Wisdom in fragments

My wish would be that if we discover another civilisation, it will teach us that the differences between us humans are insignificant, and that we should treat each other with respect, as equal members of the same species. When you're not the smartest kid on the block any more, you maybe don't feel so significant.

Harvard astrophysicist who studies interstellar objects and extraterrestrial life

I worry that we haven't checked our interstellar mailbox, and so we've missed the letter which contained the recipe for our salvation. Perhaps another civilisation sent us a message with the key to our own survival. Physical objects have a huge advantage over listening for signals – you can encode a lot more into a physical object.

Harvard astrophysicist who studies interstellar objects and extraterrestrial life

Our experience is very limited to the surface of this rock we call home. You cannot show-off in space, we must be humble. The only purpose for us to seek journeys into space is to learn about the unknown. That's a spiritual conquest. Leaving the solar system has no commercial benefits.

Harvard astrophysicist who studies interstellar objects and extraterrestrial life

The only way for you to discover something new is to acknowledge the ocean of ignorance in which you are just an island. Experts have a problem with that – they want to get prizes, and get recognised by their colleagues and peers as being very smart. So, when something new comes along... an anomaly... it often gets dismissed for the sake of reputation management.

Harvard astrophysicist who studies interstellar objects and extraterrestrial life

Science is a learning experience. We are interacting with nature, collecting evidence, and sometimes nature is more imaginative than we are. We ought to be humble when collective evidence, and not assume we know the answer in advance. Many of the realities we create are designed to flatter our ego... We prefer to attach ourselves to virtual realities that flatter us, and that's driven by ego.

Harvard astrophysicist who studies interstellar objects and extraterrestrial life

People work for technical ability and wish for happiness. That's a mistake. You need to treat your happiness the way you treat all your skills - you need to work for your happiness - not just wish for it.

Social Scientist & Author on Happiness, Meaning, and Conservative Values

You must free yourself from the fear of losing something such that you can enjoy that something. If you're afraid of a relationship ending, you'll never be able to enjoy the relationship.

Social Scientist & Author on Happiness, Meaning, and Conservative Values

Our lives have a first and second curve. The first is your me curve - fluid intelligence that peaks around 40. The second is your we curve - your wisdom, teaching, and ability to bring out the best in others. It requires you to serve others.

Social Scientist & Author on Happiness, Meaning, and Conservative Values

The fruit of addiction to success is redefining yourself in terms of one activity. When you take that away, there's a deep loss of identity. To the striver, that addiction is success. It activates the same neurobiology and dopamine pathways as alcohol or drugs.

Social Scientist & Author on Happiness, Meaning, and Conservative Values

The world is lying to you. It tells you that in 10,000 hours you can become excellent at what you do and that your strength will never wane. That is a complete, utter, falsehood. At some point, the greatness that came to define who 'you' are will wane.

Social Scientist & Author on Happiness, Meaning, and Conservative Values

When I decided to climb Everest, the reason was simply to draw attention to what was happening with the glaciers but also, when I talked about sustainability, it was hard to keep people's attention. You start talking and 5 minutes later, it's an abstract topic. The audience start checking their emails or yawning, and this really frustrated me.

We are under an existential threat now as humankind. Even a simple two-cell yeast has a survival instinct and evolves fast enough to try and survive. I don't understand why humans who are supposed to be these very complex creatures can see that we're heading towards a very, very dangerous future which could be irreversible, and why we're not doing absolutely everything possible now.

The real important fact is that consumers would rather choose a sustainable product or service from a transformed business over others. The young people are going to have to live in that future, and they are not part of the solution because they are not at the decision table and hence are increasingly voting with their money.

I nearly died several times. I shared everything openly with everyone. I shared how my whole thought process and character had changed in that expedition, but also how my own purpose had completely changed. I was going to do everything I possibly could while I manage this platform to make it the cleanest business that exists.

Before I felt leadership was something you earned. Mount Everest, I think changed my opinion quite dramatically. When I came back from that expedition, I realised that all leadership really is, is empowering people to find their purpose, because the only way people are fully engaged and productive and happy is when they are working towards a higher purpose.

All inequality is not created equal. An intersectional approach shows the way that people's social identities can overlap, creating compounding experiences of discrimination.