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Live Each Day: A Surprisingly Simple Guide to Happiness
***** #1 Amazon Bestseller ***** “Captivating storytelling, intriguing questions, pioneering research, and deceptively doable daily practices — Live Each Day has something for everyone. Grounded in science, but coming from the heart, this book shows you not only how to be authentically happier; it's a wake-up call to living your life to the absolute fullest.” Randy Taran, Founder of Project Happiness and author of Emotional Advantage . Happiness is a skill you can develop! Are you tired of self-help books which offer fuzzy anecdotes of inspiration, but leave you wondering what are science-based ways you can improve your life starting today? Then this book is for you. Jim McCarthy had a Stanford MBA and a successful career in Silicon Valley. But a cancer diagnosis suddenly changed his life, forcing him to ask questions such * How much longer will I live? * What do I need to repair in my relationships? * How can I use my work to help others? * What, after all, would make me happy? Since then, Jim has spent years studying the latest in neuroscience and psychology in an effort to understand what helps people thrive with abundant pleasure, purpose, and peace. His Happiness is a skill you can develop. Wanting to share his findings, Jim developed an innovative and highly acclaimed “Happiness Keynote,” which he has presented to organizations of all sizes across the U.S. and internationally. His talks aren’t just inspirational — participants take away proven strategies, science-based insights, and daily practices to lower their stress, boost their confidence, and find greater meaning. Jim delivered a talk at TEDxOakland in November 2018, entitled "What Cancer Taught Me About Happiness." He has distilled what he’s learned from his research and his workshop experiences into the new book, Live Each A Surprisingly Simple Guide to Happiness . It’s an intriguing, enjoyable, immediately applicable blueprint for anyone seeking to live more fully. Throughout Live Each Day , Jim encourages readers to explore existential questions through focused, thought-provoking writing activities, with the ultimate aim of helping each person design their own path to happiness.
- GenresSelf Help
332 pages, Paperback
Published February 28, 2019
24 people are currently reading
1299 people want to read
About the author
Jim McCarthy
1 book22 followersJim McCarthy teaches people how to create their happiness by blending mindfulness techniques and timeless wisdom with simple, science-based practices. He is a thought-provoking TEDx speaker and bestselling author of the book Live Each Day: A Surprisingly Simple Guide to Happiness. He has presented his innovative and highly acclaimed “Happiness Keynote” to organizations of all sizes across the U.S. and internationally.
His talks aren’t just inspirational. Audiences take away practical strategies, evidence-based insights, and daily action plans — because happiness is a skill you can develop. Jim is recognized for his unique perspective — as a Stanford MBA, internet pioneer, and person living with a cancer diagnosis.
His talks aren’t just inspirational. Audiences take away practical strategies, evidence-based insights, and daily action plans — because happiness is a skill you can develop. Jim is recognized for his unique perspective — as a Stanford MBA, internet pioneer, and person living with a cancer diagnosis.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 11, 2019
I purchased this book at the recommendation of a friend. Honestly, I was a little bit skeptical, and my skepticism made me curious. There are so many happiness gurus out there right now -- just look at your Facebook feed and you can probably find multiple people posting daily affirmations on how to be happy. So I was curious to see what Mr. McCarthy had to say about this much much-too-often visited topic of happiness.
Boy, was I mistaken. McCarthy's book is NOT a book full of daily affirmations. Imagine if Malcolm Gladwell (author of Blink, Outliers, and The Tipping Point) wrote a book on happiness. THIS IS THAT BOOK. The entire book is thoroughly researched, citing up-to-date, relevant scientific studies on what makes people happy. Everything is explained in a simple, approachable way so that anyone can understand it.
But it's so much more than a Malcolm Gladwell book. McCarthy weaves in a personal touch about his own life throughout the book. He discusses his own challenges (a cancer diagnosis) and his own process for coming to terms with it, and how he -- as a result -- has shifted his entire perspective on what it means to be happy and how to be happy. His entire frame of reference on happiness is deeply personal, engaging, and earnest. He's genuinely trying to help other people be happier by passing on the wisdom he's gained on his own life journey.
