What if I told you, that happiness is bad for you. Your eyes may widen in disbelief and your brows may furrow with doubt, but it’s true. This statement may sound ludicrous, because all your life, you have been told by parents, teachers, and peers that you should always seek happiness. But we are here to tell you why they are wrong how simple happiness turns into complacency and mediocrity.

Psychologist Edward Diener, from the University of Illinois, tested this theory with his colleagues. Renowned for his happiness research, he collected data from more than 16,000 people around the world, to uncover that those who reported higher life satisfaction earlier in their lives, dropped out of school earlier and reported lower income rates than their less happy counterparts. Why? Because positive emotions like happiness and satisfaction create the false notion that our goals have been fulfilled, causing us to be complacent and stationary. Diener suggests that people who don’t experience difficulty or stress at their job are less likely to feel pressured to advance in their careers or educational goals.

This suggestion, that happiness obstructs progress, has been affirmed by countless studies, including Mark Alan Davis, from the University of North Texas, which found that overwhelming amounts of happiness inhibited innovation and creativity. When we feel happy, we feel safe. This sense of comfort hinders us from taking risks, thinking outside the box, and pushing ourselves to new limits.

Now, we aren’t saying that you shouldn’t be happy. We are saying that happiness should never be your intention or expectation. By simply adjusting your perspective and redefining your mind-set, you can achieve rapid advancement and true greatness. Because, answer this, have you ever been 100% happy or satisfied? If the answer is yes, then you aren’t human. As humans, we aren’t wired for complacency. On an innate level, if there is a problem, we want to fix it. If there is a shortcoming, we want to improve it. And it is this constant quest for greatness that has made us human beings, the most complex creatures inhabiting this planet. (Evolutionary perspective, part of our culture, and natural forces, Mahatman aligns us with natural forces)

Not to give you a boring history lesson, but from the times of caveman to the Scientific Revolution and the Renaissance era to today’s digital age, it is discontent with the present that has shaped a growing future. Without unhappiness, obstacles, and difficulties, modern luxuries like iPhones and cars would have never been created. It is because humans continue to revolutionize, innovate, and defy expectations, that we have become so great.

By embracing stress, pain, and difficulty, you can energize your actions and reach your true potential. It is through unwavering dedication and a relentless inner drive that you can achieve greatness. Now, you’ve heard us using this word, “greatness”, a lot. It’s because this concept of greatness is what lies at the core of our Mahatman philosophy. Mahatman, meaning “The Great Self”, is what we regard as the highest state of excellence, and where your potential lies. From a philosophical perspective, rather than seeking “nirvana”, or “enlightenment”, we must strive for self-actualization. When we become a “self-actualized”, our potential becomes fulfilled, our energy becomes maximized, and our selves become fulfilled.

Now, you may be thinking, this sounds like some complex, pretentious philosophy…why should I care? You should care, because your role models have exhibited this same level of perseverance and diligence, to reach their heights of greatness. Renowned figures such as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, MLK, Beyonce, Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson (the list goes on), have achieved their aspirations through extreme grinding and hard work. But by following this Mahatman philosophy, your name can be added to this list too, signifying your impact to the world. Now, you may be thinking, “I’m only a teenager, why should I care? I have my whole life ahead of me”.  But the truth is, you are never too young to achieve anything. The most destructive obstacle you face is yourself. Mark Zuckerberg was 19 when he found Facebook, Philo Farnsworth was 14 when he invented the television, and Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17. Even if your name doesn’t go down in history books, following the Mahatman philosophy helps you stand out among your peers and establish healthy, empowering habits that ensures a lifetime of success. And reenergizing your mind-set and redefining your perspective, is exactly what we are here to do.

So now you may be wondering, all of this “greatness” talk sounds great, but how do I actually reach it? And we agree, what’s the point of philosophy, if it has no pragmatic, real-life application? Gen Zs are notorious for being realists after all.  To pursue greatness and self-realization, we have divided the book into 3 sections; Great Health, Great Wealth, and Great Wisdom. Conquering that sounds like a piece of cake, right? Don’t worry; we break down each section into practices and thinking patterns that you can implement in your daily life. We intertwine neuroscience, philosophy, and insight to help you achieve greatness, one day at a time.

The first pillar of Mahatman encompasses Great Health. Under this section, we evaluate different types of physical wellness and explore themes of psychology and mental stability to maximize your body and brain strength. A healthy body and mind are the foundation of achieving true greatness.

True greatness is embedded in hustle, strain, and progress. The second pillar of Mahatman involves Great Wealth, which includes themes of motivation, overcoming obstacles, and building a life of success.

The final pillar embraces Great Wisdom, where we discuss the importance of realizing your potential, actualizing your strengths, and energizing your self-worth to achieve “Mahatman”, and leave an everlasting legacy.

Mahatman is a revolutionary philosophy, it’s a new way of life. Whether you take a nugget of our philosophy or the whole damn thing, this book is your first step to achieving greatness.

As you read the next few pages, let these words by Jennifer Lee ring in your ear. “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” But I challenge you, dear reader, to set the world on fire. You have so much to offer; a unique set of passions, attributes, and qualities that hold the potential to transform your future communities. It’s how you choose to use them which will define why you were born.