The teachings in that book have stayed with me ever since (2000) and I still try to incorporate them into my daily life. --from If you have concerns or worries about your career or working life, this book will put your mind at ease. So, how can I find happiness at work?' Following the massive success of THE ART OF HAPPINESS, the Dalai Lama & Howard Cutler now bring their bestselling message to our working lives. And he's your boss-you can't just say, 'I'm going to quit, I'm not going to be a monk anymore.' And this wasn't the first time I had noticed his natural reluctance to engage in discussion about his role in the world. Hello Select your address Books Hello, Sign in. The advice contained in the book is the usual common-sense, witty and profound style often found in the Dalai Lamas books. His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The book explores three levels of focus: survival, career, … "Well, in today's world, exploitation certainly goes on," I agreed. ‎ Following the massive success of The Art of Happiness , the Dalai Lama & Howard Cutler now bring their bestselling message to our working lives. Over the past several years, Howard Cutler has continued his conversations with the Dalai Lama, asking him the questions … Yet despite his unsentimental acknowledgment of life's difficulties, there was a certain fearlessness mingled with a gentle undertone of compassion in his voice. Then the employees who are left have to take on more and more responsibility. "But I think in these kinds of situations, the employer has a responsibility to judge how much a person can reasonably be expected to do. The Dalai Lama nodded. Which, in his unique style, begins with developing a greater clearer understanding of ourselves and our individual skills. Now how many of us like our jobs? This in turn helps us to better relate to our environment and the individuals around us. The Art of Happiness at Work: Dalai Lama, Cutler, Howard C: 9781594480546: Books - Amazon.ca ... From the authors who brought you the million-copy bestseller The Art of Happiness comes an exploration of job, career, and finding the ultimate happiness at work. So, he reminds us that if we can change some of the external conditions at the workplace that contribute to our dissatisfaction, we certainly should. It is just not possible to go through life without encountering problems. The Dalai Lama reflected in silence for a long while, and finally declared, "Nothing. The Art of Happiness at Work is an invaluable source of strength and peace for anyone who earns a living. Beginning with a direct correlation between productivity and happiness, Dr. Cutler questions His Holiness about the nature of work. This shopping feature will continue to load items when the Enter key is pressed. . Why do most of us hate our jobs, hate our career choices and hate our career direction? Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 5, 2012. I am very curious to see if this book is as fulfilling a one as the first one was for me. It had been a long day for the Dalai Lama. The same traditional Tibetan thanka paintings lined the pale yellow walls, the same Buddhist shrine covered with ornate Buddhist icons at one end of the room, and the same floor-to-ceiling relief map of Tibet dominating the opposite wall. "Yes, Howard, but you shouldn't confuse contentment with complacency. Chapter 1 "And if that doesn't work?" And suddenly it seems like the idea of happiness slips away. It spent nearly two years on the New York Times bestseller list and has sold well over a million copies in hardcover. How to deal with these things? Many arrived penniless, destitute, their traditional chubas (native Tibetan costumes) tattered and dusty from the long journey. What's the reason? As a teacher, an ordained Buddhist monk and consummate Buddhist scholar, he gave extensive lectures expounding the most subtle facets of Buddhist philosophy. He wasn't getting it. "However, at that point let's say that the boss agrees to extra pay, and the employee agrees, then that is a person's decision and there's no cause to complain about overload. © 2008-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, His Holiness the Dalia Lama and Howard C. Cutler. Then he comes back a few hours later and says, 'Well, now you have to memorize an additional text along with this text in the same amount of time.' "But perhaps one could speak with the boss, with the management, and try to change these things." The Art of Happiness at Work (Book) : Bstan-ʼdzin-rgya-mtsho : From the authors who brought you the million-copy bestseller The Art of Happiness comes an exploration of job, career, and finding the ultimate happiness at work. "So, you continue to think about the reality, thinking, Oh, yes that's my bad luck, I deserve that better job, but since that didn't happen, instead of looking only at the lack of the better job, you could cultivate a wider perspective and see it from the other direction where you can think, Well, yes, this may pay less and is not the best work, but since with this work I earn enough, a sufficient amount for my family and for my survival, I'm happy. For example, your boss could give you some work which you could probably finish within a certain amount of time, but that's not overload because it is something you can accomplish, even if it is difficult. But if I were to continue with this having less sleep for a long time, having that kind of overload for a whole year, then it would be impossible." This is very refreshing and lends a greater value to his advice. I don't mean tolerate our jobs, I mean enjoy going to and look forward to going to work? "Of course it will vary from individual to individual how one emotionally and psychologically responds, and it also depends upon the nature of work and the nature of the company," he reminded me. Dr. Cutler maintains a private psychiatric practice in Phoenix. But if the boss gives too much work without increase of salary, then this 'overload' is just exploitation, the kind that we just spoke about. After all, the Japanese have even coined the word karoshi-death by work overload. It may seem strange in a business ethics class to discuss the work of such a person but I think that it is certainly relevant to discuss happiness at work! Letting go of our customary responses, as destructive as they may be, may seem frightening, and often that fear abides on a deeply ingrained subconscious