But wait -- there's more. This book is so much more than just a survey of scientific studies and personal anecdotes. This book has PRACTICAL EXERCISES that will help anyone better understand what really drives their own personal happiness, what makes them unhappy, and what steps they need to take to make themselves happier. McCarthy isn't afraid to ask the hard questions, e.g., "When are you going to die?" "What are people going to say at your funeral?" "What are you going to say about yourself when you die?" And then he challenges you to write down answers to those questions. And then he challenges you to share those answers with those you love.
I haven't had time to write down my answers to all these questions yet, but McCarthy's overall approach to happiness was breathtakingly refreshing -- even shocking at times -- practical, insightful, and profound. I can't wait to finish all the exercises.
Everyone should read this book and do the exercises -- regardless of whether or not they consider themselves "happy" or "unhappy."
Boy, was I mistaken. McCarthy's book is NOT a book full of daily affirmations. Imagine if Malcolm Gladwell (author of Blink, Outliers, and The Tipping Point) wrote a book on happiness. THIS IS THAT BOOK. The entire book is thoroughly researched, citing up-to-date, relevant scientific studies on what makes people happy. Everything is explained in a simple, approachable way so that anyone can understand it.
But it's so much more than a Malcolm Gladwell book. McCarthy weaves in a personal touch about his own life throughout the book. He discusses his own challenges (a cancer diagnosis) and his own process for coming to terms with it, and how he -- as a result -- has shifted his entire perspective on what it means to be happy and how to be happy. His entire frame of reference on happiness is deeply personal, engaging, and earnest. He's genuinely trying to help other people be happier by passing on the wisdom he's gained on his own life journey.
But wait -- there's more. This book is so much more than just a survey of scientific studies and personal anecdotes. This book has PRACTICAL EXERCISES that will help anyone better understand what really drives their own personal happiness, what makes them unhappy, and what steps they need to take to make themselves happier. McCarthy isn't afraid to ask the hard questions, e.g., "When are you going to die?" "What are people going to say at your funeral?" "What are you going to say about yourself when you die?" And then he challenges you to write down answers to those questions. And then he challenges you to share those answers with those you love.
I haven't had time to write down my answers to all these questions yet, but McCarthy's overall approach to happiness was breathtakingly refreshing -- even shocking at times -- practical, insightful, and profound. I can't wait to finish all the exercises.
Everyone should read this book and do the exercises -- regardless of whether or not they consider themselves "happy" or "unhappy."
March 3, 2019
This book was surprisingly very interesting even for a suburbia mom like myself. As a wife of 20 yrs and a mother to 2 kids, i found myself at a crossroad and occasionally questioned my own happiness. The best thing about this book is that the author shows you strategic ways to actively find your own conclusions to happiness. The writing exercises were very therapeutic and put a lot of things in perspective for me. I used to journal in my teen years to help me release a lot of emotions during those tumultuous time in my life. I had forgotten that writing is exercise for your brain and gave me the time to reflect and put things in perspective. This book was a guide to opening up my eyes that lead me to see things differently. Sometimes with the busy day to day things, you forget what true happiness is.
The profound research that went into the concepts helped supported the ideas and reasoning of the book. I’ll be honest and say that I scanned through some of it but it did eleviate the questions I had on the theories of happiness.
I was never one to reach out to self help books but this book goes beyond self help. For me, it was a great combination of ideas and concepts that actively shows a way to reach your own goal on happiness. I think anyone and everyone can benefit from this book if they are seeking and questioning their own happiness. And surprisingly it was a fast read for me in part because I wanted to finish and put his theories to test.
The profound research that went into the concepts helped supported the ideas and reasoning of the book. I’ll be honest and say that I scanned through some of it but it did eleviate the questions I had on the theories of happiness.
