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One Homeless Man Teaches The World The Meaning Of “Happyness”

Stop trying to correct the spelling.

Happyness is spelled with a “Y” for a reason.  A reason that may change your life and help make YOU happy.

If you don’t believe it, read on

Here is why…

Imagine if a movie was made and it was based on your life.  What would it be like?

Would it be interesting?  Educational?  Instructive?  Fascinating?  Would it tell an incredible tale about persevering over incredible odds?  A never give up attitude?  A triumph over tragedy?

Or would it be boring, non-eventful, or full of scenes where you put in a minimal effort and then just quit?

Would anyone want to come and see the movie of your life?

Tough question to really face up to, isn’t it?  Well, not for Chris Gardner.

Why not?

Well, a movie was made about Chris Gardner’s life and…


It Was A Blockbuster!!!


And there is a very good chance you saw the movie but just don’t know it was based on Chris’s life.

The name of the movie is The Pursuit of Happyness and Will Smith played Chris Gardner.

The movie tells the story of how Chris was once homeless – living in the street with his two year old son – and went on to become a multi-millionaire stock broker.

If you haven’t seen the movie, check it out.  It is well worth your time.

But Chris’ real life is even better than the movie.  Chris is one of the wisest people you will ever come across.  If you listen to him for just a few minutes, he will say something that could change almost anyone’s life.

In an interview, Chris was asked if it was hard to keep going when he was homeless and a single parent of a two year old. Chris replied, “My good friend and Reverend, Cecil Williams, told me – baby steps count too as long as you’re going forward.  And one day you add all those baby steps up and you might be surprised where you can get to.”

Then Chris said what his mom used to say to him every day…


“Son, the cavalry ain’t coming.  You got to do this yourself.  Ain’t no back-up.”


Those blunt and profound words from his friend and mother, combined with his self-expectation and drive to be the best, shaped the destiny of one of the greatest rags-to-richest stories you could ever imagine.

When the interviewer asked Chris if he knew anything about the job he was applying for he said, “No,  but I knew I wanted to be world class at something.”

Imagine a homeless guy with a two-year-old son wanting to be world class at something?  Chris might have been the only one who believed his dream would come true.

Possibly the most important quality about Chris came out when the interviewer asked him why he spelled happyness with a Y.  Chris explained that the “Y” means YOU. If you ask everyone in a room to define happyness – you will get a different definition from everyone.  The key is being bold enough to pursue it.

Then the interviewer asked, “What makes Chris Gardner happy?”

“Money is the least significant aspect of wealth.  What makes me happy now?  I’m healthy.  As a single parent, I’ve raised two children that have become fabulous young people.  And I’m in a position to do work that reflects my values.”

Words we can all live by