level. For example, if you view your work as something that is really worthwhile-if, for instance, there is a higher purpose to your work-then of course, even if the work is very hard there may be a greater willingness to undergo that hardship. In the same way, one can reflect on how much more difficult previous generations had it, going through world wars and so on. "But in a lot of cases it isn't a matter of gross exploitation. Nothing? But I've noticed that there the sense of satisfaction they derive from their job is much stronger and also they are more committed. One of the best books ever, I’m reading it for the second time as every sentence is full of wisdom. He is the recipient of the Wallenberg Award (conferred by the U.S. Congressional Human Rights Foundation), the Albert Schweitzer Award, and the Nobel Peace Prize. "What if someone persisted and asked you again?" Please try again later. "Oh, definitely," he quickly replied. "Of course it will completely depend on the person's individual circumstances, what position they are in." about From the authors who brought you the million-copy bestseller The Art of Happiness comes an exploration of job, career, and finding the ultimate happiness at work. They had no sense of autonomy, no freedom to do their work in their own way. But at the same time there is still a lot of discontent and dissatisfaction with one's job. If there are certain problems in the workplace, or layoffs and one is having difficulty finding a job, there are always many factors at play. In fact, I'd be interested in hearing your opinion on each one of these factors. No wonder we're all messed up by the time we hit 40 or 50 years old. Please try your request again later. In order to navigate out of this carousel, please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Please try again. The Buddhist texts mention what is called 'misplaced tolerance,' or 'misplaced forbearance.' "Sometimes we forget that. Now comes a topic that effects almost every single adult not only in the United States but the world. "What kind of action?" "Oh, now I think I understand. Although the book is written by a prominant figure in Tibetan Buddhism don't let that fool you into thinking the whole book is full of high-brow Buddhist philosophies, because it isn't. Under those circumstances, legally they are wrong, we are right, but still we suffer. "Yes. Perhaps you could even make a small contribution to improve things in some way." "Of course it again depends on the situation," the Dalai Lama said reasonably. "Howard, some of your questions are so impossible! If you dont like your job...you need this in your life! Once they focus on the real issue, it creates a sense of unity among us, which creates a sense of greater satisfaction instead of the divisions and conflicts caused when we lose sight of the wider issues and start bickering among ourselves. And as grueling as this day had been, it was light duty compared to his schedule during his frequent trips abroad. This is a simple but downright astonishing book! After all, at least our characteristic ways of looking at the world are familiar. "Millions of people are subjected to various forms of unfairness, isn't it? Hello Select your address All Hello, Sign in. That's a problem. That only brings more worry, more dissatisfaction. Even the modest furniture appeared to be the same, although it's possible the sofa may have been reupholstered. He clearly worked as hard as anyone I knew, harder even. "In today's workplace environment, there's often a focus solely on production, productivity-produce, produce, produce. This is always the reality. In conversations with the Dalai Lama over the past several years, Howard Cutler has asked the questions we all want answered about how to find happiness in the place we spend most of our time -- work. And in some cases, one may simply need to quit and to look for other work." In psychiatry and according to the Dalai Lama, our motivation for working determines our level of satisfaction. We've probably all been there at one time or another, some still there right now. That is a misplaced forbearance and endurance. That person continues to enjoy the fruit, they don't stop eating it because it has a little sour taste. Have a seemingly dead-end job? It is almost as if you are asking, 'How can beings in the hell realm learn to practice patience, tolerance, and tranquility?' Some dissatisfaction will always remain. When it comes down to it, many of us resist giving up our misery-a vexing and baffling feature of human behavior I often observed in the past when treating psychotherapy patients. So contentment, I think, contentment-that's the key thing." It just evaporates. By examining whether we're permanently happier from the last promotion we received or looking at people we know to see if those in a higher position are genuinely happier than those in a lower position. That's life." This book is a waste of time. And of course the company I work for doesn't care a bit about my happiness. Little had changed in this room since our first meeting twenty years before. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 11, 2018. He met with scientists, scholars, entertainers, the famous and the obscure. Highly recommended. If Aristotle Ran General Motors: The New Soul of Business, Intrinsic Motivation at Work: Building Energy and Commitment, Art Is a Way of Knowing: A Guide to Self-Knowledge and Spiritual Fulfillment through Creativity, Creativity: The Psychology of Discovery and Invention. Fast, FREE delivery, video streaming, music, and much more. And scheduled among these private meetings, I watched with admiration as he met with a group of newly arrived Tibetan refugees. I read the original book "The Art of Happiness" many years ago and it was interesting, taught me a lot and has been a great help over some recent years of tragedy. For this kind of "analytical meditation" to work, one needs deep and sustained reflection on these alternative ways of viewing one's situation. The Dalai Lama paused and sipped some tea. He offered them all, young and old, words of hope and encouragement, as well as hardheaded practical advice, ranging from "Education is critical to success" to "Now you men should be careful of going with prostitutes-you could catch a disease." The Art of Happiness at Work: Dalai Lama, Cutler, Howard C: Books - Amazon.ca. The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living, If