I was never one to reach out to self help books but this book goes beyond self help. For me, it was a great combination of ideas and concepts that actively shows a way to reach your own goal on happiness. I think anyone and everyone can benefit from this book if they are seeking and questioning their own happiness. And surprisingly it was a fast read for me in part because I wanted to finish and put his theories to test.
March 5, 2019
I usually don’t like to write reviews, however this is worth sharing. This book was a lot better than I expected and I can’t seem to put it down. The concepts are simple and no rocket science as we each instinctively think we know what it requires to live each day and be happy; however, the author laid out in a format and provides a blueprint to force me to really think about the things I would normally not think about. Well written and simple, with story telling and scientific research on what works and what doesn't.
As in anything in life, we want a simple fix, but simple fixes do not have long term results. This book provides long term results if you seriously want to put the work in creating a happy life and to focus on the things that matter. I highly recommend reading this book and doing some of the simple but thought provoking tasks that we often avoid.
Jim McCarthy is like having a dedicated coach along side you, guiding you through each step of the way. Living each day should be simple. This is a guide book to life that everyone should have next to their bedside!
As in anything in life, we want a simple fix, but simple fixes do not have long term results. This book provides long term results if you seriously want to put the work in creating a happy life and to focus on the things that matter. I highly recommend reading this book and doing some of the simple but thought provoking tasks that we often avoid.
Jim McCarthy is like having a dedicated coach along side you, guiding you through each step of the way. Living each day should be simple. This is a guide book to life that everyone should have next to their bedside!
March 11, 2019
My spouse and I attended one of Jim's happiness workshop a few years ago and Jim captured its essence - and so much more - in this amazing book. The first exercise, where you imagine the day you die, is profound and challenging. However, as Jim describes so accurately, it is necessary to truly understand one's mortality to realize that NOW is the time to start creating a happier life. Jim teaches us how to reverse engineer our lives by starting at the end and then adding his well-researched techniques to live a happy and healthy life. One of those techniques is to help readers determine their 1% superpower: the one thing that makes them completely unique and how to leverage that throughout life. Other techniques involve Jim teaching us forgiveness and important practices like meditation, affirmations, and gratitude. This is a well-written book and Jim has done amazing work to pass along his wisdom to others. I highly recommend "Live Each Day" to anyone looking to live life to its fullest.
March 4, 2019
It’s really easy for well-educated, professional people to get caught up in our careers and our ambitions. Even when we achieve success, we tend to keep pushing our goals higher and higher. Unfortunately, that usually results in a lot of stress, and our relationships and health can suffer a lot. That’s why I found “Live Each Day” to be such an important, and USEFUL book.
Jim McCarthy draws on his own experiences as a successful Silicon Valley tech guy who, unfortunately, suddenly got a cancer diagnosis. What follows is not only Jim’s reflections on his life, or how he found his own happiness. Instead, Jim comes up with his own “Happiness Framework”, which I found helpful in understanding the different ways to be “happy.”
Most important, Jim teaches us easy, scientifically proven ways to be thankful, at peace, and confident. If you think of yourself as “having it all, but still not happy”, then you owe it to yourself to buy “Live Each Day.” And share it with a friend!
Jim McCarthy draws on his own experiences as a successful Silicon Valley tech guy who, unfortunately, suddenly got a cancer diagnosis. What follows is not only Jim’s reflections on his life, or how he found his own happiness. Instead, Jim comes up with his own “Happiness Framework”, which I found helpful in understanding the different ways to be “happy.”
Most important, Jim teaches us easy, scientifically proven ways to be thankful, at peace, and confident. If you think of yourself as “having it all, but still not happy”, then you owe it to yourself to buy “Live Each Day.” And share it with a friend!
March 12, 2019
A great primer for finding more happiness in your life. Well-organized and actionable:
I read a lot of books on the topic of happiness and how to better find one’s purpose in life, and I really liked Jim’s book.
I found it to be logically organized, clearly written (with easy-to-understand frameworks and personal anecdotes sprinkled throughout), and prompts to stop and do written exercises that help connect the contents of the book to one’s own personal situation.
