You will never hear me complain about having too much money. I’m euphoric! Having a certain level of wealth gives you security.
I’m definitely happier now than when I started out in business. I wasn’t unhappy then, but there was plenty of uncertainty. Now my life’s pretty mapped out. I’m not saying there aren’t challenges, but I feel I can deal with it all. I have contentment and although that’s not the same as happiness they go hand in hand.
I’m a naturally optimistic and positive person. In my experience people with a positive attitude to life are happier and achieve more. I sold my first business, Sports Division, in 1998 when I was 37. I got a cheque for £260m and thought: “I’m so privileged and so lucky, I can easily take care of my family, I don’t need all this money.” I took a few years out to educate myself and work out what I wanted to do. I needed a reason to keep working – and if the reason isn’t money, what is it? Philanthropy and business came together: I need to make money in order to invest it in philanthropy.
I don’t see what we do as giving money away. We want a return. We view it through pretty much the same equation as our business life. The return in business life is profit, but the return in philanthropy is something else.
I recently came back from Malawi where we’ve built a maternity ward. Rates of infant mortality and mothers dying in childbirth have gone down. Seeing the hospital finished and operational gave me a bigger high than any business deal I’ve ever done.
I don’t want to come across as Mother Teresa, because I’m not. But I wouldn’t feel right if my money was just left to my kids. I don’t think it’d bring them happiness … they may disagree. I think giving money away allows me to enjoy having wealth.
Prior to the credit crunch, philanthropy took up perhaps 30 per cent of my week. Now it’s more like 10 per cent. I’ve had to go back to making more money, but I’d like to get to a position where the balance between business and philanthropy was 50:50.
The credit crunch has brought back a sense of reality for me. Some of the things we’d taken for granted, like going on holiday, we’re beginning to really appreciate again. We’ve realised our family time is precious and we’ve got to make the most of it.
I’ve been very lucky, and while happiness is being able to go to great places on holiday, it’s also having a laugh down the chip shop every Sunday night with the people I grew up with.
I hope making money hasn’t changed me, but I’m not really the best person to judge.
I’m definitely happier now than when I started out in business. I wasn’t unhappy then, but there was plenty of uncertainty. Now my life’s pretty mapped out. I’m not saying there aren’t challenges, but I feel I can deal with it all. I have contentment and although that’s not the same as happiness they go hand in hand.
I’m a naturally optimistic and positive person. In my experience people with a positive attitude to life are happier and achieve more. I sold my first business, Sports Division, in 1998 when I was 37. I got a cheque for £260m and thought: “I’m so privileged and so lucky, I can easily take care of my family, I don’t need all this money.” I took a few years out to educate myself and work out what I wanted to do. I needed a reason to keep working – and if the reason isn’t money, what is it? Philanthropy and business came together: I need to make money in order to invest it in philanthropy.
I don’t see what we do as giving money away. We want a return. We view it through pretty much the same equation as our business life. The return in business life is profit, but the return in philanthropy is something else.
I recently came back from Malawi where we’ve built a maternity ward. Rates of infant mortality and mothers dying in childbirth have gone down. Seeing the hospital finished and operational gave me a bigger high than any business deal I’ve ever done.
I don’t want to come across as Mother Teresa, because I’m not. But I wouldn’t feel right if my money was just left to my kids. I don’t think it’d bring them happiness … they may disagree. I think giving money away allows me to enjoy having wealth.
Prior to the credit crunch, philanthropy took up perhaps 30 per cent of my week. Now it’s more like 10 per cent. I’ve had to go back to making more money, but I’d like to get to a position where the balance between business and philanthropy was 50:50.
The credit crunch has brought back a sense of reality for me. Some of the things we’d taken for granted, like going on holiday, we’re beginning to really appreciate again. We’ve realised our family time is precious and we’ve got to make the most of it.
I’ve been very lucky, and while happiness is being able to go to great places on holiday, it’s also having a laugh down the chip shop every Sunday night with the people I grew up with.
I hope making money hasn’t changed me, but I’m not really the best person to judge.
