How to be Happy

I have to thank Bruce Lee for inspiring this book. Yes, that's right, Bruce Lee. Here's the reason: Bruce Lee turned the martial arts world on its head when he decided to create an approach to fighting that focused not on tradition but on what works. He believed in using the simplest and most effective technique for every situation requiring self-defense. That inspired my goal: to create a streamlined, simple manual of the most effective techniques and wisdom available for achieving personal fulfillment.I also wanted this book to be entertaining and a fast read - but also a book that you could pick up again and again for fresh insights. So, it starts with a short story set in ancient China at the original Shaolin Temple. (Yes, grasshopper, you are ready to begin your journey!) We follow the story of a young Shaolin monk, named Chen, as he passes the trials set before him by the Shaolin grand master - trials which are everything from enjoyable and illuminating to death-defying (think Buddha meets Indiana Jones). The second half of the book, called The Mechanics of Consciousness, is written in a fast-read style and is very airy and open with a small amount of words on each page. It gives you bite-sized lessons and techniques that are deceptively simple, but extremely powerful. So, what are my qualifications to write such a book? Well, I draw from an eclectic background: Intensive study of martial arts, not only honed my focus and discipline, but also gave me an appreciation for distilling methods down to what will actually work in the trenches of life. In martial arts, this means a method that will work if you get mugged in a back alley. In the mechanics of consciousness, this means a method that you will remember and be able to use under the most stressful situations that life can throw at you - and a method that will actually work over time to change bad habits and bring you greater peace and happiness.Twenty years experience as a headhunter in the technology industry taught me that the people who usually get the best jobs are the ones who are personally the happiest and most fulfilled. So, there is often a direct correlation between personal fulfillment and success. This insight (along with Bruce Lee!) inspired me to research and write this manual.And finally, thirty years of personal exploration into the mechanics of consciousness - reading, studying, and applying everything I could find with a fierce determination - gave me the background to synthesize the simplest and most effective knowledge and tools for achieving happiness, fulfillment, and freedom from anger, fear, sadness, and all the negative emotions that commonly plague us.If this sounds interesting to you, give it a try. And I hope you enjoy it!Richard M. PhillipsNovember 2014San Rafael, California