In 'Same as Ever,' Morgan Housel presents a master class on optimizing risk, seizing opportunity, and living a fulfilling life by focusing on what remains constant in a changing world. Through engaging stories and examples, Housel shows how understanding permanent truths about human behavior can help readers make better decisions and navigate uncertainties. The book emphasizes the importance of recognizing and adapting to timeless principles in finance, business, and personal life, rather than trying to predict specific future events[2][4][5].
The book follows Greg Heffley, a middle school student, as he navigates the challenges of school and friendships. It includes his attempts to boost his popularity, his relationships with his family and best friend Rowley, and various misadventures such as the infamous 'Cheese Touch' and a disastrous school play. The book is known for its deadpan humor and engaging illustrated diary format.
Atomic Habits by James Clear provides a practical and scientifically-backed guide to forming good habits and breaking bad ones. The book introduces the Four Laws of Behavior Change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. It also emphasizes the importance of small, incremental changes (atomic habits) that compound over time to produce significant results. Clear discusses techniques such as habit stacking, optimizing the environment to support desired habits, and focusing on continuous improvement rather than goal fixation. The book is filled with actionable strategies, real-life examples, and stories from various fields, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their habits and achieve personal growth[2][4][5].
This book surveys the history of humankind from the Stone Age to the 21st century, focusing on Homo sapiens. It divides human history into four major parts: the Cognitive Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, the Unification of Humankind, and the Scientific Revolution. Harari argues that Homo sapiens dominate the world due to their unique ability to cooperate in large numbers through beliefs in imagined realities such as gods, nations, money, and human rights. The book also examines the impact of human activities on the global ecosystem and speculates on the future of humanity, including the potential for genetic engineering and non-organic life.
In this book, Karl Pillemer compiles 30 key lessons for living a fulfilling life, derived from his five-year project of interviewing more than 1,000 Americans over the age of 65. The book covers a wide range of topics including marriage, parenting, career, aging, and living without regrets. It weaves together personal recollections and hard-won advice from these 'wisest Americans,' providing practical and inspirational guidance for readers. The lessons are categorized into areas such as happy marriages, successful careers, effective parenting, and aging fearlessly, offering a comprehensive guide to living well[1][2][3].
In 'The Psychology of Money,' Morgan Housel delves into the psychological and emotional aspects of financial decisions. The book consists of 19 short stories that illustrate how personal history, worldview, emotions, and biases influence financial outcomes. Housel emphasizes the importance of behavior over knowledge in managing money, highlighting the power of compounding, the dangers of greed, and the pursuit of happiness beyond mere wealth accumulation. He advocates for a frugal lifestyle, long-term perspective, and a balanced approach to investing, stressing that financial success is more about mindset and discipline than about technical financial knowledge[2][3][4].
In this book, Bronnie Ware shares her experiences from working in palliative care, where she identified the five most common regrets of the dying. These regrets include: 'I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me,' 'I wish I hadn’t worked so hard,' 'I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings,' 'I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends,' and 'I wish that I had let myself be happier.' The book provides a heartfelt and inspiring account of how these regrets can be addressed while there is still time, promoting a life of greater compassion, honesty, and happiness.
When John D Rockefeller was asked how much money was enough, he famously replied, “Just a little bit more.” This quote is often used to illustrate our hard-to-shake view that money will solve all life’s problems. But as today’s guest is keen to point out, it probably won’t. Because life’s true riches don’t have a £-sign in front of them.
Today’s guest is the multi award-winning financial writer and bestselling author Morgan Housel. Morgan is a partner at The Collaborative Fund and a former columnist at The Wall Street Journal.
In his first book, The Psychology of Money, Morgan explains how doing well with finance is less about what you know and more about how you behave. This is an idea that I believe applies equally to health. That book became a global sensation and to date has sold over 4 million copies. And his second book, Same as Ever:Timeless Lessons on Risk, Opportunity and Living a Good Life has just come out.
Morgan explains that in finance, as in health, we generally don’t want to put in the hard work over the long term. We want shortcuts, secret hacks, silver bullets. Yet, he says, basic truths and principles remain the same as ever.
We also talk about the relationship between money and happiness, the relationship between our finances and our health, the real meaning of wealth and the importance of having a sense of control.
We discuss the problems with black and white thinking, the dangers of social comparison, the difference between success and happiness, and why we need to be careful about who we look up to.
At its core, this is a conversation about what it really means to live a happy and contented life.
There’s a quote from Lao Tzu, that I really like: “He who knows he has enough is rich.” It’s such simple yet profound advice. And it chimes with Morgan’s ultimate message, that whatever your current financial situation, what’s going to make you happy is probably not what you think.
This is a thought provoking conversation that I’m pretty sure will have you thinking deeply about your life.
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Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee 