Aristotle Ran General Motors: The New Soul of Business, Intrinsic Motivation at Work: Building Energy and Commitment, How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life. © 2008-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages that interest you. Highly recommended, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 12, 2006. One should take some action." Read it and your life is guaranteed to change for the better. Now many times in the past I've heard you say that the purpose of life is happiness." Once again, Cutler walks us through the Dalai Lama's reasoning so that we know how to apply the wisdom to daily life. On that day in particular I was struck by the diversity of individuals seeking his time and counsel, people coming to visit him from all corners of the earth. The book deals with many important aspects of our modern way of work, such as satisfaction, motivation, productivity, the need of balance between boredom and challenge, or interdependence. So I woke up a few hours earlier and went to bed a few hours later-that is the kind of overload?" But then she told me, 'When I go to bed, I'm thinking that if I make the effort, happiness is within my reach, genuine happiness is out there waiting for me. Then pick up this insightful look into an ever-changing workforce and how you can find happiness in it. If you enjoyed reading this article, please help spread "The Art of Happiness" philosophy by giving a copy to any of your friends, family, and colleagues who you feel would benefit from it. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 21, 2019. So, under such circumstances many individuals can't get jobs. (January 2014) The Art of Happiness (Riverhead, 1998, ISBN 1-57322-111-2) is a book by the 14th Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler, a psychiatrist who posed questions to the Dalai Lama. The author has candid discussions with the Dalai Lama and offers insightful statistics and facts. The Art of Happiness at Work (Book) : Bstan-ʼdzin-rgya-mtsho : Penguin PutnamFrom the authors who brought you the million-copy bestseller The Art of Happiness comes an exploration of job, career, and finding the ultimate happiness at work.It spent nearly two years on the New York Times bestseller list and has sold well over a million copies in hardcover. And here we are, making life altering decisions, mostly on our own? He reflected for a moment. You suffer. These kinds of things, lines of reasoning, can diffuse your frustration and disturbance of mind. The Dalai Lama doesn't pretend to have all the answers or experience of every situation. "So there are many factors to take into account. From the authors who brought you the million-copy bestseller The Art of Happiness comes an exploration of job, career, and finding the ultimate happiness at work. Or he could give you an amount of work that is impossible to finish in a certain amount of time, in which case you simply have to say 'I can't do this.' But then the next morning I have to get up at five o'clock in the morning and face an hour-long commute to work. This item could not be removed from your list. Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, is the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people. Or just go read some Buddhist texts. If not, although it is always easy or quick, it is still possible to be happy at work through reshaping our attitudes and outlook, through inner training. It's a very challenging text. "So, you are going for a new job or promotion, and you have the right qualifications, and you are worthy, but you didn't get the job. "Well," he laughed, "in that case, I would probably say, 'I just look after myself, just take care of myself.'" That's our main task." In this case, for instance, while at SUNY Buffalo, Robert Rice, PhD, a prolific scholar in the field of job satisfaction, led a group that conducted a surprising study. It spent nearly two years on the New York Times bestseller list and has sold well over a million copies in hardcover. "What do you mean?" A few days before leaving for Dharamsala, I had dinner with some friends who were both in the software industry and worked for large corporations. This is a very, very sad statement. This practical application of Buddhist ideas is an invaluable source of strength and peace for anyone who earns a living. Otherwise, you will remain unhappy at work and in your life." "So, I'm wondering if you can take me through a specific example of this process. He did nothing? For example, when the economy is slow, companies are forced to cut back and lay off employees. But my country, America, was built on personal initiative. It may just be that the nature of the job is very demanding. That fruit may be mostly sweet, but it may also have a little bit of sourness in it. THE ART OF HAPPINESS AT WORK Dalai Lama, Author, Howard C. Cutler, Author, Howard C. Cutler, Joint Author. The Dalai Lama appeared surprised. However, there are good ideas here and they can be engaged immediately. Over the past several years, Howard Cutler has continued his conversations with the Dalai Lama, asking him the questions we all want answered about how to find happiness in the place we spend most of our time. Perhaps it was due to a certain lack of self-absorption, an absence of self-involvement. It's drivel, really. But I decided to drop the subject of his job for now and turn to the wider issue. This is a great read, particularly if you are one of those people (like I am) who has been frustrated about what kind of work is the most fulfilling. I look forward to reading your comments. And that was O.K. "Another way to build contentment, for example, is simply to reflect on how fortunate one is to have the work, how there are many people unable to get any kind of work. If you're interested in the teachings of HH the DL, then read the books actually written by him. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for The Art of Happiness at Work at Amazon.com. "O.K., right." Then I had to get up very early before my attendants arrived and even when my attendants had left, late into the evening I had to read and memorize. So, thinking along these lines, we can build contentment with our job even when things don't go our way." Probably a small number. The Dalai Lama's teachings are not easy for laymen to understand, but Dr. Cutler is a genius in bringing the ideas like a laser straight to guide our lives.