Jim aggregates lots of great info and thinking from many well-known thinkers in this field, as well as incorporates many research-backed findings about why we do what we do and how we can achieve more happiness in life.
I have already recommended this book to some of my friends who I think can benefit from Jim’s clear style of writing and his thought-provoking exercises. I think it’s a great resource that can unlock deeper conversations with friends and loved ones.
I read a lot of books on the topic of happiness and how to better find one’s purpose in life, and I really liked Jim’s book.
I found it to be logically organized, clearly written (with easy-to-understand frameworks and personal anecdotes sprinkled throughout), and prompts to stop and do written exercises that help connect the contents of the book to one’s own personal situation.
Jim aggregates lots of great info and thinking from many well-known thinkers in this field, as well as incorporates many research-backed findings about why we do what we do and how we can achieve more happiness in life.
I have already recommended this book to some of my friends who I think can benefit from Jim’s clear style of writing and his thought-provoking exercises. I think it’s a great resource that can unlock deeper conversations with friends and loved ones.
March 5, 2019
Highly Recommend—Solidly Researched &Highly Actionable Book Designed to Help Anyone Maximize Both Pleasure and Purpose
I have heard Jim speak and have read his book. What is wonderful about the book is that it makes you feel like Jim is in the room, candidly sharing his journey and challenges, framing and explaining key practices that can dramatically improve your life, and encouraging you to actually make these practices habits.
Jim blends analysis with exercises, and encourages the reader to engage fully, going so far as to invite readers to email him and providing his personal address. That’s real commitment and generosity
As an author myself, I know how hard it is to strike the right balance—but this book is both meaty and easy-to-read. It’s inspirational and practical.
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to get and give more in life.
I have heard Jim speak and have read his book. What is wonderful about the book is that it makes you feel like Jim is in the room, candidly sharing his journey and challenges, framing and explaining key practices that can dramatically improve your life, and encouraging you to actually make these practices habits.
Jim blends analysis with exercises, and encourages the reader to engage fully, going so far as to invite readers to email him and providing his personal address. That’s real commitment and generosity
As an author myself, I know how hard it is to strike the right balance—but this book is both meaty and easy-to-read. It’s inspirational and practical.
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to get and give more in life.
March 5, 2019
I heard Jim speak a few years ago and enjoyed the experience immensely. He is a warm, funny, and highly skilled communicator. And I was delighted to discover the same engaging, and encouraging tone in this book. The amount of laborious research is evident, and yet it is an easy and enjoyable read. He is self-effacing and compassionate, and I feel accompanied and supported by him as I embark on this journey of making every moment of every day count. The exercises are wonderful. I appreciate the level of depth and personal probing that they force me to do. I've only completed some, but after reading the book, I feel invigorated and inspired to go back and complete the rest. It's like having a personal life coach guiding me, and gently prodding me along. I’m loving loving loving it! I am hoping that I can share some of these nuggets of wisdom with my children and help them begin to incorporate these insights earlier in their lives. I highly recommend this book and encourage you to read and share it with loved ones.
March 9, 2019
Highly recommended. Thorough and practical.
A good friend encouraged me to read this book, and I enjoyed it even more than I expected. The writing is lean and easy to read, and McCarthy does a great job drawing from a combination of personal storytelling and research, without overdoing one or the other. The exercises are thoughtful, helpful, and a reasonable amount of work. There’s an interesting discussion on the importance of both pleasure and purpose that in particular I found insightful. The relevance of human mortality is ably embraced rather than overlooked. Overall, for anyone who knows that they could perhaps be a smidge happier, I highly recommend this book.
A good friend encouraged me to read this book, and I enjoyed it even more than I expected. The writing is lean and easy to read, and McCarthy does a great job drawing from a combination of personal storytelling and research, without overdoing one or the other. The exercises are thoughtful, helpful, and a reasonable amount of work. There’s an interesting discussion on the importance of both pleasure and purpose that in particular I found insightful. The relevance of human mortality is ably embraced rather than overlooked. Overall, for anyone who knows that they could perhaps be a smidge happier, I highly recommend this book.
