In our last episode, we met Adam, an ambitious sales leader whose mental health is deteriorating. Jay met with bestselling author and keynote speaker Ambreen Nadeem to discuss how Adam can start to address his struggles. Now, host Jay Abbasi dives deeper into the underlying issues that so many face in high-pressure roles. Jay introduces a compelling study from Dr. Sonja Lyubomisrky, a distinguished psychology professor at UC Riverside, and author of The How of Happiness and The Myths of Happiness. This study sheds light on what truly makes us happy, debunking common myths about success and fulfillment. Jay shares actionable insights on how Adam—and all of us—can detach from external outcomes and begin focusing on what we can control. From interrupting negative thought patterns to grounding yourself in the present, Jay offers practical strategies to find happiness amidst the chaos. Stay tuned for our next episode, where we’ll meet Maria, a newly promoted sales manager whose inner critic is sabotaging her confidence. Corporate wellness expert Kristel Bauer will join us to offer strategies for silencing self-doubt and thriving in leadership. Timestamps [00:01] Adam's story   [02:15] Misconceptions about happiness   [03:15] Genetics and happiness   [03:15] Life events and happiness   [03:15] Actions and thoughts   [04:57] Two-step practice introduction   [05:30] Step one: notice   [06:21] Step two: interrupt the pattern   [07:30] Next episode teaser  Notable Quotes [00:01] "Adam worked tirelessly, relentlessly to try to get his team to perform at a high level again, and it affected his mental and emotional state. He gained weight and started to need anxiety medication to work through the pressure." — Jay Abbasi [03:15] "The bombshell here is that only 10% of your happiness comes from life events. Adam getting his promotion, earning a huge bonus, getting some achievement acknowledgment—it only makes up 10%." — Jay Abbasi [04:53] “40% of our happiness comes from our actions and our thoughts. This is the good news. What you think about your situation and the actions that you take have a huge impact on your sense of happiness now." — Jay Abbasi [04:57] "You're at your desk thinking about the weekend, an upcoming vacation, getting a promotion, earning a bonus, and there's this distance created between right now and the future. It becomes a source of unhappiness because you're chasing something you believe will make you happy." — Jay Abbasi Resources and Link Jay Abbasi Website: https://jayabbasi.me/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayabbasi/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayabbasi_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejayabbasi/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayabbasipodcast Resources Mentioned The How of Happiness  The Myths of Happiness. Previous episode