Ep 181: 10% Happier with Dan Harris
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Ep 181: 10% Happier with Dan Harris
Episode 181: Show Notes
Ever heard of Cathartic Normalization? It's the powerful idea that sharing raw, real experiences can inspire others to open up. Almost proving how openness can truly be contagious.
In today's episode, we're joined by the incredible Dan Harris, a former ABC news anchor, journalist, meditation advocate, and bestselling author. Through books like 10% Happier and Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, as well as his 10% Happier app, Dan has made meditation accessible to the masses.
Join us as he unfolds his journey, recounting a fateful morning in June 2004 that led him to embrace meditation, how he found time to write a book amidst a busy life, and the backstory behind the title 10% Happier.
We explore thoughts on different terms including karma, destiny, reincarnation, and enlightenment, how he found his meditation teacher and the weight that relationship carries. If you want to hear more from Dan, including what he learned from the shocking results of a 360 Review, be sure to tune in now. Enjoy.
Key Points From This Episode:
Dan shares a montage of how he grew up and what led him to journalism.
His thoughts on a true panic attack, and what it could look like.
He explains the concept of the toilet vortex.
Dan unpacks the event that happened on that morning in June of 2004.
Some of the great preventative moves you can do.
Living his dream versus his life’s purpose.
His thoughts on shifting away from defining yourself by your work.
How he found himself embracing meditation.
Finding time in his busy life to write his book.
He expresses the profound impact of the support from his ABC News family (in the launch of his book).
The backstory behind the title 10% Happier.
How the universe rained down various opportunities after his book.
Navigating his authentic self through the journey of his book.
A discussion about his thoughts and relationship with terms like reincarnation, karma, destiny, and enlightenment as a practicing Buddhist.
The importance of reminding ourselves to wake up.
His thinking on toxic positivity: participating joyfully in the sorrows of the world.
How Dan found Joseph Goldstein (as his teacher) and what the relationship means.
How you can go about finding a teacher.
He speaks to the shocking revelations he received after his first 360 Review.
How he knew it was time to pivot from being a full-time journalist.
More about his upcoming newsletter and his involvement in it.
What has surprised Dan about the 10% Happier movement.
Where to find out more about Dan Harris and 10% Happier.
Quotes:
“A component of panic is a fear of social rejection. This is why so many people freak out in public speaking, because [of] social rejection. We are wired to have that as perhaps the primordial fear because during evolutionary times a lonely human was likely a dead human.” — @danbharris [0:10:24]
“An interesting thing about panic [or anxiety] is if your nervous system is degraded, it makes panic much more likely.” — @danbharris [0:13:24]
“What I mean [by 10% Happier] is that perfection is not on offer, but marginal increases in happiness are on offer — and like any good investment, the 10% will compound annually.” — @danbharris [0:34:18]
“You're not yourself when you're anchoring the news, right? At least I wasn't. I think it's the very rare person that can be really authentic as they're delivering the news.” — @danbharris [0:39:46]
“One of the great joys of having any platform — is finding people whose work you admire and exposing that work to the world.” — @danbharris [01:08:55]
“I actually think that this focus on basic human rights as it pertains to mental health and thinking about work in a less militaristic and hierarchical way. I actually think that's a great gift.” — @danbharris [01:10:16]
Longer Quotes:
“It's not like the world started treating me like I was the Dalai Lama. I did not start to think I was the Dalai Lama. I have lots of flaws, but I'm not that delusional. I think, because the whole brand was built around me being a fuck-up, it was all based on a cocaine-fueled panic attack. The book was called 10% Happier. Built into the whole endeavor was the idea of, ‘Oh, yeah. This is an unlikely meditation evangelist. Somebody who we can relate to.’ So, I was protected in that way, protected from my own ego, and protected from other people projecting too much on me.” — @danbharris [0:36:40]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to Book
Ep 63: Return to Life with Dr. Jim Tucker