The Happiness Expert That Made 51 Million People Happier: Mo Gawdat

In this episode of 'The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett,' Steven engages in a profound conversation with Mo Gawdat, the former Chief Business Officer of Google X and the author of 'Solve for Happy.' Gawdat shares his journey of understanding happiness, which began with personal success but led to clinical depression, despite achieving all societal markers of happiness. His turning point came through conversations with his son, Ali, who taught him the essence of happiness and whose untimely death spurred Gawdat to share this knowledge with the world. Gawdat explains that happiness is not about events but about the comparison between events and expectations. He introduces the concept of the 'happiness equation,' which is the difference between our perception of life events and our expectations of how life should be. Gawdat also discusses the six grand illusions and seven blind spots that disrupt our happiness, emphasizing the importance of managing our brains like a muscle to train it towards happiness through practices like gratitude.

The episode also delves into Gawdat's views on artificial intelligence (AI), which he believes is the real pandemic of our time. He warns that AI will soon surpass human intelligence, and by 2045, it could be a billion times smarter than humans. Gawdat stresses the urgency of understanding AI's ethical implications and our role in shaping its development. He likens AI to a child that learns from us, arguing that we must become better 'parents' to ensure AI develops with the right ethical framework. Gawdat's message is one of both caution and hope, as he believes it is within our power to influence the trajectory of AI towards a beneficial outcome for humanity.

Throughout the podcast, Gawdat touches on various other topics, including the importance of embracing our feminine side, the distinction between love and relationships, and the modern world's obsession with productivity. His insights on love are particularly poignant, as he describes his own experience of nurturing a relationship for 28 years, which transitioned from romantic love to a deep, enduring friendship. Gawdat's holistic approach to life and technology offers a unique perspective that challenges listeners to rethink their values and the direction of society.