carving out their own definition of “success”
Individuals interested in self-discovery and personal development

About the Author

Steven Bartlett is a British entrepreneur best known for co-founding the digital marketing agency Social Chain, whose clients included the likes of Coca-Cola, TikTok, and Warner Bros. After stepping down as CEO, Bartlett featured as an investor on the BBC TV series Dragons’ Den, and launched the chart-topping podcast The Diary of a CEO.

Categories with Happy Sexy Millionaire

Biography & Memoir Personal Development

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