10% Happier
How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works
Ratings91
Average rating4
15
How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works
Ratings91
Average rating4
Nightline anchor Dan Harris embarks on an unexpected, hilarious, and deeply skeptical odyssey through the strange worlds of spirituality and self-help, and discovers a way to get happier that is truly achievable.
After having a nationally televised panic attack on Good Morning America, Dan Harris knew he had to make some changes. A lifelong nonbeliever, he found himself on a bizarre adventure, involving a disgraced pastor, a mysterious self-help guru, and a gaggle of brain scientists. Eventually, Harris realized that the source of his problems was the very thing he always thought was his greatest asset: the incessant, insatiable voice in his head, which had both propelled him through the ranks of a hyper-competitive business and also led him to make the profoundly stupid decisions that provoked his on-air freak-out.
We all have a voice in our head. It’s what has us losing our temper unnecessarily, checking our email compulsively, eating when we’re not hungry, and fixating on the past and the future at the expense of the present. Most of us would assume we’re stuck with this voice – that there’s nothing we can do to rein it in – but Harris stumbled upon an effective way to do just that. It’s a far cry from the miracle cures peddled by the self-help swamis he met; instead, it’s something he always assumed to be either impossible or useless: meditation. After learning about research that suggests meditation can do everything from lower your blood pressure to essentially rewire your brain, Harris took a deep dive into the underreported world of CEOs, scientists, and even marines who are now using it for increased calm, focus, and happiness.
10% Happier takes readers on a ride from the outer reaches of neuroscience to the inner sanctum of network news to the bizarre fringes of America’s spiritual scene, and leaves them with a takeaway that could actually change their lives
Reviews with the most likes.
A skeptical, cynical introduction to secular meditation and mindfulness, nestled within a memoir full of ABC News inside baseball.
I relate so much to this book. Like Harris, I'm a driven journalist and I've been living in my head all this while. At times humorous, at times sobering, this memoir actually inspired me to start meditating because it doesn't have the woo woo vibe that some books on meditation have. Harris' down-to-earth account (he hates the syrupy language used in meditation circles and so do I) did convince me - a big time sceptic to attempt the practice. And you know what? After just two weeks of consistent practice, I'm already starting to feel better for it. Read this if you want to know what meditation from the perspective of a non-believer turned believer.
Excellent book, but I found Harris' voice a wee bit grating. That seems odd for a professional journalist (he's a career man with ABC News).
I first heard of this book when it was promoted along with the 10% Happier app during a mindfulness thing when I worked at Apple. I could have sworn that the subtitle had something in it about “Meditation for fidgety Skeptics” - or maybe that was the 10% Happier app? Anyway, that tagline interested me, so I got the book.
The whole thing is about Harris' journey from being a very high-strung fellow (who sounds like something of a jerk) to being almost TOO mellow, to figuring out the right balance. Meditation (with a little dash of Buddhist philosophy) was magic for him.
AUDIOBOOK
I really enjoyed this book as a quick summary on one man's journey toward enlightenment.
I was first drawn to this book by the title - I try to live my life 1% better everyday.
This book was like reading the private journal of the author- all his wins and losses on his journey, both professionally and in his meditation practices. I have recently taken an interest in enlightenment/meditation, but after not being able to finish a book by Eckhart Tolle I thought maybe it was all just a bunch of BS. This book rekindled my interest and hope in learning more on the subject.
The author works as a reporter for some major news channels and it was incredible hearing how he worked through major events in history and the world changing people he got to interview.
Overall, pretty good book if you are looking for spark notes on enlightenment and learning more on the power of meditation.
