Episode description

048 | Jeff from The Happy Philosopher joins us on the show to discuss the pursuit of happiness including how he reached a burn out point in his job as a radiologist and how his focus on happiness helped him find a path forward. In Today’s Podcast we cover: A discussion with Jeff from The Happy Philosopher An introduction to Jeff’s background story Jeff found himself burned out about four years into his full-time profession and he was stressed out and anxious and just not happy He reached a breaking point where he discussed with his wife his plan for five more years of work He had shortened his “prison sentence” but hadn’t made his “cell any more comfortable” (we discussed suicide in the episode and Jeff asked that we include a phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) He couldn’t wait five years to be happy – he had to experiment now to find that happiness Was there something about his job that led him to this breaking point or was it that he hadn’t found what made him happy? Early Retirement Extreme was mind-blowing for him intellectually and led him to FI How medical professionals can feel “trapped” in their job because of sunk costs Did Jeff experience lifestyle inflation once he became a full-time physician? What did Jeff’s path out of burnout look like? How Jeff’s consumption of news led to much of his stress What else has Jeff cut out of his life? Happiness through subtraction Decluttering and getting rid of the negatives in your life Cutting down on commitments that aren’t necessary in our jobs and lives How Jeff pursued a job sharing part-time work during his peak earning years The Marginal Utility of Money and how your spending impacts your happiness The concept of trading your time for money How does Jeff approach how to spend money in his own life? The concept of utility versus value The importance of gratitude and how happiness is a skill Make a conscious decision to place a space between stimulus and response Hot Seat Questions Jeff suggests you experiment with cutting out alcohol entirely from your life for a set period of time as an experiment (Jeff also wanted us to mention:  "Anyone who is a heavy drinker should probably consult with a doctor or someone familiar with alcoholism and alcohol withdrawal before quitting cold turkey.") Links from the show: The Happy Philosopher Early Retirement Extreme Mr. Money Mustache Happiness Through Subtraction at Mad Fientist Alligators and Kittens at The Happy Philosopher The Power of No at The Happy Philosopher How Understanding the Marginal Utility of Money Will Make Your Happier at The Happy Philosopher How to Be The Happiest Person in the Room at 1500 Days 7 Ways to Be Insufferable on Facebook at Wait But Why Books Mentioned in the Show: 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo Your Money or Your Life