The Happiness Hall of Fame | Mike Duffy

 

About Mike Duffy

Mike Duffy is an evangelist for happiness. Mike has written 4 books on happiness including, The Happiness Book For Men. He has been researching happiness for 30 years. He loves to speak about how you can gain greater happiness and joy in your precious life. Mike started The Happiness Hall Of Fame to recognize, encourage and celebrate people that make other people happy through their hard work, talent and sacrifice. The website is: www.happinesshalloffame.com. Mike is the CEO of Happiness Publishing.

 

Transcript of: The Happiness Hall of Fame | Mike Duffy

Alan
Welcome back and busy here today with Mike Duffy. He is the founder of the happiness all of my closest to today’s show. Thank you all. And I appreciate being here. So Mike, give me background how you led into this happiness Hall of Fame?

Mike
Sure. So, you know, people say why have you been researching happiness for 30 years? What what went on in your life to do this? And, you know, I have found in my life, and I’m 48 now, that sometimes out of tragedy comes great things. So when I was 17 years old, I was a very happy kid. And my mom passed away in three months from breast cancer. And all of a sudden, I was thrust into unhappiness. So I made a plan. I didn’t want to stay there. And so part of the plan was to get a degree in psychology, read as much as I could about getting happy again, and actually becoming friends with the people who were writing those books. And those research reports that I just devoured. And and I’ve spent 30 years trying to learn the secrets to happiness. And my divine purpose is to spread all the knowledge and all the joy that I’ve found over the last 30 years. Well, that’s

Alan
30 years of research. After going through this whole process, what is the best way to increase your happiness?

Mike
Well, my friend Lionel khachigian has founded over 115 Happiness clubs around the world. His last one is in Romania, if you can believe that. And line was a great guy. And I asked him, What do you believe is the greatest way to increase your happiness. And he believes that 95% of Happiness is a result of your gratitude. So I just wanted it to tell your listeners how powerful gratitude is. So whoever is listening right now, you’re going to go through some tough times. But be grateful in those tough times. So when people talk behind your back, be grateful you’re being talked about at all, that means you’re relevant. When you’re so tired, and you can’t go on, be grateful, because you can go on, when the kids are screaming, and you’re on your last nerve. Be grateful you have children that can communicate. If your spouse leaves you for another, be grateful, you’re now free to find another person that will really love you. When you lose your job, be grateful. That means a better job is coming. When you find yourself in tears, wipe those tears off. And when you wake up in the morning, be grateful that you have a new day for a new chance to be grateful for something great that’s coming your way. Psalm 30, verse five says, weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning, be grateful that joy is coming, when you don’t know what to do. And it seems all is coming against you. Be grateful for you figured it out in the past, and you’ll figure it out again, this time even better. When all is lost, be grateful for the opportunity to get it all back and more this time, your test will be your testimony. Understand that you are designed for divine purpose. If you don’t know what that purpose is, I’ll tell you right now, the purpose of your life is to serve others that will bring you happiness, be grateful for your purpose. Always be grateful.

Alan
That’s very keen insight. And one of the things that I grabbed from that is the fact that happiness is in your hand. And it’s in your state of mind. You have the right to choose to be happy as you face adversity.

Mike
You know what my friend Dr. Laura della zona teaches a course at Stanford on happiness. And that’s her motto is choose to be happy. And absolutely no matter what life throws at you, it’s up to you to decide how you’re going to deal with it. You can be happy, which is miserable. Or you can choose you can be sad rather, or you can choose to be happy and I always choose to be happy.

Alan
Now you started this happiness Hall of Fame. What’s that about?

Mike
Well, the happiness Hall of Fame is we celebrate people that make other people happy. So that includes individuals and organizations. And once a year at Stanford University Faculty Club, we throw a great fabulous red carpet party. And people that are in the happiness Hall of Fame include Muhammad on Lee Kristi Yamaguchi, Golden State warrior and Olympic two time medalist Chris Mullin. The maker wish found dation Ronald McDonald House, Stanford Children’s Hospital. Chef Michael Chiarello from PBS. Tom Shadyac is a very interesting individual. He made some blockbuster comedies like Ace Ventura pet detective, Liar, liar, Bruce Almighty Evan Almighty. He became very, very wealthy. And he was living in a 10,000 square foot house in Hollywood. And he had an epiphany. He wasn’t happy. So what he decided to do is give all of his money away to homeless people. And today, he lives in a trailer park in Southern California. And he’s the happiest he’s ever been. Because he loves the close knit community of that trailer park.

Alan
It’s interesting. As you watch people go through the process of trying to find happiness, and they realize it’s not in the things that you it’s in the relationships that you have. I visit here today with Mike Duffy. He is the founder of the happiness Hall of Fame. Mike, I need to take a quick break. And we’ll be right back after these messages with Mike Duffy.

Alan
I’ll come back and visit here today with Mike Duffy. He is the founder of the happiness Hall of Fame. And, Mike, you mentioned this event on November 7 at the Stanford faculty club. How do we get tickets to this?

