A Harvard Professor Reveals the Key to Happiness: Don’t Try to Be the Person You Were 20 Years Ago. This Is a Lesson That Steve Jobs Also Shared With Tim Cook

Harvard University professor Arthur Brooks seems to support Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ advice to CEO Tim Cook: Don’t fear change. The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal, often based on material possessions and staying true to oneself. However, this mindset can hold us back. Brooks, one of the leading experts in the field, suggests embracing change and evolution is key to achieving happiness.

The Secret Lies in Personal Evolution

“The best approach is to look to the future and stop fixating on the past,” Brooks recently said during an insightful interview on Spanish TV. His message challenges the common tendency many people have to cling to earlier versions of themselves. “To be happy, it’s essential not to try to be the person you were 20 years ago,” he added. As the saying goes, “The richest person in the world isn’t the one who has the most but the one who needs the least.”

To illustrate the significance of personal development, Brooks uses a metaphor. He suggests that people are like trees. Successful individuals often boast about their leaves. However, it’s the roots that matter most, given that life can’t be built on mere appearances.

“At the end of your life, all you’ll have left is love. If you possess no love, you have nothing,” Brooks said in the interview. As such, in our pursuit of happiness and personal transformation, love should be a top priority.

Steve Jobs Advised Tim Cook to Embrace Change Rather Than Fear It

This perspective is also reflected in the tech industry. Cook previously shared one of the most valuable lessons he learned from Jobs: Never be afraid of change. Jobs frequently changed his mind about various issues, a trait that very few people have. Most tend to cling to their previous beliefs.

However, perhaps the most profound and personal piece of advice Jobs gave Cook came during his final moments. Before he passed away, the former Apple CEO told Cook to never ask himself what Jobs would do and to be himself. This message emphasized the importance of not attempting to replicate the past but instead finding one’s path and evolving.

Understanding the Human Resistance to Change

Research by the Alan Turing Institute reveals one of the main barriers to personal development is humans’ natural resistance to change. The study indicates that people often form opinions based on emotions rather than facts, which significantly hinders our ability to evolve.

This phenomenon, known in psychology as “belief perseverance,” affects everyone, regardless of their educational background and social status. It’s a deeply ingrained defense mechanism in our brains that leads us to hold on to our beliefs, even in the face of contradictory evidence.

According to the Alan Turing Institute, overcoming this resistance to change requires a conscious and sustained effort over time. The key lies in developing what experts refer to as “cognitive flexibility,” which is crucial for achieving the success and happiness we all desire.

Image | Gage Skidmore

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