Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder

Huffington draws upon Pascal Chabot to describe burnout as “civilization’s disease” (28). For Huffington, burnout, stress, and depression are “epidemics” that affect the whole world. Huffington relies on studies from Germany, China, and Harvard Medical School to advance her argument, using statistics to show that stress levels have increased in recent years among workers around the world. Huffington also notes that the word “stress” in its modern sense is a recent development; the word only took on the meaning of the body’s “nonspecific response to external demand” in 1936 (31). Huffington emphasizes that stress is subjective and that seemingly trivial things can sometimes cause great stress. When something “truly significant” like a health crisis interrupts people’s lives, they sometimes realize how insignificant their previous worries were. She then shares a personal anecdote about a lump that was discovered during a routine physical exam, detailing the worry she felt during the subsequent surgery and biopsy that occurred before she learned that the growth was benign.

Huffington explains there are two types of workplaces: Some exacerbate the burnout culture to meet a company’s bottom line, and others are beginning to recognize that work-related pressures negatively affect employee wellbeing, leading to negative business outcomes in the long term. Huffington draws attention to numerous studies that reinforce the connection between employee wellness and a “healthy” bottom line for companies. To further her point, she cites statistics showing the significant cost to employers when employees take sick days, have lower productivity, and are less healthy. In the US, this loss of productivity costs companies more than they pay for employee insurance plans. She points to the examples of Starbucks and Safeway, successful companies that offer incentives to their employees for investing in their health, demonstrating the positive relationship between profit and employee wellness.

Huffington explores the power of meditation to improve well-being. Huffington begins by acknowledging the growing interest in meditation and mindfulness practices. Meditation is not limited to spiritual seekers, but has found its place in the mainstream as a tool for enhancing mental and emotional health.

The section delves into the science behind meditation, emphasizing its proven benefits for reducing stress, improving focus, and promoting emotional resilience. Huffington cites research on how meditation “literally changes us at the genetic level” (43), citing several famous people, ranging from CEOs to television hosts, who practice meditation regularly. Huffington also shares her personal journey with meditation, describing how it has become an integral part of her daily routine. She explains how meditation has helped her manage stress, find clarity in decision-making, and cultivate a greater sense of inner peace.

The author addresses common misconceptions about meditation, dispelling the idea that it requires significant time commitments or an esoteric understanding. Meditation has various manifestations that bridge many different religions and belief systems, too. She encourages all readers to embrace meditation as a practical and accessible tool for enhancing their own wellbeing.

Throughout the section, Huffington provides practical guidance on how to incorporate meditation into daily life, even for those with busy schedules. She discusses various meditation techniques and resources available to help individuals get started on their meditation journey. Huffington concludes this section by reiterating the importance of meditation as a means of nurturing one’s mental and emotional wellbeing. She encourages readers to explore this practice as a valuable tool for finding balance, reducing stress, and experiencing personal transformation.

Huffington draws an analogy between gazelles and the pursuit of a well-balanced life in the modern human world. Huffington describes the striking qualities of gazelles, highlighting their ability to gracefully navigate challenging terrain and swiftly adapt to their environment. She characterizes them as creatures of both strength and grace, capable of moving with ease through life’s obstacles. 

In the modern world, individuals often feel overwhelmed and stressed by the constant demands of work and technology, just as gazelles in the wild face constant pressure from predators. Like gazelles, humans to develop their own survival strategies. Throughout this section, Huffington offers examples of companies (including Aetna, Wegmans, Salo, the Boston Consulting Group, among others) that support their employees with strategies and resources that support health, like offering free yoga classes and nutrition counseling, for example. Consequently, these companies all saw a boost in productivity among their employees. 

The section concludes by encouraging readers to adopt the wisdom of gazelles as role models in their own lives, seeking balance and finding ways to renew themselves amidst the challenges of the modern world.

Huffington examines the pervasive issue of overconnectivity in the modern digital age and its impact on daily life and overall well-being. Huffington focuses first on the pervasiveness of this digital paradise, citing a statistic that the average smartphone owner checks their device over 150 times a day (62). In Huffington’s perception, this incessant need to be “connected” virtually disconnects individuals from one another in reality. Smartphones make “techno-stress” ubiquitous, as there is no longer any refuge from the expectations of continuous communication. This constant pressure prevents individuals from “unplugging” to recharge. 

Huffington explicitly acknowledges the paradoxical nature of technology in the modern world, since “one of the biggest growth sectors for tools to help us deal with technology is…technology” (66). We can use the internet to search for what we need, she says, but we can also use it to search for what we only want, and it’s this second category that eats up an ever-increasing share of our time. In Appendix A, “The ‘No Distraction’ Dozen: 12 Tools, Apps, and Resources to Help You Stay Focused,” she offers a list of technology tools to filter data and distractions.