March 8, 2019
Just finished reading Jim McCarthy's "Live Each Day: A Surprisingly Easy Guide to Happiness" book and feel very thankful for the life that i have. Very interesting and easy, and sometimes funny, read that makes you evaluate priorities in your life and realize that you are the master of your happiness. Recommend reading this easy guide!
March 5, 2019
This book is truely something of a special read. It’s personal, insightful, factual, down to earth and inspiring. I’d encourage any friend to tell another friend to give it a look
March 9, 2019
Well, I am the author of this book, so I guess it's fair to say that I've already "read it", and I think it's excellent! ; -)
But seriously, here is some praise for the book, from thought-leaders and authors:
“A wake-up call to living your life to the absolute fullest. This book shows you how.”
Randy Taran, founder of Project Happiness and author of Emotional Advantage
“Live Each Day is an ambitious achievement. Jim McCarthy takes fascinating anecdotes from his intriguing career and provides the reader with a robust framework to understand happiness.”
Chip Conley
Strategic Advisor to Airbnb and Bestselling Author of Wisdom@Work: The Making of a Modern Elder
"I’ve read many books on happiness and living a better life, but Live Each Day is different — providing the ideal balance of research, personal stories, and practical insights.”
Ariane de Bonvoisin
Bestselling Author of The First 30 Days, Speaker and Executive Coach
“For happiness books, it is one stop shopping … combining the common happiness activities with practices of depth, wisdom, and profound insight.”
Frederick Luskin, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant, Wellness and Health Promotion, Stanford University
“It would be hard to overstate the incredible value I got from this book. I highly recommend doing the activities with a close friend or loved one, as you will help each other uncover and implement changes to make your life more fulfilling, peaceful … and even fun.”
Heidi Roizen
Partner, DFJ Venture Capital
“We all face challenges. Some of us know how to respond intelligently and bounce back. For the rest of us, we need Jim McCarthy. Backed up by real world experience, Live Each Day is a practical guide that truly works. Gift a copy to anyone you love.”
Tony Surtees
Serial Entrepreneur, ex-Yahoo VP, Co-founder of Laava.id
“With a healthy dose of humility and sense of humor, Jim does a terrific job translating complex psychological research into accessible but powerful action steps that can drastically improve your emotional well-being.”
Dr. Daniele V. Levy
Clinical Psychologist
“Jim McCarthy uses a Silicon Valley approach to ‘hack’ happiness. His Happiness Workshop was amazing, and this book is even better. Highly applicable for smart, hard-working people everywhere.”
Anil Sethi
Serial Entrepreneur, Founder and CEO at Ciitizen
"I invited Jim McCarthy to give a TEDx talk. His talk was simply phenomenal — inspiring yet practical. I'm so happy to see that he's taken his wealth of knowledge and condensed it into this book. A must-read for anybody seeking to lead an intentional life!"
Christopher Ategeka
Serial Entrepreneur, Founder/CEO UCOT Inc.
“In Live Each Day, Jim expertly marries more esoteric happiness concepts with real-world tactics, weaving a highly-readable tapestry that not only inspires, but demands action.”
Chris Butsch
Author, The Millennial's Guide to Making Happiness
“Jim’s Happiness Workshop helped me achieve a major breakthrough in my life a few years ago. Thanks to the writing and discussion activities, I found a greater sense of clarity on a vital decision I needed to make. I am delighted to see him expand his workshops with this book — sharing practical tools with a greater audience, while guiding readers to develop lasting habits in key areas of personal growth.”
Judith Duval
CEO, Media & Education Startup
But seriously, here is some praise for the book, from thought-leaders and authors:
“A wake-up call to living your life to the absolute fullest. This book shows you how.”
Randy Taran, founder of Project Happiness and author of Emotional Advantage
“Live Each Day is an ambitious achievement. Jim McCarthy takes fascinating anecdotes from his intriguing career and provides the reader with a robust framework to understand happiness.”
