The Pursuit of Happyness

The movie 'The Pursuit of Happyness' is based on the true life story of Chris Gardner. a self-made millionaire, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker. He faced some daunting financial and parenting odds in his earlier years. He was a salesman who could not make enough sales to make ends meet, and his partner bailed out on him leaving him with their young son. He almost lost his son, got evicted from his apartment and became homeless, could barely pay his bills and was thrown into prison for failure to pay parking tickets. To overcome these challenges, he took some big risks, and did what was necessary to follow his dream of making things better for his family. At some point in the movie, his young son is trying to play basketball, but cannot make some shots. His dad tells him he should give up. Upon seeing the dejected look on his son’s face, he tells him “Don’t ever let anybody tell you that you can’t ever do anything. You got a dream, you gotta protect it…if you want something, go get it. Period.”

The film is a good lesson on how to face fears, struggles and still emerge victor.

The following are other quotes linked to the concept of happiness:

“Those who say that money can’t buy happiness don’t know where to shop” (Anon);

“What we call happiness in the strictest sense of the word comes from the (preferably sudden) satisfaction of needs which have been dammed up to a high degree” (Sigmund Freud, psychologist); and

“Happiness is the sublime moment when you get out of your corsets at night” (Joyce Grenfell, actress).