10% Happier

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.

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.

Great, quick read about how one person, after researching some of the “self-help” gurus, reluctantly started down the path of meditation. I really liked his writing style, and sense of humor, and I really identified with a lot of his reluctance. If anything, it was good to know that others feel the same way.

Highly recommended.

More of a memoir of an experience into self help than anything else, this one had me nodding along throughout in agreement as the authors stances on various trendy ways of managing happiness affected his overall health. I didn't end up having any revelations about my own happiness in reading this, but enjoyed the journey.

It was a very fun and enlightening read! I really enjoyed Harris' sense of humor in his quest to understand the culture of meditation and Buddhism. It is a very personal story told by his own judgment and view of the world and I think he did a great job to tell it in a honest way, with no arrogance.
The good thing is that he demystifies meditation and try to bring a more practical view on it and he convinces us that the practice brings plenty of benefits, backed by his own experience. Like he himself says: “If I can do it, anyone can do it”. He brings a critical discussion on various aspects of meditation and Buddhism ideas. It was very delightful to follow his search for answers on subjects related to spirituality, compassion and mindfulness.

I am a self-help cynic. I've never read any self-help, but I knew I needed to get a handle on my stress, anxiety and anger. When I read the description of this book (I listened to the audio version) I said, “OK, newsman, tell me how to be happier.”

Dan Harris is an anchor for ABC, and in this story (which reads more like a memoir than a self-help guide) he details his own struggles early in his career. I related to many of these difficulties (particularly the fear of freezing up while live on the air) and so I immediately felt a kinship. However, I don't think you need to work in media to get where Dan is coming from; anyone in a high-stress situation, be it work or personal life, can find connections.

For me, this book really opened my eyes to ways that I can relieve stress while still maintaining my “edge” in the workplace. My two biggest takeaways from this book are “Enlightened self-interest” and “Respond, not react.” I kind of want to make posters of these for my office.

Dan is personable and funny, but he looks at the world of self-help and meditation with the eyes of an investigative reporter, which I greatly appreciated. If you want to start your own journey of becoming at least 10% happier... well, this is a good place to start.

Liked: Very straightforward and easy to read. Good to see it's not just me who didn't get the whole Eckhart Tolle or Deepak Chopra fascination.

Didn't like: I only see this book useful for those unfamiliar with meditation. I didn't take anything new from it, apart from a small reminder of a few Buddhist principles.

It's more a re-accounting of spiritual journey than a book on how to become 10% happier. I was wondering about the title...thinking that 10% happier isn't that great of an improvement and is this book really worth my time? 10% happier was just a way the author explained his meditation in an effort to avoid being judged and to prevent others from thinking he was a quack. At the beginning I almost gave up on this book. I thought it would be a narcissistic recounting of a reporter's life. Towards the end I felt I did get an understanding of the steps the author made to improve his happiness.. I am intrigued about mindfulness and this book bears witness it can improve ones life.

More of a memoir of an experience into self help than anything else, this one had me nodding along throughout in agreement as the authors stances on various trendy ways of managing happiness affected his overall health. I didn't end up having any revelations about my own happiness in reading this, but enjoyed the journey.

It's not called a memoir, but it's a memoir. Had I known this, I'm not sure if I would have chosen to read it; I'm not one for celebrity memoirs. Glad I didn't know this, going in. Yes, it's a memoir, but it's also a book about a person who is not very happy becoming a little bit happier. He shares ways that we can all become a little bit happier, too. And that's worth the cover price.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the synopsis of this book. Then Dan introduces himself and paints a clear picture of what I can expect. He illustrates that the original title was ‘The voice in my head is an asshole.' Immediately I knew I was in capable hands.

I won't ruin the book for you. I will, however, offer two pieces of advice for those of us in high stakes professions looking for “something.”

1- Read the book. More specifically, read it with an open mind. The biographical nature is necessary, and, I found, quite helpful.

2- If you respond to this message as I did, keep your newly inspired energy at bay. Dan provides excellent practical advice throughout, but the final chapter & epilogue will set you up for success. Before you lurch into the unknown, let him provide some insight. It will save you time.

At the beginning of the book I didn't like it. The first 20% were purely about Dans life. Then it got much more interesting. His experience with meditation and mindfulness was very interesting to read and I was surprised there was a lot to learn. At the end of the book, I liked it very much. Boring start, great ending.

Okay, I must admit that I listened to Dan Harris narrate his book on my iPod, but I felt like I had to – he's a TV journalist for goodness sakes! He was made to report stories! I have been eyeing up this read ever since it was published in 2014.

I appreciated how Dan Harris' skepticism for the self-help industry led him on a journey of exploration to try to overcome his anxiety, panic attacks and addictions. He was quite a jerk for the majority of the book (he'll tell you this himself) lambasting the self-help sector as a whole and ridiculing popular self-help gurus like Deepak Chopra and Eckart Tolle. But you know what? It was a rather refreshing change for a book in this genre.

Spoiler Alert: In the end, Harris is able to find meaning and value on his quest for calm. It's perfect for those venturing into mindfulness and meditation, but even the most proficient meditators will enjoy this authentic, amusing, and frank book.

To sum up 10% Happier in one sentence: This is THEE self-help book for people who do not like self-help books (and a magnificent read for those who do).