Chip Conley
Strategic Advisor to Airbnb and Bestselling Author of Wisdom@Work: The Making of a Modern Elder
"I’ve read many books on happiness and living a better life, but Live Each Day is different — providing the ideal balance of research, personal stories, and practical insights.”
Ariane de Bonvoisin
Bestselling Author of The First 30 Days, Speaker and Executive Coach
“For happiness books, it is one stop shopping … combining the common happiness activities with practices of depth, wisdom, and profound insight.”
Frederick Luskin, Ph.D.
Senior Consultant, Wellness and Health Promotion, Stanford University
“It would be hard to overstate the incredible value I got from this book. I highly recommend doing the activities with a close friend or loved one, as you will help each other uncover and implement changes to make your life more fulfilling, peaceful … and even fun.”
Heidi Roizen
Partner, DFJ Venture Capital
“We all face challenges. Some of us know how to respond intelligently and bounce back. For the rest of us, we need Jim McCarthy. Backed up by real world experience, Live Each Day is a practical guide that truly works. Gift a copy to anyone you love.”
Tony Surtees
Serial Entrepreneur, ex-Yahoo VP, Co-founder of Laava.id
“With a healthy dose of humility and sense of humor, Jim does a terrific job translating complex psychological research into accessible but powerful action steps that can drastically improve your emotional well-being.”
Dr. Daniele V. Levy
Clinical Psychologist
“Jim McCarthy uses a Silicon Valley approach to ‘hack’ happiness. His Happiness Workshop was amazing, and this book is even better. Highly applicable for smart, hard-working people everywhere.”
Anil Sethi
Serial Entrepreneur, Founder and CEO at Ciitizen
"I invited Jim McCarthy to give a TEDx talk. His talk was simply phenomenal — inspiring yet practical. I'm so happy to see that he's taken his wealth of knowledge and condensed it into this book. A must-read for anybody seeking to lead an intentional life!"
Christopher Ategeka
Serial Entrepreneur, Founder/CEO UCOT Inc.
“In Live Each Day, Jim expertly marries more esoteric happiness concepts with real-world tactics, weaving a highly-readable tapestry that not only inspires, but demands action.”
Chris Butsch
Author, The Millennial's Guide to Making Happiness
“Jim’s Happiness Workshop helped me achieve a major breakthrough in my life a few years ago. Thanks to the writing and discussion activities, I found a greater sense of clarity on a vital decision I needed to make. I am delighted to see him expand his workshops with this book — sharing practical tools with a greater audience, while guiding readers to develop lasting habits in key areas of personal growth.”
Judith Duval
CEO, Media & Education Startup
March 10, 2019
Great book for those looking for a practical and empirically supported approach to improving one's outlook on life, self-esteem, and relationships with those one care about presented in a highly personable and approachable style. Reminded me of the limited presence we all have on this earth and how little "influence" and/or "control" we have over our circumstances that should be recognized and used to its fullest. It is not, however, an instant feel-good, rids-all-anxieties kind of book (as the title may suggest to some) and best read as a starting point to develop one's own approach to getting up and digging oneself out of the proverbial mud.
November 22, 2025
Simple, Inspiring, and Truly Helpful
Live Each Day is a practical and uplifting guide to real happiness. Jim McCarthy mixes personal experience with science-backed tips that actually work. The exercises are simple, the insights are clear, and every chapter gives you something useful you can apply immediately. A quick, meaningful read for anyone who wants more clarity, peace, and joy in daily life.
Live Each Day is a practical and uplifting guide to real happiness. Jim McCarthy mixes personal experience with science-backed tips that actually work. The exercises are simple, the insights are clear, and every chapter gives you something useful you can apply immediately. A quick, meaningful read for anyone who wants more clarity, peace, and joy in daily life.
January 4, 2023
This book! It was so much more than I expected. I have been lucky to spend some time with Jim McCarthy. He’s honest about where he has been and how he got there that is written about in the book. I so much enjoy the “lessons” that are thought provoking.
June 11, 2019
Excellent book!!!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews