About this project
The Millennial's Guide to Making Happiness Volume I
$13,531
243
***11/30 UPDATE: WE DID IT! THE HAPPINESS REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN!***
***11/29 UPDATE: JUST $777 TO GO!
Enjoy a preview from the first physical copy!
***11/18 UPDATE: FIRST BOOK PRINTED!
"I was blown away... Chris has the depth and breadth of a world class writer and the wisdom of an old soul... I highly recommend that you read this book. It will change your life and it may even save your life." - Donna Lang, Founder, Smart Tools Coaching
"An addictive mix between Last Week Tonight, Bill Nye, and Chicken Soup for the Millennial Soul!" - Shawn E., 25
As Featured In
www.chrisbutsch.com | Chris Butsch on LinkedIn
Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions. - The Dalai Lama
What is The Millennial's Guide to Making Happiness, Vol. I?
The Millennial's Guide to Making Happiness is a non-fiction, positive psychology book for young people supported by science, humor, and stories from Millennials around the world.
Where is the money going?
- STRETCH GOAL 1: $15,500, and all donors of $100 and above get an AUDIO BOOK of the guide!
Who am I?
Hi! I'm Chris Butsch. I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, and graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2012 with a degree I designed in Engineering Management and Entrepreneurship. In college I led the Habitat for Humanity club, joined Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, and hosted a heavy metal radio show. After college I accepted a job working as a project manager with healthcare IT giant Epic in Madison, WI.
Why did I write this book?
After struggling to find happiness for years and seeing my fellow Millennials suffering the same confusion and life dissatisfaction in their 20s, I began researching ways to be truly happier, with the goal of first reversing my own unhappiness, then helping others do the same.
Right away I discovered mountains of incredible scientific discoveries from the past 10 years from researchers uncovering exact ways to build our happiness, increase our well-being, and even optimize our gray matter. So I quit my job to perform thousands of hours of research and hundreds of interviews across the globe.
My goal was to become the Neil deGrasse Tyson of Happiness!
I wanted to connect positive psychology to young people in an entertaining and engaging way so that my fellow twentysomethings would read it, begin building happier lives, and share it. The result is my first book, The Millennial's Guide to Making Happiness Vol. I: a book I wish I'd had three years ago!
What's the current status of the book? Are copies really arriving by December 23, 2016?
The book is 100% ready to print. My publisher, Booklogix, has graciously gotten the book this far with partial upfront payment. As soon as they're paid the rest, they'll begin printing and shipping copies priority mail, which is how it will get to you by December 23rd or earlier!
Is it any good?
In July I submitted the manuscript to Writer's Workshop UK, the "Simon Cowells of the literary world" famous for their brutally honest feedback. I had my scotch and box of tissues at-the-ready when I opened their final report, but not only did they say they enjoyed it, they recommended that I publish it immediately!
Who is the book for?
- People aged 15-35
- People aged 36-107
- People with interest in the science of happiness
- Psychology and history buffs
- Anyone unhappy
- Anyone already happy, but curious to know why
- Anyone on your Xmas list who qualifies as one of the above!
But seriously, will non-Millennials enjoy it?
While I wanted my generation to have a positive psychology guide to call our own, absolutely anybody can enjoy the science and stories within and use the actionable advice inside to build happiness. Plus, non-Millennials reading the book will gain an insight into how our generation thinks differently.
The Millennial's Guide to Making Happiness Vol. I has received positive feedback from all five living generations. Serial non-fiction author Claire Gillman, who herself is a Baby Boomer, provided the testimonial on the cover: "Clear, engaging and entertaining"!
What are the book's technical specs?
- Paperback cover with color, matte finish
- 6" x 9"
- ~250 pages
- B&W, with bolding, pull-quotes, and Illustrations
- Sans Serif, 12 point font (standard)
Is this just another self-help book? What's inside?
