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Chris Gardner Pursuit of Happiness

Article Overview: Even before “the pursuit of happiness” became one of the most famous phrases in the U.S. Declaration of Independence, mankind worldwide had been on a quest to chase down this elusive goal. In his 2006 autobiographical “The Pursuit of Happiness,” millionaire stock broker and entrepreneur Chris Gardner outlines his own humble attempt at achieving a fulfilling life. From his difficult childhood to his even more difficult adulthood, “The Pursuit of Happiness” is the story of how Chris Gardner made it against all odds.

Chris Gardner Pursuit of Happiness

Even before “the pursuit of happiness” became one of the most famous phrases in the U.S. Declaration of Independence, mankind worldwide had been on a quest to chase down this elusive goal. In his 2006 autobiographical “The Pursuit of Happiness,” millionaire stock broker and entrepreneur Chris Gardner outlines his own humble attempt at achieving a fulfilling life. From his difficult childhood to his even more difficult adulthood, “The Pursuit of Happiness” is the story of how Chris Gardner made it against all odds.

Struggle, adversity, failure, hope, and of course, success - this book has it all. Co-written by Quincy Troupe, this story gives the reader a glimpse into the life of a man who was always convinced of his capacity for greatness, but had much more difficulty in achieving it than believing it.

The book begins by telling the story of the entrepreneur’s childhood. From his destructive relationship with his abusive stepfather to the effects of frequently being moved from one foster home or relative to another, Gardner gives the reader an honest account of the experiences that shaped who he would go on to become.

“The Pursuit of Happiness” then goes on to detail Chris Gardner’s “slow walk to Wall Street,” as he calls it. From doing jail time and living in a shelter for single mothers, to creating his own brokerage firm and conducting multimillion-dollar deals, “The Pursuit of Happiness” unravels the complex series of events that comprise the incredible success story of Chris Gardner.

In 2006, a major motion picture was released by Columbia and Sony Pictures under the same name. In it, Will Smith plays the lead role, and brings the story of the stock broker’s trials and triumphs to the big screen. While the film itself has received mixed reviews, there is no denying that Gardner is now at the top of his game.

Today, he is engaged in talks to sell his Chicago-based stock brokerage firm for a “very nice” amount of money, but that doesn’t mean he has given up his quest for the pursuit of happiness. He continues to spend much of his time devoted to what could be the biggest deal of his career – setting up an investment venture in South Africa. After falling in love with the country in the late 1990s, and being personally welcomed by Nelson Mandela, Gardner is trying to help South Africans in their own pursuit of happiness by creating jobs and injecting millions of dollars in foreign currency into the nation.

“The Pursuit of Happiness” is a story about faith, courage, determination, and accomplishment. With a best-selling book and a major motion picture under his belt, what is next for Chris Gardner? He may not know quite yet, but he does know one thing for sure: there is no looking back. “Those were the darkest days of my life,” he says. “I’m ready to let it go.”

Related Articles
  Chris Gardner Book
  Chris Gardner Story
  From Rags to Riches: Gardner Lives the American Dream
  Chris Gardner Bio
  Lesson #3: Everybody Deserves The Opportunity To Succeed

Article Tags: abusive stepfather, chris gardner, course success, destructive relationship, difficult childhood, elusive goal, famous phrases, fulfilling life, gardners, honest account, humble attempt, multimillion dollar, pursuit of happiness, quincy troupe, single mothers, sony pictures, stock broker, stock brokerage firm, stock brokers, u s declaration of independence



Related Forum Posts
Re: The secret to happiness - Happiness comes from within. We choose whether we want to be happy or not. Circumstances can influence our feelings, but in the end, it's up to us how we deal with our circumstances, positively or negatively. I admire anyone who can stay strong and be happy through adversity. There will always be challenges that we face, but I believe that if we face them with our heads held high, the odds of overcoming them are much greater. This reminds me of the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness." Happiness spelled wrong for a reason. One of Will Smith's greatest movies. I encourage you all to watch it as it's very inspiring.
Re: Millionaire or Happyness? - [quote="mphcoach":2xpspnai]I recently watched the movie 'In Pursuit of Happyness' and was rather disappointed that the 'happiness' achieved was merely the accumulation of wealth.[/quote:2xpspnai] Hi Martin, I actually loved the movie, and interpret the "pursuit of happyness" as Chris Gardner setting a goal in life and then reaching it through the process of hard work and a fighting spirit. In fact, I once heard that people who work harder are actually happier than those who are talented. The logic behind this mindset is that people tend to enjoy their success more when they feel they've struggled to earn it. However, I still think a person is better off being rich and unhappy, rather than being poor and unhappy.
Re: The secret to happiness - Happiness is working on the job you love. I forgot who said this, "give a man the job he loves doing and he will ever work again in his life"
Re: Who to profile next? - Hi Evan, Because I'm an online marketer, My recommendations will be online marketers. I think Rosalind Gardner can be the best for adding to you site. She is making more than 1.000.000$ a year and is one of the best affiliates in the world and very successful woman. Also her picute is beautiful too. (her picture looks like the same Kim Castle which is one every page of the site). Also M. FIlsaeme and R. Brunson can be my recommendations. They are making 4.500.000$ in sales a year as a marketer.
Re: The secret to happiness - [quote="barrysarner":2awy1urv]I agree and happiness is different for every individual.[/quote:2awy1urv] Happiness is something that comes from within each person it not something that we can find externally. Something from outside such as an exciting event or a new car can make us happy, but this is a fleeting emotion. True happiness is within each person if we choose to it over misery. MichelleJ


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