The Art of Happiness at Work

Written by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler

Narrated by Howard C. Cutler and BD Wong

For the first time since The Art of Happiness, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has teamed up with psychiatrist Howard Cutler to continue the discussion about what makes life meaningful.
In conversations with the Dalai Lama over the past several years, Howard Cutler has asked the questions we all want answered about how to find happiness in the place we spend most of our time -- work. Beginning with the basic need to find satisfaction in our careers, Dr. Cutler questions His Holiness about the nature of work. In psychiatry and according to the Dalai Lama, our motivation for working determines our level of satisfaction. The Art of Happiness at Work explores these three levels of focus:
Survival: focus on salary, stability, food and clothing Career: focus on advancement Calling: focus on work as a higher purpose
Dr. Cutler probes the Dalai Lama's wisdom by posing these questions: What is the relationship between self-awareness and work? How does lack of freedom at work affect our levels of happiness? How can we deal with boredom or lack of challenge? Job change and unemployment? How much of our misery comes from our identity being tied up with work?
Dr. Cutler walks us through the Dalai Lama's reasoning so that we may know how to apply his wisdom to daily life. The Art of Happiness at Work is an invaluable source of strength and peace for anyone who earns a living.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Aug 1, 2003
• ISBN: 9780743541725

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. He frequently describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk. Born in northeastern Tibet in 1935, he was as a toddler recognized as the incarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama and brought to Tibet's capital, Lhasa. In 1950, Mao Zedong's Communist forces made their first incursions into eastern Tibet, shortly after which the young Dalai Lama assumed the political leadership of his country. He passed his scholastic examinations with honors at the Great Prayer Festival in Lhasa in 1959, the same year Chinese forces occupied the city, forcing His Holiness to escape to India. There he set up the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala, working to secure the welfare of the more than 100,000 Tibetan exiles and prevent the destruction of Tibetan culture. In his capacity as a spiritual and political leader, he has traveled to more than sixty-two countries on six continents and met with presidents, popes, and leading scientists to foster dialogue and create a better world. In recognition of his tireless work for the nonviolent liberation of Tibet, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. In 2012, he relinquished political authority in his exile government and turned it over to democratically elected representatives. His Holiness frequently states that his life is guided by three major commitments: the promotion of basic human values or secular ethics in the interest of human happiness, the fostering of interreligious harmony, and securing the welfare of the Tibetan people, focusing on the survival of their identity, culture, and religion. As a superior scholar trained in the classical texts of the Nalanda tradition of Indian Buddhism, he is able to distill the central tenets of Buddhist philosophy in clear and inspiring language, his gift for pedagogy imbued with his infectious joy. Connecting scientists with Buddhist scholars, he helps unite contemplative and modern modes of investigation, bringing ancient tools and insights to bear on the acute problems facing the contemporary world. His efforts to foster dialogue among leaders of the world's faiths envision a future where people of different beliefs can share the planet in harmony. Wisdom Publications is proud to be the premier publisher of the Dalai Lama's more serious and in-depth works.

Reviews for The Art of Happiness at Work

[Trial · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's a very interesting book. I do recommend it.
(there are actually 7 hours not 5 :) )

[Carmen Ann · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The content is good, but the narrator got on my nerves after a while.

[smg4cfindlay · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

i thiought it helped me a lot and everything was made at a different point of view from then on.

[motjebben · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I listened to the audio version of this book and enjoyed it much more than I thought I might. (I love to read; I thought that listening would be tedious.) While I still prefer reading, the reader, Robert O' Keefe did a nice job of "switching voices" for the parts of the book quoting or paraphrasing the Dalai Lama, and the other parts by Howard Cutler and thereby made it fun to listen to the book.This book is part of a series of joint efforts between the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler, M.D. in which Howard Cutler, the author, discusses his conversations with the Dalai Lama. Cutler is therefore paraphrasing and quoting the Dalai Lama, but also draws in additional material from recent western scientific studies which support what the Dalai Lama says or which the Dalai Lama has expanded views of.As might be expected, this book discusses how a cultivation of mindfulness can be the most robust and enduring path to happiness at work, though it acknowledges very clearly that sometimes it IS better to switch one's occupation! - The Dalai Lama is pragmatic!The Buddhist practice of a combination of meditation, introspection, and "internal expansion / compassion" can enhance one's happiness in all circumstances, and Howard Cutler cites additional western studies that concur, though often from a different perspective than the Buddhist view. For example, the concept of Flow by Csikszentmihalyi has similarites, but differences too. The Dalai Lama appears to expand on Flow with a somewhat differing but enhanced view.I DO believe that if one reads this book and then builds ones own view of work, based on meditating on the ideas presented, coupled with introspection, one can become happier at work.

[manadabomb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This seemed like the perfect book to pick up and read. I have deep respect for The Dalai Lama and I really needed some advice on how to be happier at work.I used to really love my job. It was exciting, for the most part, and every day usually held something new and challenging in store. Nowadays, it's not like that. There's a distinct vibe of us vs. them in most cases, IT vs. Accountants. Some of the financial folk chose to think that anyone can program so they'll just take care of what they want and ignore us programmers. The work isn't nearly challenging enough either, although the people are.Cutler interviews The Dalai Lama about various aspects of work in regards to happiness. For example, they chat about making money, the human factor of work, whether your job is just a job, a career or a calling, how to overcome boredom, how to have a right livelihood, etc. I appreciated his insight on all of the above. Unfortunately, while I think it's all good advice, it will be difficult to put into practice.In one chapter, and throughout others, the importance of being self-aware is emphasized. I think a lot of people have that problem, to be able to look at themselves and their abilities undistorted and with a critical eye. All in all, the way to achieve happiness, at work or otherwise, is to begin inwards, by readjusting your attitude to all things and remembering that it's just work and that doing good and helping others is more important.