乐观的人更幸福
你永远不会听到我抱怨钱太多。我志得意满！有一定的财富能给人以安全感。
我如今肯定比刚开始创业的时候要幸福得多。那时我并不是不幸福，但生活中充满了不确定性。如今我的日子过得有板有眼。我不是说现在就没有挑战，只是觉得自己能应付自如。我很满足，虽然这与幸福不是一码事，但它们（满足和幸福）是形影不离的一对。
我天生积极乐观。我的生活经历告诉我：对生活持积极态度的人更幸福，事业更有成。1998年我37岁那年，我卖掉了自己的第一家公司Sports Division，拿到了2.6亿英镑的支票。当时我就想：“我很幸运，已经功成名就，养家糊口不在话下，我不需要这么多钱。”我花了几年时间自学，想弄 明白自己想做什么。我需要继续工作的理由——如果钱不是理由，那是什么？慈善和做生意殊途同归：为了投资慈善事业，自己得大把挣钱。
我不知道我们捐钱做什么。我们希望得到回报。我们基本上是用做生意的眼光看待办慈善事业。做生意的回报是利润，但做慈善的回报则是别的。
我最近刚从马拉维(Malawi)回来，在那儿我们建了一座产科病房。如今，婴儿和难产妈妈的死亡率都降下来了。看到医院竣工并正常运转，这比我做成的任何生意都更有成就感。
我无意象特蕾莎修女(Mother Teresa)那样留名青史，因为我没法与她比。但如果只把钱留给子女，我也觉得不得劲，我认为钱不会带给他们幸福……他们可能会有不同看法。我觉得把钱捐掉能让我享受拥有财富的乐趣。
在本次信贷紧缩前，做慈善大概牵扯了我平日里30%的精力，如今只有10%左右。我不得不杀回生意场去挣更多的钱，但我希望将来生意与慈善的时间分配能够五五开。
信贷紧缩让我重新审视现实。有些事我们以前太过想当然了，就拿度假来说吧，我们如今开始重拾兴趣。我们意识到和家人在一起的时间弥足珍贵，所以得尽最大可能享受温馨的家庭生活。
我很幸运，虽然能去很棒的地方度假是幸福，但是，每周日晚能与从小长大的伙伴一起在薯条店里纵情大笑也是幸福。
我希望钱挣了，但人没变，但是是非评说，自己显然并非最合适人选。
我如今肯定比刚开始创业的时候要幸福得多。那时我并不是不幸福，但生活中充满了不确定性。如今我的日子过得有板有眼。我不是说现在就没有挑战，只是觉得自己能应付自如。我很满足，虽然这与幸福不是一码事，但它们（满足和幸福）是形影不离的一对。
我天生积极乐观。我的生活经历告诉我：对生活持积极态度的人更幸福，事业更有成。1998年我37岁那年，我卖掉了自己的第一家公司Sports Division，拿到了2.6亿英镑的支票。当时我就想：“我很幸运，已经功成名就，养家糊口不在话下，我不需要这么多钱。”我花了几年时间自学，想弄 明白自己想做什么。我需要继续工作的理由——如果钱不是理由，那是什么？慈善和做生意殊途同归：为了投资慈善事业，自己得大把挣钱。
我不知道我们捐钱做什么。我们希望得到回报。我们基本上是用做生意的眼光看待办慈善事业。做生意的回报是利润，但做慈善的回报则是别的。
我最近刚从马拉维(Malawi)回来，在那儿我们建了一座产科病房。如今，婴儿和难产妈妈的死亡率都降下来了。看到医院竣工并正常运转，这比我做成的任何生意都更有成就感。
我无意象特蕾莎修女(Mother Teresa)那样留名青史，因为我没法与她比。但如果只把钱留给子女，我也觉得不得劲，我认为钱不会带给他们幸福……他们可能会有不同看法。我觉得把钱捐掉能让我享受拥有财富的乐趣。
在本次信贷紧缩前，做慈善大概牵扯了我平日里30%的精力，如今只有10%左右。我不得不杀回生意场去挣更多的钱，但我希望将来生意与慈善的时间分配能够五五开。
信贷紧缩让我重新审视现实。有些事我们以前太过想当然了，就拿度假来说吧，我们如今开始重拾兴趣。我们意识到和家人在一起的时间弥足珍贵，所以得尽最大可能享受温馨的家庭生活。
我很幸运，虽然能去很棒的地方度假是幸福，但是，每周日晚能与从小长大的伙伴一起在薯条店里纵情大笑也是幸福。
我希望钱挣了，但人没变，但是是非评说，自己显然并非最合适人选。
Pixie Lott
Music, for me, is medicine. I’m at my happiest when I’m on stage or making music in the studio. Writing songs really does feel like therapy. Even just listening to music makes me happy. If I’m in a terrible mood, I just put my iPod on – the louder the better – and it instantly turns me around.
