Quest over Quote: Why Einstein’s Theory Of Happiness Really Is Of Value To The Pursuit of Happiness (and Success)

Einstein’s theory of happiness sold for $1.5m :

“A calm and humble life will bring more happiness than the pursuit of success and the constant restlessness that comes with it.”

Gal Winner, owner and manager of the Winner's auction house in Jerusalem, displays two notes written by Albert Einstein, in 1922, on hotel stationary from the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo (22 October 2017)

Please listen to Einstein. I SWEAR by this.

I’ll explain.

Too often (especially on this Internet) people associate “success” with the constant busy of doing—rather than being.

If you took steps today, to do more (rather than nothing) over what you did just yesterday: That’s success.

If you’re known for what you do and/or at the top of being known for what you do: That, too, is success.

Too often, this Internet age we live in, is populated with people who confuse “success” with flossing on Instagram (as proof of success).

When actually, if you are logging onto social media/Internet griping about somebody doing (what you want to do) at levels + being well known for what you (yourself) want to do, too: That person is successful, too.

All too often, what (many) think is ambition is actually angst—about “being” successful. If there is any angst to be had, ambition is the angst of being obsessive about perfecting your art or craft-no different the the love of a hobby. But when your angst is channeled more on the audience before the art is ready, you will be angsty all the time. That’s not ambition. That’s simply: angst.

If you’re angsty about success, you COULDN’T be happy any more than your not understanding that success is happiness.

If you’re constantly angsty.  You’re not happy (or successful).

If you’re envious or covetous. You’re not happy (or successful).

When you are TRULY “successful” you know it first, not necessarily the world.

From the calm, peaceful existence of a person that’s not restless and angsty about “success,” observing the constant obsession about the destination to success is negativity-the new “negative.” That vibration is sooooo cryptic. Nobody talks about it online because the majority are actually living it.

But when you are angsty and in constant pursuit of success (ESPECIALLY in this same Internet age where we ALL can make our own “success” like never before), you’re pretty much not happy because you’re not garnering the ATTENTION YOU WANT, and in your eyes, you don’t see what you are doing as “successful,” therefore…you’ll always be angsty and unhappy. There are DROVES of people on social media like that. Every single day they are angstily posting about success and grinding rather than grinding and simply being GRATEFUL for the fact that THROUGH technology (Internet and social media), whenever the ARE DOING WHAT DOES GARNER THE ATTENTION THEY WANT, the audience is right here and forever will be.

The problem is, too many of us decided that our purpose in life is something popularly public. Social media and ready made attention somehow made a sleuth of people think that what we do has to fit an Instagram square or be Tweetable and gather likes in order for to validate being successful. Success is from intention, not because of, or for: attention.



You’re only angsty about success when YOU KNOW deep down inside, you are looking out at the stage to an audience but unprepared to take the stage. That, too, makes you just as unhappy as the “putting on” to attract people the “get life” vicariously through you. You have to keep that up every single day-because those people care more about that, first. There is no peace, calm or humility in none of that.

“A calm and humble life will bring more happiness than the pursuit of success and the constant restlessness that comes with it.” -Einstein

In a social (online) setting where most of our energy is placed on quoting as questing, I always say: “Be on a quest. Not a quote. That’s why you’re stagnant.” But the truth in that quote is worth the 1.5 million it’s going for. It’s priceless.

It’s kinda like my observation of some who bible thump and “God” their surroundings (or timelines) to deaf. When you (truly) have a close, personal relationship with God you are at peace. But why are you so tortured, daily? When you are successful (truly) there  is no pursuit of “success,” there is no “constant restlessness,” you just are.

That said, with regard to “success” I say: be on a quest to be paid for and live off of work you do commensurate with your work’s worth. All else is a daily (never-ending) game of angst, unhappiness and Tom-foolery.

Angst and “constant restlessness” in the pursuit of success comes from knowing that the audience is there-but not admitting to yourself that you know your work is not done-so you spend more time trying to keep the audience which robs you of your peace.

I’m not even INTERESTED in holding court with or in people opposite that up in my space or having and taking up my time. They are toxic AF. Online and offline, too.

German-born Swiss-US physicist Albert Einstein in Princeton (14 February 1950)

You can either say this with me, but you’d better well know it about me:  

I am successful.

I’m at peace.

I am at the top of my game in the game, happily. 

Author: Angela Sherice