Ted Leonsis' Secrets to Happiness: #2

Multiple Communities of Interest: Leonsis’ premise here is that the more communities you are associated with, the happier you’re likely to be. He places a premium on networking and community involvement, and while I don’t disagree at all, I think this needs both modification and study. It’s pretty obvious, even by someone skimming this book, that Ted is an extravert (a la the Myers Briggs personality indicator). So happens that I am as well. Folks like us tend to network with relative ease. Not so for introverts, who place a premium on the depth rather than the breadth of their personal relationships. In this section, he raises the idea of “the double bottom line,” and while he certainly didn’t invent the term, I hope he helps to make the term stick in business. Doing well to do good is my personal mantra. His discussion about actor Robert Redford in this section helped me really appreciate what Redford has done off screen to make a significant difference. The key is to do something for someone other than yourself and keep your focus on spreading/sharing out beyond yourself.