I don’t know why, but music really connects with me. There’s always a song that matches my mood, and encapsulates moments in my life. My favourite song is “Love Come Down” by Evelyn King. It’s an old 1980s tune, but whenever I have parties at my house, or my friends come over to get ready to go out, we play it full blast. We all love it. I’ve definitely got some happy memories associated with that song.
I know songs I listen to have a powerful effect on me, but it’s weird to think that the music I make can have that effect on other people. I find it crazy to hear in letters or on Twitter the effect my songs can have. When I’m unhappy or have had an argument I’ll go straight to the piano and write a song almost while I’m crying. It’s so much better because the emotion is real. As soon as I start to get it off my chest, I feel happier. If you’re in the heat of the moment and you write a song, it definitely comes out better than if you just have to write a song today.
My album, Turn It Up, was released last year – the launch day was one of my happiest because I got to play my first headline show in London and then I had another show in Berlin on the same day. The album went to number six in the UK charts and I’ve had two number one singles and five songs in the top 20. It’s all happened so fast, but I think my idea of happiness hasn’t changed.
I guess I’m a naturally happy person. Happiness, for me, is making music, listening to music, being with my friends and going out with them and being with my family. I’m so lucky to have them; I’d feel selfish if I wasn’t happy. I’ve always had those values and they haven’t changed.
I don’t know why, but music really connects with me. There’s always a song that matches my mood, and encapsulates moments in my life. My favourite song is “Love Come Down” by Evelyn King. It’s an old 1980s tune, but whenever I have parties at my house, or my friends come over to get ready to go out, we play it full blast. We all love it. I’ve definitely got some happy memories associated with that song.
I know songs I listen to have a powerful effect on me, but it’s weird to think that the music I make can have that effect on other people. I find it crazy to hear in letters or on Twitter the effect my songs can have. When I’m unhappy or have had an argument I’ll go straight to the piano and write a song almost while I’m crying. It’s so much better because the emotion is real. As soon as I start to get it off my chest, I feel happier. If you’re in the heat of the moment and you write a song, it definitely comes out better than if you just have to write a song today.
My album, Turn It Up, was released last year – the launch day was one of my happiest because I got to play my first headline show in London and then I had another show in Berlin on the same day. The album went to number six in the UK charts and I’ve had two number one singles and five songs in the top 20. It’s all happened so fast, but I think my idea of happiness hasn’t changed.
I guess I’m a naturally happy person. Happiness, for me, is making music, listening to music, being with my friends and going out with them and being with my family. I’m so lucky to have them; I’d feel selfish if I wasn’t happy. I’ve always had those values and they haven’t changed.
案例4：音乐犹如一味良药
对我来说，音乐犹如一味良药。登台演唱和在录音棚里录音都是我最开心的时候。创作歌曲真的感觉和疗伤一样。即使只是听听音乐就能让我开心。情绪低落时，我就打开iPod，声音越大越过瘾，情绪很快就雨过天晴了。
我不知道其中的原因，但是音乐真的与我心灵相通。无论何时，都找得到契合我情绪、能够抒发我当时感受的歌曲。我最喜欢的歌是伊芙林•金 (Evelyn King)的《真爱降临》(Love Come Down)。这是一首上世纪80年代的老歌，但是，只要我在家举行party，或者是朋友过来准备一起外出时，我们就用最大的音量播放这首歌。我们都很喜 欢这首歌。这首歌无疑让我想起很多回味无穷的幸福往事。
我知道我所听的歌深深地影响了我，但是我未想到的是自己创作的歌对别人也有不同凡响的影响力。从歌迷的信件和Twitter得知自己的歌竟有如此影 响力，自然是心花怒放。当我感到难过或者与别人争执不下时，我会径直走到钢琴前，几乎是边哭边谱写歌曲，因为真情所至，所以创作出的整首歌浑然天成。直抒 胸臆后，就感觉好受多了。悲愤交加中一气呵成写就的歌，肯定比硬着头皮的应承之作要棒得多。
我去年推出了自己的专辑Turn It Up，发布当日最为开心，因为我在伦敦开始举办自己的首场巡回演出，同一天还在柏林进行另一场演出。该专辑在英国音乐排行榜上位列第六，其中两首单曲夺得桂冠，5首歌曲进入前20。这一切来得太快了，但我对快乐的理解并未改变。
我想我天生是个乐天派。对我来说，快乐就是制作音乐、聆听音乐、与朋友在一起和与他们外出，以及与家人在一起。我很幸运拥有这一切。如果我不开心，我会觉得自己有点自私。我一直有这样的价值观，它们一直未曾改变过。
Sam Clark
案例2：美食就是人生
