3 Great Lessons On Happiness And Success We Can Learn From Singer/Songwriter Brett Dennen

The video above definitely illustrates some great lessons (and great music for that matter). Here are some important conclusions we drew from watching that we hope can enrich your day:

1. Do What You Love, Love What You Do.

Brett Dennen’s pursuit of music can be classified as nothing less than love. It is apparent that so many of us don’t do what we love and rather do what gives us money. This sucks life out of us, adds to weight gain, and ultimately makes us unhappy. At the end of life the top two regrets deal with pursuing what we love (see the top 5 regrets here). The first, “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” And the second, “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.” If we work for something we love, it will be worthwhile.

2. Do Not Force Greatness.

I loved what Brett said about his songwriting. Some songs have taken years to write, some have been in the works for over 10 years and are still to be completed, and yet others came to him over the course of just a few minutes. If we really want to achieve pure and true greatness it will not be forced. How often do we just power through an obstacle without thought? When we do this it is apparent in our product and in our effort. Letting greatness come naturally takes patience and is tough to put into practice on a daily basis, but everyone has the ability to be great in anything they do.

3. Inspiration Can Hit You Anywhere.

This is an amazing lesson to learn. It allows such freedom if we accept the fact that we can just be hit with a thought or idea that is remarkable at any given point in time. How does this happen? Two conditions must first be met: One, we must allow ourselves to daydream. As Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge.”Secondly, we must be willing to follow through. We often have great ideas but pass them off because we think the goals we have are too distant and the obstacles are too daunting. This is a false way of thinking that can be very simple (albeit difficult) to correct. It is often the difference between success and failure. Brendon Burshard really puts this idea into perspective.