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Overview

The Happiness of Pursuit speaks to the timeless human impulse for self-discovery. It is more relevant today because so many people are following a traditional path, and not thinking for themselves. The author encourages people to set their own course in life, instead of just following the herd.

In this book, you’ll learn about a man who lived in 100 different countries without ever leaving his room and why that was important to him. You’ll also learn how much it costs to travel the entire world and whether or not that’s worth doing.

Big Idea #1: Many people share the desire to embark on a life-affirming journey.

Sailing around the world is not that different from living in a tree for a year. Both are quests, which are journeys with specific goals and challenges. A great example of a quest is Tom Allen’s journey to go cycling around the world despite his inexperience as both cyclist and traveler.

This article is about a man who travelled to Africa and wanted to learn more about the cultures there. He encountered many challenges along the way, but he was able to overcome them all and complete his quest. When he returned home, he was different than when he started out on his journey. This story is similar to that of Sandi Wheaton, who also embarked on a quest after she lost her job at General Motors; however, Sandi’s motivation for doing so came from an internal desire rather than external factors like those in this article.

For some, like Laura Dekker (a Dutch explorer), a quest for discovery and self-affirmation arises from the desire to do something they consider fun. She loved sailing since she was 10 and planned to sail around the world by herself. When asked about her motivation, she said that it’s because “she just loves sea”.

Some people embark on a quest to take a stand. For example, Miranda Gibson lived in a tree for over a year to protest illegal logging. Ultimately, quests are born from ideas that won’t go away and benefit either the individual or others.

Big Idea #2: A quest arises when an inner calling is set in motion by outside factors.

Bob Dylan once said that everyone has a calling. Everyone is on their own personal quest, and they are motivated by their passions in life.

It could be that you feel excited when you find a good piece of tuna. Some people are passionate about vintage trains. Whatever it may be, if something consumes your attention, then it’s a good candidate for a life quest. Identifying your own passion isn’t always easy; sometimes we need an event to get going.

Some people are unsatisfied with their lives and want to do something about it. They have big ideas that they act on, which leads them to new adventures. For example, Juno Kim was unhappy with her job as an engineer in South Korea and wanted more out of life than a stable career. She had the idea to travel around Asia, but she was one of the few Asian backpackers at that time who were not Westerners. This led her on a journey where she became an advocate for other female travelers from Asia.

Some people start living life to the fullest because they’re aware that it’s short.

Some people, when they are told that they only have a year to live, decide to do all the things they want to do. They travel and explore. One of those people was Phoebe Snetsinger who got cancer and decided to travel around the world in order to identify as many birds as she could. She ended up with the record for identifying more than 8,000 different species of birds.

In this way, quests arise from an inner calling that’s guided by factors from outside of ourselves.