I've read my fair share of stodgy, textbook-like, and frankly bulls***-filled self-help books, so I wanted mine to mix proven science, humor, stories, history, and actionable takeaways into a fun-to-read package. My friend Shawn's description says it best: "an addictive mix between Last Week Tonight, Bill Nye, and Chicken Soup for the Millennial Soul."
Below is a preview of what to expect in each chapter!
All of the cartoons below are originals from the book, thought up by me and brought to life by illustrator Josh McGill!
0) Introduction: We're in this Together
Why did I write this book? How did I go from the top of my world to depression almost overnight? Why are Millennials the most capable generation in our nation's history of igniting a happiness revolution?
1) Why We're So Unhappy
How did America become so unhappy? What is The American Dream, and what does the modern American Dream mean to Millennials from Siberia, Belize, and Kenya? What's the secret weapon of the happiest countries in the world?
2) The Meaning of "True Happiness"
What epiphany did I have while sitting in a clandestine sweat lodge in East Atlanta? What's the "history" of happiness? What discovery stunted happiness research for 30 years? How did positive psychologist "rebels" destroy this "Death Star" of unhappiness theories?
3) Say "Bon Voyage" to Pleasure Island
How are our favorite pleasures (social media, TV, alcohol) affecting our happiness? What are the Tipsy Prime and sensory-pecific satiety? What stupidly simple secret are Okinawans using to live past 100? How can we retool some of our favorite pleasures to start building long-term happiness?
4) Sleep and Fitness: Building a Vehicle for Happiness
Why do we sleep? How did we become the most sleep-deprived generation in history? What's the optimal sleep schedule for a work hard/play hard lifestyle? How does exercise make both tangible and intangible life goals easier to achieve?
5) Meditation: Building a Better Brain
Why are the world's happiest and most successful people sitting cross-legged in silence every day? What discovery surprised researchers from Harvard, Stanford, and Yale? What techniques can we use to train different parts of the brain?
6) Mindfulness: Moment-to-Moment Happiness
How can we train ourselves to focus like Zen masters? Why does focusing make us happy? What has science recently learned about "getting in the zone," and how can we get there more consistently? Why did the monks of Magnolia Grove Monastery call me "Brother Terminator"?
What's the deal with Volume II? Have you written other books?
Volume II is actually already completed! If Volume I is successful, I'll Kickstart Volume II next year. Here's what to expect in Volume II!
- Being Social: Active Listening and Communication
- Compassion and Altruism: Unnatural Happiness
- Learning and Passion: Infinite Wells of Happiness
- Gratitude: the Happiness Right in Front of Us
- Wealth and Jobs: Yes, You Can Buy Happiness!
- Love: Happiness' Oldest Companion
Thanks for reading!
Please review the reward levels to the right - I'd be so grateful for your support, and if you have any questions, ask away in the FAQ section below!
Risks and challenges
My project manager at Booklogix Jessica and I, a former PM myself, have carefully designed a realistic project timeline for delivering books by Christmas, and have mitigated every conceivable risk within our locus of control. Here are some that aren't:
1) Delays in Receiving Donor Information. In order to deliver your signed copy by Christmas, I'll need some information from you right away, including names, addresses, and personalized messages, which I'll solicit via email. If I don't receive these in a timely manner, I'll be unable to ship your book by Christmas, but will ship it as soon as I receive your information.
2) Printing Delays. We're printing in-house at Booklogix and books are slated to begin printing early, but all technology is susceptible to failure.
3) Shipping Delays. Christmas is by far the busiest shipping time of the year. We're packaging and shipping all books in-house at Booklogix by December 16, USPS' cutoff date for guaranteed Christmas delivery, but things happen.
4) Publishing glitches. Google, Apple, and Amazon have reliable and streamlined publishing tools, but again, all technology is susceptible to failure and may create a delay in eBook delivery.
Again, the production and delivery of your book is being handled by TWO professional project managers with a virtually unlimited supply of caffeine, but if anything happens, you'll know immediately via a project update, and as long as the project is funded, I guarantee you'll receive your book!
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- (29 days)