我不知道其中的原因，但是音乐真的与我心灵相通。无论何时，都找得到契合我情绪、能够抒发我当时感受的歌曲。我最喜欢的歌是伊芙林•金 (Evelyn King)的《真爱降临》(Love Come Down)。这是一首上世纪80年代的老歌，但是，只要我在家举行party，或者是朋友过来准备一起外出时，我们就用最大的音量播放这首歌。我们都很喜 欢这首歌。这首歌无疑让我想起很多回味无穷的幸福往事。
我知道我所听的歌深深地影响了我，但是我未想到的是自己创作的歌对别人也有不同凡响的影响力。从歌迷的信件和Twitter得知自己的歌竟有如此影 响力，自然是心花怒放。当我感到难过或者与别人争执不下时，我会径直走到钢琴前，几乎是边哭边谱写歌曲，因为真情所至，所以创作出的整首歌浑然天成。直抒 胸臆后，就感觉好受多了。悲愤交加中一气呵成写就的歌，肯定比硬着头皮的应承之作要棒得多。
我去年推出了自己的专辑Turn It Up，发布当日最为开心，因为我在伦敦开始举办自己的首场巡回演出，同一天还在柏林进行另一场演出。该专辑在英国音乐排行榜上位列第六，其中两首单曲夺得桂冠，5首歌曲进入前20。这一切来得太快了，但我对快乐的理解并未改变。
我想我天生是个乐天派。对我来说，快乐就是制作音乐、聆听音乐、与朋友在一起和与他们外出，以及与家人在一起。我很幸运拥有这一切。如果我不开心，我会觉得自己有点自私。我一直有这样的价值观，它们一直未曾改变过。
Sam Clark
My love of food stems from an early age. I loved eating things on my own and discovering how food works – the different ways in which you can eat a Jaffa Cake, how a banana naturally divides lengthways into three segments or the fact that a cucumber’s seeds taste different from the rest of it. I thought about how food is put together and how taste and texture works.
As I grew older, that pleasure was realised through cooking for friends and then customers at Moro, the restaurant I run with my husband, Sam. I never made the conscious decision to work in a restaurant – I fell into it. I studied languages at university, but I have always cooked for people and enjoyed it. I had a bit of a reputation for cooking, but it wasn’t until I fell into a job that I realised it was exactly what I should be doing – it felt natural and right.
The happiest moment of my life was when I met Sam. I was cooking at The Eagle pub in Farringdon and he came to work as a cook. He’d been at the River Café, as I had, and I’d heard about him because we have the same surname. It’s corny, but he made me very happy. I really wanted to find someone like-minded, someone who enjoys food. I couldn’t imagine going out with someone who wasn’t as passionate about food as I am. When Sam came along, it was without question my happiest moment. We set up Moro two or three years later.
The restaurant’s now in its 13th year and the feedback from people is always very positive; they really enjoy being in the restaurant and eating the food. We cook a little less at home during the week now because we’ve been cooking at work and over the years we’ve become more professional in the way we approach it. But cooking remains our passion, it’s what makes us happy – people respond to that.
Generally, I’m a happy person. I’m extremely lucky to be doing what I love. If you’re not happy, you can’t get up every day and go into the restaurant and inspire the staff. If you’re not in a happy place, then they certainly won’t be. I think I can confidently say that the staff are happy.
You can’t be happy all the time; anyone who says they are is lying. If you don’t experience unhappiness, then how can you experience happiness? If Sam or I are unhappy, it’s hard for the other to be happy, or if the children are unhappy, then we can’t be happy. We work pretty hard and it is difficult to balance a busy restaurant where we have 50 people working all of whom need to feel valued, as well as home life and young children. The balancing act is not an easy one and I don’t do it perfectly all the time. It’s quite demanding.
Over time, what makes me happy has changed. It’s the smaller things that make me happy now – not aspiring to own the world. Having a family changes things too. If my family is happy and the restaurant is happy and people are thriving and enjoy working, that for us is enough. We don’t need to earn millions of pounds; that’s not what we’re after.
For us, it’s all about the food. We really care about trying to make the food as good as it can be. There are two services each day and you’re under scrutiny. People notice. Of course some things are not perfect, our recipes are not written down to the exact gramme so we rely on our chefs. But I think the whole parcel – the restaurant, the food, the people, the atmosphere – it’s very stimulating. Sam and I are quite different, but we have a shared goal: we’re both very passionate about the restaurant and the food, and that’s what makes us happy.
