Forbes Happiest List

“I don’t want to be the hardest-working man in Hollywood. I don’t want to be on the Forbes list [which ranked Noah has the fourth-highest-earning comedian in the world in 2019]. I don’t want to be part of any of that. Forbes Happiest List–put me there if there’s such a thing.”

–Trevor Noah, interviewed by Wesley Lowery for GQ

Forbes recently published their annual lists. Forbes 30 Under 30. Forbes 40 Under 40. Compilations of high earning, high achievement, high potential individuals who all have inside connections to people who write those articles. If you’re anything like me, which most of my readers are, it’s easy to be enthralled by (and a little jealous of) the people on these lists. As I inch closer and closer to 30 with each December birthday, I can’t help feeling like a bit of an underachiever.

Why does it take extremely rich, extremely successful people to remind us that success and riches don’t make us happy? We know this. We’ve been told this since we were children. But rest amidst a hustle culture is like swimming upstream. It’s difficult and no one understands why we’re doing it. We get no pats on the back for taking Sundays off.

This quote struck me deeply this morning. I want to be on the Forbes Happiest List. Now I’m off to ponder if what I’m doing today puts me there. If the time at my desk (and the time away from it) isn’t bringing me joy, there’s something to be reconsidered.

What makes you happy? What brings you joy? We are only here for a short time. Do more of those things while you are here.