Male, tall, Asian-American, at least 73 years old, with children… he is the embodiment of true happiness. Happiness without bounds, happiness without self-doubt, and happiness that has lasted for a long-time.
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, help someone else.
It doesn’t matter if you fail…what matters is what you do after you fail.
Others will respect you if you show them respect.
Think positive thoughts before going to bed.
Alvin Wong is a 5-foot-10, 69-year-old Chinese-American, Kosher-observant Jew from Honolulu who is married with children. He owns his own health care management company and earns over $120,000 per year.
Alvin Wong, it turns out, is a happy person. And he’s had a celebrity moment as a result of the article. This week, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser published a video of Wong discussing the “dubious honour” of being America’s happiest man.
Mr Wong said always says that he was indeed a very happy person. He said that perhaps he manages to be the happiest man in America because “my life philosophy is, if you can’t laugh at yourself, life is going to be pretty terrible for you.”
He continued: “This is a practical joke, right?”
From Where Did It All Started?
Alvin Wong received a phone call from The New York Times three years ago. After a few questions about his demographic background, the excited reporter on the line informed Wong of some shocking news: He was the happiest man in America.
His initial reaction was complete disbelief.
“Who would have guessed? “You’re sitting in your house, and someone tells you that you’re the happiest guy,” Wong said. “I asked, ‘Is this a practical joke you’re playing on me?’”
Catherine Rampell, the reporter, wasn’t joking. The New York Times asked Gallup, the polling firm, to compile a statistical composite of America’s happiest person based on its 2011 report on American well-being.
Gallup’s data revealed an unexpected picture: A tall, Asian-American man over 65 years old who lives in Hawaii, is married with children, owns a business, earns more than $120,000 per year — and is an observant Jew — would be the hypothetical happiest American.
The next day, the Times ran a brief profile of Wong, noting that, by his own admission, “he was a very happy person.”
Wong became a celebrity in Hawaii overnight and received international media attention. His phone rang nonstop for six months. Calls came in from Good Morning America and ABC World News, among others. He has made more appearances on television and radio than he can count. His story inspired the short independent film “The Happiest Person in America,” which was released in 2013.
“One day, he called and said, ‘Someone just told me I went viral.'” “What does that mean?” Shaaroni Wong, his daughter, explained.
All the attention prompted Wong, now 72, to reflect on his own sunny disposition and to look into academic research on happiness. He decided to lecture on the art of contentment to share his happiness with others. He has evolved into a sort of happiness guru. “I’ve made it my life mission to explain what happiness is all about,” he explained.
Three years after his selection, the invitations to speak continue to pour in. Wong frequently appears at the many professional conventions held in Honolulu. He has addressed schoolchildren, donors to the University of Hawaii, and the Hawaii chapter of Hadassah. Wong was preparing to address the Hawaii State Senate during its daily “moment of contemplation” when called for an interview. He will be featured on a PBS program about famous Hawaiians in the coming weeks.
Wong, on the other hand, has declined the book deal offer. And he does not accept payment for his speaking engagements; he is not interested in profiting from his celebrity. If I didn’t volunteer, and I was doing it as a business, I wouldn’t be as happy, would I?” he said.
A twinge of sadness accompanied his newfound title. Many of those who call him are not reporters but rather unhappy individuals seeking to learn his secret. “You get calls from India, Thailand, Russia, and England, all asking the same question: what is the secret to your happiness?” he explained. “I was unhappy because everyone was looking for the secret to happiness.” It was enlightening.” Sometimes callers can also be annoying at times. A rabbi once called and lectured Wong for 30 minutes about how Jews could not possibly be the happiest religious group due to their tragic history. Wong politely listened. “I never hang up the phone.” “That’s impolite,” he said.
Wong believes that humility is the key to his happiness. “Humility teaches me that I don’t know everything and that I am not the most important person,” he explained. “You won’t learn anything if you don’t listen.”
Wong believes that learning to laugh at yourself is another key to happiness. “Happiness is that I don’t take myself too seriously,” he explained. “If you can’t laugh at yourself — at all your problems and mistakes — you’re going to be a very unhappy person in life.” This has always been my approach.”
According to family members, despite being a celebrity, Wong continues to laugh at himself and remain humble. They just want to make sure he stays that way.
