The Great Reflection
From Business at Leeds 2022 | Full issue
Ashish Kothari decided to leave his job during the pandemic, becoming one of the millions of Americans to participate in the Great Recession. His book, 'Hardwired for Happiness,' published this fall.
One man's journey from high-powered exec to happiness guru.
Triggered by COVID-19, more than 47 million Americans voluntarily quit their jobs in 2021—a mass exodus from the job market without precedent, generally known as the Great Resignation. The reasons were varied: dissatisfaction with working conditions, compensation, flexibility and balance, for starters. Some chose to retire early, care for loved ones or avoid on-the-job exposure to the virus. Still others had been unhappy with their jobs for years and saw this as an impetus to (finally) improve their situation.
On a deeper level, people were asking big questions about their purpose, wondering if it was the time for a life-changing shift.
Whether you call it the Great Resignation, Great Rethink, Great Retirement or Great Reshuffle, the pandemic dramatically changed the labor market, putting workers in the driver’s seat for the first time and giving them the opportunity to reassess their situations.
By his mid-forties, Ashish Kothari had achieved everything he thought he needed for a happy life. He was a partner at one of the most prestigious consulting firms in the world; he had a wife, son, and wonderful network of friends; and he lived in beautiful, affluent Boulder.
But one day, in 2015, he realized, “I should have been blissfully happy and satisfied, yet I was continuing to hustle faster, harder and longer.”
“For 20 years I had been executing a script that was written by society, and I found myself having everything, but still living in a constant state of anxiety and stress,” he said.
Long hours, low satisfaction
Throughout his consulting tenure, he put in long hours, traveled extensively and often had little time to spend with his family. He had gained weight and wasn’t sleeping well. And he worked in a functional discipline that no longer brought him joy. But he was frozen in place by his fear of change.
So he embarked on a journey of self-discovery, studying ontological coaching, neurosciences and ancient wisdom traditions. He brought his insights to work and started facilitating workshops and coaching sessions for colleagues and clients. Kothari encouraged them to start relying on their internal compasses for joy, health, love and meaning.
Then, COVID shut down the world.
“It was the first time in 25 years that I stopped,” he said. “Sometimes, to truly transform, you have to stop what you’re doing and to let the wisdom from within guide you.”
“Sometimes, to truly transform, you have to stop doing and to let the wisdom from within guide you.”
Ashish Kothari, Happiness Squad founder and Leeds board member
As he began grounding himself in nature and spending more time with his family, he also had more energy to put toward what had become a true passion: pursuing his inward journey and helping others with theirs. He engaged in a learning journey across the disciplines of spirituality, psychology and neuroscience to uncover how to live his best life.
“The fire had been there for a while, but there was never enough oxygen. When I stopped and allowed space for it, the flame turned into an inferno,” he said.
During the pandemic, he wrote a book, “Hardwired for Happiness: 9 Proven Practices to Overcome Stress and Live Your Best Life.” Once he finished writing, he made the decision to leave the firm—three years earlier than he’d originally planned; he resigned in May 2022.
“COVID absolutely accelerated my departure when I saw the massive scale of the silent burnout epidemic unfolding. I couldn’t ignore my calling anymore,” he said.
Looking ahead, Kothari plans to create a “happiness foundations class” for mass consumption. He also plans to partner with leaders to transform organizations into cultures where humans can flourish.
His ultimate goal is for people to learn the lesson he discovered the hard way: “Once you stop pursuing external happiness and go inward, you will find that happiness was there all along.”
“Hardwired for Happiness” published in October. To learn more about the book and Kothari’s mission, and join the hardwired for happiness community, please visit www.happinesssquad.com.