Mike
Well, I’m a philanthropist. And I underwrite all the costs for the happiness all the thing, I don’t accept donations. So the Tickets are free, you just have to get on the guest list. I don’t want anybody to miss out on these life changing messages that can’t afford it. So we don’t charge for admission. And if you’d like tickets to the event, again, it’s November 7, on Stanford campus at the Stanford University Faculty Club at 630. Just email me at Mike at happiness Hall of fame.com. So that’s Mike, at happiness Hall of Fame one word.com. If you want to learn about more about what we do, you can go to our website at WWW dot happiness Hall of fame.com.

Alan
Well, that’s very kind of you. And you know, for the listeners, we’ll be posting that up. But in November 7, what time will that start?

Mike
So it’s at 630. And, you know, it’s a it’s a wonderful evening, I love food, my mother was a chef. So we have great organic food carving stations. It’s open bar, so it’s strictly 21. And over, and we serve a happiness cocktail. I don’t drink but I’m told it’s very delicious. And it’s an indoor outdoor event. So you can have your happiness cocktail and mingle with our speakers and, and get to know some people that you really never would have the chance to meet before. Now, of course, people that come to this event are happy to so you’ll be in great company. So some of the speakers we’re having this year, which whenever I say this, people get very excited. But one of my friends is Baba Paris. Baba Paris was Joe Montana’s left tackle for the San Francisco 40 Niners. He just has a new book Born for this moment, which is fabulous. And he’s an inspirational speaker. And we had him out last year, standing ovation, got everybody motivated, and he just went around the room hugging everybody. He is just an incredible person, if for no other reason come out just to meet him. We’re also having you know, I’m a big football fan. So one of the greatest fullbacks of all time. And he’s on your competition radio station. 95 Seven, the game morning shows name is Lorenzo Neal. And he was named to the NFL 2000s team of the decade. He’s the only fullback in there. And he’s a wonderful guy. We’re honoring Public Television. So Michael Lopatin from KQED is coming down to talk about all the wonderful things that public television has brought to us. We are honoring Stanford Children’s Hospital, we’re honoring Kim Yancey, the co founder and CEO of live happy magazine, which is one of the best magazines out there. I believe your brain is like a computer. So you want to feed it and enter the best data possible because what goes in comes out and we’ll also be honoring some other wonderful speakers as well.

Alan
So that would be November 7 at 6:30pm at the Stanford faculty club and they get tickets as Mike at happiness Hall of fame.com. Yep. Okay. So now, I understand you recently gave an award to Muhammad Ali.

Mike
Alan, I have to tell you is just last Tuesday, and I got to meet the greatest and he’s still the greatest. I had the honour of flying out to his Ollie center in Louisville, Kentucky. And I met him and I gave him the award. And I also got to meet his wife. And they say that behind every great man is a great woman. Lonnie Ali is a fabulous lady. And when she heard about the happiness Hall of Fame, she just thought it was the greatest thing. And she told me that Muhammad felt that this was better than going into the boxing Hall of Fame, was going into the happiness Hall of Fame. That made me feel very, very happy. And she said, when she saw the award, she said, we’re going to put this on display in the museum, right next to my book, The Happiness book for men. So I was just walking on clouds when I walked out of there.

Alan
Wow. And in so how is Muhammad doing these days?

Mike
You know, when you’re the greatest, you’re always the greatest. And even though he’s suffering from Parkinson’s disease, he still has that presence. When he came into the room, everybody got excited. And, you know, I got to spend about an hour and a half there and just talking to him and I was able to make him smile. It just meant the world to me.

Alan
And visit here today with Mike Duffy. He is the founder the happiness health they might need to take a quick break, and we’ll be right back after these messages.

Alan
Welcome back and visit me here today with Mike Duffy’s about the happiness Hall of Fame. Just this last week, Mike gave an award to Muhammad Ali inducted in Amen. And you know that I heard that. As you mentioned, the last segment that Muhammad was very pleased with, with that honor. Now, as it is you’ve gone through the courts last 30 years looking for happiness, you’ve ended up writing four books I understand.

Mike
Yep. So I have four books, the happiness book for men, which I’m going to give to you right now, because you are a great man. And really, man, thank you, and the happiness book for kids Volume One and two, and the happiness book for little Christians where I take what I call the power verses and the greatest book ever written, and present them in a way that is digestible easily for children to read. And I did that project with my daughter, who illustrated the book. And it was a wonderful daddy daughter project to work on. So if you were, if you’re a man, the statistics say that 50% of you haven’t read a book since high school. And when I told people, other men that I’m writing this book for happiness, so that men can get greater happiness. They said, Please don’t make it boring. So men aren’t great readers. 90% of books are bought by ladies. So I decided to go about in a different way. I decided to create a book that only takes a half an hour to read, and yet contains 30 years of knowledge and research on happiness. I’ve interviewed Stanford professors, Harvard professors shone a core and other great people to put it in there. But I wanted to do it in a way that a man would be interested in turning the page. So what I did was on the left side of every page, I have a bulldog mimicking what the happiness step is on the right side of the page, and the text is very small. So you have to cater to your audience. And so far the reviews that have come back is that men love reading this book. And I’ve even had the ladies that purchase the book for the men say, You know what, you could call that the happiness book for women too, because we loved it.