The section concludes by emphasizing the importance of reclaiming our own agency in the digital age. Huffington encourages readers to recognize the impact of overconnectivity on their lives and to take intentional steps to strike a healthier balance between the digital world and the present moment.

Huffington argues that a well-rounded and balanced life boosts productivity. She uses The Huffington Post’s coverage of the 2008 and 2012 Democratic and Republican national conventions as an example of this phenomenon: HuffPost reporters sent to cover the conventions had access to myriad ways to relax (through HuffPost-sponsored yoga, meditation, massages, refreshments, mini facials, and more). As a result, conventioneers reported feeling restored and more productive throughout the duration of the conventions.

Huffington then discusses the difficulty of balancing work responsibilities with the responsibility of caring for children and family members—a burden that falls disproportionately on women. She shares her own experience with motherhood, calling her children the “best possible antidote” to her “workaholic tendencies” (70). The connection and fulfillment that comes from family can buoy individuals when facing setbacks, and Huffington cites scientific findings to support the conclusion that having a family can measurably improve one’s health. Workplaces, however, do not often create environments that support balance between career and family. Huffington then argues that companies should redefine success and foster a more sustainable culture with “flexible time, telecommuting, project-based work,” and reasonable communication expectations (71). 

Huffington returns to her thematic focus on wellness to remind her readers that, though economic and political reforms are necessary, everyone can help change their own lives and create balance through mindfulness, meditation, or sleeping more. By paying closer attention to the self, Huffington argues, individuals can thrive in their personal lives while continuing to succeed at work.

Huffington expands on the importance of sleep. Modern, work-obsessed culture has made sleep deprivation a “symbol of prowess,” but the reality is that adequate sleep is vital to success (74). Huffington cites various studies that all underscore the quantifiable benefits of sleep, which boosts “creativity, ingenuity, confidence, leadership, and decision making” (75). She also cites studies reinforcing the negative effects of lack of sleep, such as higher stress levels and greater risk of heart disease; greater feelings of hopelessness and loneliness; and difficulty making decisions at work or in relationships.

Huffington shares a personal anecdote throughout this section, recalling her sleep pact that she made with her friend Cindi and the improvements she felt in her daily routine, productivity, and overall mindset. She details the benefits of dreaming, citing research showing that dreams consolidate memories and increase introspective ability. Huffington offers a series of practical suggestions for improving one’s sleep.

Huffington draws parallels between the world of sports and everyday life, highlighting valuable lessons that can be gleaned from the experiences of professional athletes. Throughout this section, Huffington explores how exceptional athletes include yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and quality sleep in their training regimens. Citing organizations like the US Olympic Committee, the Dallas Mavericks, and the LA Lakers and individuals like Michael Jordan, Ricky Williams, and Ivan Lendl, she notes that top athletes are increasingly viewing sleep and rest as a vital part of their training. Overall, Huffington underscores the idea that rest is an important part of becoming a truly successful high performer in sports—and beyond.

Huffington explores how walking can ameliorate both health problems and social problems. She shares the insights of politicians and authors who regard walks as restorative and adventurous, and she cites research demonstrating the psychological benefits of walking. Simply being outside can also improve mental health, increase feelings of generosity, and promote community. 

In the second portion of this section, Huffington discusses how technology usage can interfere with the benefits of walking, as it distracts people and begs for attention, whereas the psychological value of a walk comes from the opportunity to visually and critically observe and interact with the material world, a process that requires one to be free of distractions. Huffington includes anecdotes about accidents that happen when people walk while looking at their phones.

Huffington explains the correlation between pet ownership and better health, as attested in studies from Miami University and Virginia Commonwealth University. Cognitive science also points to a pet’s ability to grant its owner new perspective. Moreover, as Huffington argues, “pets are the unrivaled masters of giving back” (107).

Huffington returns to her thesis that success shouldn’t be defined by economic indicators alone and reiterates the thematic focus of this section: Well-being as the Foundation of True Success. Data from happiness surveys conducted in the UK support her claim that well-being is a cornerstone of success. Huffington offers three steps to take toward improving one’s own well-being: She believes people should sleep more, move their body more, and meditate. She concludes the section by offering six suggestions for how to implement a meditation practice into one’s life and offers Appendix B, titled “Transcendent Tool Box: 12 Tools, Apps, and Resources for Meditation and Mindfulness,” for additional meditation tools.