As I grew older, that pleasure was realised through cooking for friends and then customers at Moro, the restaurant I run with my husband, Sam. I never made the conscious decision to work in a restaurant – I fell into it. I studied languages at university, but I have always cooked for people and enjoyed it. I had a bit of a reputation for cooking, but it wasn’t until I fell into a job that I realised it was exactly what I should be doing – it felt natural and right.
The happiest moment of my life was when I met Sam. I was cooking at The Eagle pub in Farringdon and he came to work as a cook. He’d been at the River Café, as I had, and I’d heard about him because we have the same surname. It’s corny, but he made me very happy. I really wanted to find someone like-minded, someone who enjoys food. I couldn’t imagine going out with someone who wasn’t as passionate about food as I am. When Sam came along, it was without question my happiest moment. We set up Moro two or three years later.
The restaurant’s now in its 13th year and the feedback from people is always very positive; they really enjoy being in the restaurant and eating the food. We cook a little less at home during the week now because we’ve been cooking at work and over the years we’ve become more professional in the way we approach it. But cooking remains our passion, it’s what makes us happy – people respond to that.
Generally, I’m a happy person. I’m extremely lucky to be doing what I love. If you’re not happy, you can’t get up every day and go into the restaurant and inspire the staff. If you’re not in a happy place, then they certainly won’t be. I think I can confidently say that the staff are happy.
You can’t be happy all the time; anyone who says they are is lying. If you don’t experience unhappiness, then how can you experience happiness? If Sam or I are unhappy, it’s hard for the other to be happy, or if the children are unhappy, then we can’t be happy. We work pretty hard and it is difficult to balance a busy restaurant where we have 50 people working all of whom need to feel valued, as well as home life and young children. The balancing act is not an easy one and I don’t do it perfectly all the time. It’s quite demanding.
Over time, what makes me happy has changed. It’s the smaller things that make me happy now – not aspiring to own the world. Having a family changes things too. If my family is happy and the restaurant is happy and people are thriving and enjoy working, that for us is enough. We don’t need to earn millions of pounds; that’s not what we’re after.
For us, it’s all about the food. We really care about trying to make the food as good as it can be. There are two services each day and you’re under scrutiny. People notice. Of course some things are not perfect, our recipes are not written down to the exact gramme so we rely on our chefs. But I think the whole parcel – the restaurant, the food, the people, the atmosphere – it’s very stimulating. Sam and I are quite different, but we have a shared goal: we’re both very passionate about the restaurant and the food, and that’s what makes us happy.
案例2：美食就是人生
我打小就喜欢做饭，喜欢吃自己做的菜，并捣鼓出各色吃法：如佳发橙子蛋糕(Jaffa Cake)的不同吃法、如何不拖泥带水地把香蕉纵切成三截，此外还发现黄瓜囊原来与其它部分味道迥异。我满脑子想的都是菜如何搭配后如何做出不同的色、香、味。
长大后，满足做菜的乐趣先是靠在朋友面前露一手、继而是靠来Moro就餐的顾客。Moro是我和我老公山姆一起开的一家餐馆。入餐饮这一行，我从来 不是有意为之，完全是出于偶然。我大学学的是语言学，但毕业后，我一直当厨师，也就喜欢上了这行。我擅长烹饪小有名气，但直到我因为偶然的机会开始打工 时，才真正意识到自己适合干这一行——完全是顺其自然、水到渠成。
我人生最快乐的时刻当属遇到山姆。当时我在伦敦法灵顿区(Farringdon)的老鹰酒巴(The Eagle pub)当厨师，山姆也到那里打工当厨师。他之前在River Café干过，我也在那呆过，我听说过山姆这个人，因为我俩的名字一样（都是Sam）。听上去有点俗套，但山姆很讨我喜欢。我真得想找一个和我一样喜欢烹 饪的志同道合者作人生伴侣，一个对美食不感兴趣的人和我是志不同道不合，与这样的人约会我实在难以想象。山姆出现时，无疑就是我最开心的时候。大约2、3 年后，我俩开了Moro餐馆。
如今，餐馆经营已届第十三个年头，顾客反映一直很好；他们很喜欢到我们餐馆吃饭。我们平日里在家不怎么做饭，原因是我们上班就一直在做饭，十几年来，经营餐馆这一行我们已经轻车熟路。但是我们仍然对烹饪情有独钟，它给了我们欢乐，而顾客对此做出相应的反应。
总体说来，我很幸福。我非常幸运能够做自己喜欢的事。你若不快乐，就不可能每天起早赶到餐馆、去激励自己的员工。你若觉得工作环境不顺心，员工们必然也是如此。我可以很自信地说，我手下的员工都很开心。
人不可能永远快乐；说这话的人是在说假话。不经历痛苦，如何能够体味快乐？如果我和山姆不快乐，员工也很难感觉快乐，如果孩子们不开心，我们当然也 不可能开心。我们工作非常辛苦，要兼顾好生意火爆的餐馆、家庭生活和孩子不是件容易的事，要知道，我们雇的50名员工个个争强好胜，不甘人下。要端平这碗 水实在不容易，我做得并非始终完美。这很累人。
随着时间的推移，快乐的内涵已然改变。现在给我快乐的都是些琐碎的事情——不再象以前那样渴望拥有整个世界。成家后人生感悟也会不同。如果家庭幸福，餐馆上下和气，员工积极上进、乐于工作，我们就心满意足了。我们不需要挣万贯家财；那并非我们所追求的目标。
对我们来说，美食才是人生的目标。我们真的很在意想方设法提高饭菜质量，力求精益求精。每天我们供应两次饭菜，时时会有人监督。顾客看在眼里，记在 心里。当然，有些事无法尽善尽美，我们的食谱并非精确到克，所以我们要依靠大厨。但是，我认为整体感觉——餐馆的布置、饭菜质量、员工态度以及工作氛围 ——非常温馨，让人宾至如归。我和山姆性格迥异，但我们目标一致：我们对餐馆和饭菜质量十分上心，我们工作时心情很快乐。
案例１：数学家的幸福
长大后，满足做菜的乐趣先是靠在朋友面前露一手、继而是靠来Moro就餐的顾客。Moro是我和我老公山姆一起开的一家餐馆。入餐饮这一行，我从来 不是有意为之，完全是出于偶然。我大学学的是语言学，但毕业后，我一直当厨师，也就喜欢上了这行。我擅长烹饪小有名气，但直到我因为偶然的机会开始打工 时，才真正意识到自己适合干这一行——完全是顺其自然、水到渠成。
我人生最快乐的时刻当属遇到山姆。当时我在伦敦法灵顿区(Farringdon)的老鹰酒巴(The Eagle pub)当厨师，山姆也到那里打工当厨师。他之前在River Café干过，我也在那呆过，我听说过山姆这个人，因为我俩的名字一样（都是Sam）。听上去有点俗套，但山姆很讨我喜欢。我真得想找一个和我一样喜欢烹 饪的志同道合者作人生伴侣，一个对美食不感兴趣的人和我是志不同道不合，与这样的人约会我实在难以想象。山姆出现时，无疑就是我最开心的时候。大约2、3 年后，我俩开了Moro餐馆。
如今，餐馆经营已届第十三个年头，顾客反映一直很好；他们很喜欢到我们餐馆吃饭。我们平日里在家不怎么做饭，原因是我们上班就一直在做饭，十几年来，经营餐馆这一行我们已经轻车熟路。但是我们仍然对烹饪情有独钟，它给了我们欢乐，而顾客对此做出相应的反应。
总体说来，我很幸福。我非常幸运能够做自己喜欢的事。你若不快乐，就不可能每天起早赶到餐馆、去激励自己的员工。你若觉得工作环境不顺心，员工们必然也是如此。我可以很自信地说，我手下的员工都很开心。
人不可能永远快乐；说这话的人是在说假话。不经历痛苦，如何能够体味快乐？如果我和山姆不快乐，员工也很难感觉快乐，如果孩子们不开心，我们当然也 不可能开心。我们工作非常辛苦，要兼顾好生意火爆的餐馆、家庭生活和孩子不是件容易的事，要知道，我们雇的50名员工个个争强好胜，不甘人下。要端平这碗 水实在不容易，我做得并非始终完美。这很累人。
随着时间的推移，快乐的内涵已然改变。现在给我快乐的都是些琐碎的事情——不再象以前那样渴望拥有整个世界。成家后人生感悟也会不同。如果家庭幸福，餐馆上下和气，员工积极上进、乐于工作，我们就心满意足了。我们不需要挣万贯家财；那并非我们所追求的目标。
对我们来说，美食才是人生的目标。我们真的很在意想方设法提高饭菜质量，力求精益求精。每天我们供应两次饭菜，时时会有人监督。顾客看在眼里，记在 心里。当然，有些事无法尽善尽美，我们的食谱并非精确到克，所以我们要依靠大厨。但是，我认为整体感觉——餐馆的布置、饭菜质量、员工态度以及工作氛围 ——非常温馨，让人宾至如归。我和山姆性格迥异，但我们目标一致：我们对餐馆和饭菜质量十分上心，我们工作时心情很快乐。
案例１：数学家的幸福
真正让我兴奋的就是找出规律；这就是数学的根本意义。绞尽脑汁地求解难题，待到一切环环相扣，难题被成功破解，那就是我最开心的时候。它使我的大脑一下子分泌出大量多巴胺（dopamine，一种让人愉悦的神经递质，译者注）。
数学能够揭示宇宙中最根本的规律，而破解难题的一部分魅力，就在于这些规律是永恒的。回味自己的各项研究发现，令我产生强烈的幸福感；我知道即使我 过世了，这些成果仍会继续存世。我认为每个人从内心来说都是数学家。人脑具有寻找规律的本能——我们借助这种本能来发现重要的事物。
从某种意义上说，数学指引着我规划自己的生活。数学并非一切问题的答案，但是它能助你规划一条更好的人生之路。弄清楚哪些规律让你快乐、哪些使你消沉，然后决定重复还是规避它们，从本质上说是个数学习惯。
我觉得生活中让我快乐的事往往有数学结构在其中起作用。听音乐能增加我的快乐度，因为我在某个层面欣赏音乐的规律。踢足球同样让我兴奋异常。我踢球 很少能进球，因为我负责中场，偏重于防守，但为数不多的几次进球让我激动不已。体内的紧张感积聚到一定程度后得以释放；赋予我快乐的一切东西（数学、足 球、性），其过程都大同小异。
在所有这一切，都有个人荣誉感在其中起作用，但同时也有为整个集体作贡献的意识。我不可能单枪匹马去研究数学。解题过程中，我需要我的数学团队做大量的验证工作。
我认为：只有经历了不快乐才能真正感悟快乐。我们夫妻俩曾经有过一个孩子，因难产不幸夭折了，我妻子也差点撒手人寰。这件事对我打击很大，我扪心自 问：想从生活中获取什么。是不是只想安安稳稳地平庸一生？不，我所喜欢的是生活光鲜亮丽的一面，但那免不了低潮彷徨。人生的意义就在于承担风险。
研究数学与生活中的情况如出一辙。你得冒很多风险，咋整都不得劲时，情绪会很低落。但是，那也意味着当研究工作顺风顺水时，感觉会更爽。
过去10年来，我一直试图破解一个数学猜想，若能成功攻克，我想我会非常开心。我的难题并非悬赏百万美元奖金的五大著名猜想中的一个。钱并非我的驱 动力。要是能解决上述五大难题中的任何一个，我想多数数学家愿意自掏百万美元。事实上，我倒希望能有更多的时间（而非拥有更多的钱财）；时间才是真正增加 快乐的要素。
Marcus du Sautoy 数学能够揭示宇宙中最根本的规律，而破解难题的一部分魅力，就在于这些规律是永恒的。回味自己的各项研究发现，令我产生强烈的幸福感；我知道即使我 过世了，这些成果仍会继续存世。我认为每个人从内心来说都是数学家。人脑具有寻找规律的本能——我们借助这种本能来发现重要的事物。
从某种意义上说，数学指引着我规划自己的生活。数学并非一切问题的答案，但是它能助你规划一条更好的人生之路。弄清楚哪些规律让你快乐、哪些使你消沉，然后决定重复还是规避它们，从本质上说是个数学习惯。
我觉得生活中让我快乐的事往往有数学结构在其中起作用。听音乐能增加我的快乐度，因为我在某个层面欣赏音乐的规律。踢足球同样让我兴奋异常。我踢球 很少能进球，因为我负责中场，偏重于防守，但为数不多的几次进球让我激动不已。体内的紧张感积聚到一定程度后得以释放；赋予我快乐的一切东西（数学、足 球、性），其过程都大同小异。
在所有这一切，都有个人荣誉感在其中起作用，但同时也有为整个集体作贡献的意识。我不可能单枪匹马去研究数学。解题过程中，我需要我的数学团队做大量的验证工作。
我认为：只有经历了不快乐才能真正感悟快乐。我们夫妻俩曾经有过一个孩子，因难产不幸夭折了，我妻子也差点撒手人寰。这件事对我打击很大，我扪心自 问：想从生活中获取什么。是不是只想安安稳稳地平庸一生？不，我所喜欢的是生活光鲜亮丽的一面，但那免不了低潮彷徨。人生的意义就在于承担风险。
研究数学与生活中的情况如出一辙。你得冒很多风险，咋整都不得劲时，情绪会很低落。但是，那也意味着当研究工作顺风顺水时，感觉会更爽。
过去10年来，我一直试图破解一个数学猜想，若能成功攻克，我想我会非常开心。我的难题并非悬赏百万美元奖金的五大著名猜想中的一个。钱并非我的驱 动力。要是能解决上述五大难题中的任何一个，我想多数数学家愿意自掏百万美元。事实上，我倒希望能有更多的时间（而非拥有更多的钱财）；时间才是真正增加 快乐的要素。
What really does it for me is spotting patterns; it’s what mathematics is all about. Working on a mathematical problem and getting that “Aha!” moment when things fit together makes me very happy. It causes a surge of dopamine in my head.
Mathematics offers something very fundamental about the universe, and the appeal of solving problems is partly because they’re eternal. Looking back on the discoveries that I’ve made gives me an intense feeling of happiness; I know they’re going to outlive me. I believe we’re all mathematicians at heart. The brain is programmed to look for patterns – it’s how we know something is significant.
In some sense, mathematics informs the way I run my life. Mathematics is not the answer to everything, but it can help you to plan a better path. Recognising patterns that make you happy or unhappy and repeating or avoiding them is an inherently mathematical trait.
I think the things that make me happy in life often have an underlying mathematical structure. Listening to music increases my levels of happiness because on some level I’m enjoying its patterns. Playing football also makes me incredibly happy. I rarely score a goal because I’m a bit of a defensive midfielder, but the few times I have it’s given me a huge surge of happiness. Tension is built up and then has a resolution; it’s the same for all the things that give me happiness: maths, football and sex.
There’s an element of personal glory in all of this but it’s also about the sense of contributing to a community. I couldn’t do maths in isolation. I need my community of mathematicians to validate what I do.
I think that you can’t really experience happiness without being unhappy. We had a child who died during delivery and my wife almost died, too. It was incredibly traumatic and I questioned what I wanted from my life. Did I want it to be just a flat line of mediocrity? No, what I love about life is its highs, but that will involve lows. Life is about taking risks.
In mathematics it’s the same. You take risks and there are depressing times when nothing works, but it does make those times when it does work so much more satisfying.
I’ve been working on a conjecture for the past 10 years, and if I could solve it I think I would be very happy. It’s not one of the five famous conjectures for which there is a $1m prize attached. Money is not the driving force for me. Most mathematicians would pay a million dollars to be able to solve any one of those problems. In fact, I’d rather have more time than more money; time is the factor that really increases happiness.
Mathematics offers something very fundamental about the universe, and the appeal of solving problems is partly because they’re eternal. Looking back on the discoveries that I’ve made gives me an intense feeling of happiness; I know they’re going to outlive me. I believe we’re all mathematicians at heart. The brain is programmed to look for patterns – it’s how we know something is significant.
In some sense, mathematics informs the way I run my life. Mathematics is not the answer to everything, but it can help you to plan a better path. Recognising patterns that make you happy or unhappy and repeating or avoiding them is an inherently mathematical trait.
I think the things that make me happy in life often have an underlying mathematical structure. Listening to music increases my levels of happiness because on some level I’m enjoying its patterns. Playing football also makes me incredibly happy. I rarely score a goal because I’m a bit of a defensive midfielder, but the few times I have it’s given me a huge surge of happiness. Tension is built up and then has a resolution; it’s the same for all the things that give me happiness: maths, football and sex.
There’s an element of personal glory in all of this but it’s also about the sense of contributing to a community. I couldn’t do maths in isolation. I need my community of mathematicians to validate what I do.
I think that you can’t really experience happiness without being unhappy. We had a child who died during delivery and my wife almost died, too. It was incredibly traumatic and I questioned what I wanted from my life. Did I want it to be just a flat line of mediocrity? No, what I love about life is its highs, but that will involve lows. Life is about taking risks.
In mathematics it’s the same. You take risks and there are depressing times when nothing works, but it does make those times when it does work so much more satisfying.
I’ve been working on a conjecture for the past 10 years, and if I could solve it I think I would be very happy. It’s not one of the five famous conjectures for which there is a $1m prize attached. Money is not the driving force for me. Most mathematicians would pay a million dollars to be able to solve any one of those problems. In fact, I’d rather have more time than more money; time is the factor that really increases happiness.
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