Alan
Mike, what are the two biggest myths of happiness?

Mike
You know, I’m glad you asked that question because especially in this a country that’s very driven by materialism. People think that, number one, money can buy you happiness. And it absolutely can’t. It’s important to get to a point in your life where you’re financially stable, of course. But after that there’s not really a big deal between somebody who make $70,000 a year, and somebody that makes $20 million a year. And the other myth that that I found is that a lot of people think that happiness is a destination, if I win the lottery, you know, I’ll be happy. I heard about a man actually, that came home to his wife, 25 years. And as he opened up the door, his wife screams, pack your bags, I won $25 million in the lottery. And it’s, and the husband says $25 million. I’m so happy where we going. And the wife says, I don’t know where you’re going, buddy, but you can’t stay here anymore. Right. And that’s a perfect joke to exemplify. One minute you’re up the next minute, you’re down. But happiness is not a destination. Happiness is a journey.

Alan
So like everyone has up days and down days, and they lie for let’s call the down day they’re suffering from the blues. Now, you come back and say, well, the solution to overcoming the blues are right on your phone. What is What are you? What are you referring to?

Mike
Well, I interviewed Professor Daniel Gilbert from my book, The Happiness book for men. He’s a Harvard professor, very well respected. And he said, The secret to happiness is having good relationships. We’re the most social animals on the planet. And your level of happiness, a lot of times is determined by the ties you have with other people. So I have a trick that I love. Nobody likes traffic. And when I get stuck in traffic, I actually look forward to because the first person I call is my dad. Now my dad’s 82 years old, he’s a widower, He lives alone. And I love talking to him, because it builds those stronger ties. I don’t know how much longer I’m going to have my dad. But when he finally goes, I will never have regret that I didn’t call him enough. So yes, the answer to the blues is on your phone. When you’re feeling down, call somebody that can pick you up. And they will. And by the time you stop laughing and you put that phone down, you will even be you’ll forget you’re even sad to begin with.

Alan
And I’ve heard that smiling is important to happiness. Do you agree with that? And why?

Mike
Well, absolutely. Here’s, here’s another trick. When you’re feeling down, just smile, just smile for no reason. What happens is, your brain believes you’re actually happy, even though you’re not, and then your brain will start to release serotonin. And you know, so that’s one reason to keep smiling. The other reason he keeps smiling is as social animals, when you confront somebody with a smile, it makes them want to smile, it gets contagious, and all of a sudden, the whole room is lifted up just by that one act of smiling.

Alan
Yeah, as long as they can go through social experiments thing, smiling everyone today and see what happens. Exactly. You’ve been referred to as the mayor of happiness. What is that?

Mike
Yeah, my friends call me the mayor. And the reason why they call me that is because I love people is Lonnie Ali, I said, What makes Muhammad Ali happy. And she said people, and I really identify with that. So I have a lot of friends in the happiness community, writers, researchers, lecturers, and I love to keep in contact with them and go out to lunch with them. So in some of them, I don’t know other people and they asked me well, can you introduce me to that professor? Or can you connect me in some way with these people? And of course, at our event, every year, we get to have a lot of these people come together and have a drink together. So that’s why they call me the mayor.

Alan
Yeah, so once again, for the listeners and it’s it’s Mike at happiness Hall of fame.com. And you’ll get them tickets to the event, the Stanford faculty club on November seventh 6:30pm. So, in the concluding minute here, do you have any role models that you follow for happiness?

Mike
You know, because I’ve been in the space for so long. I’ve known a lot of great people. Yesterday, I had friends with a good friend of mine had lunch with a good friend of mine, Dr. Fred Luskin, and he is the author of forgive for good. He teaches a life changing course on happiness at Stanford, and he’s on just like you, Alan, my board of advisors for the happiness Hall of Fame. And whenever we get together, it’s just such an enriching experience. He brings in the latest research that maybe I haven’t caught yet. And I bring in maybe some things that he hasn’t heard of yet. So, whenever I get together with Fred, I get the latest and the greatest out of Stanford. And that is one heck of a good university.

Alan
And my question again, for the listeners, how can they find out more information on the happiness Hall of Fame?

Mike
Well, I would advise you to go to my website, www dot happiness Hall of fame.com. There you can see inspirational speeches from last year’s event. And we’ll be uploading the new speeches in mid November. You can see photos of folks that have accepted the award, and it’s a lot of fun.

Alan
Mike, thanks for being on today’s show.

Mike
Well, thank you very much. You’re a good man. I appreciate it.

Alan
We’ll be right back after these messages.

 

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This transcript was generated by software and may not accurately reflect exactly what was said.

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