Amit Kumar studies happiness at Cornell University. Can money make you happier? Is the key to happiness a newer car, bigger TV, & more electronic gadgets. That's what the ads tell us, but according to happiness expert Amit Kumar, enduring happiness is manifested through experiences. That's great news for everyone who has ripped themselves off of the couch. And though many of you undoubtedly drew that conclusion already, Kumar explains the fascinating theories behind it. www.SpartanUpPodcast.com/032

Lessons:
1. Experiences and not material goods lead to long term happiness.
2. Due to our capacity for adaptation, you can live a happy life after a negative event.
3. The “hedonic treadmill” will not sustain happiness; you will always need to “up the dose” of material goods.

Jimmy Binns will never stop challenging himself. Becoming a police officer at age 74 is just the latest in a lifetime of impressive feats. He passed the bar exam in 20 states just to see if he could, was a marathoner and a boxer. He was a lawyer to the boxers, most notably representing Don King against Mike Tyson, and practiced for half a century. His track record of determination and perseverance is legend and inspirational.

www.SpartanUpPodcast.com/031

Lessons:
1. Motivation is a contagion. If you're around motivated people you'll either drop out or become motivated.
2. Preparation is everything.
3. You're never too old to take on a serious challenge.

A marathon finisher on seven continents, an aerial skiing Olympic hopeful, head of a prostate cancer awareness foundation, and she’s just 15. That's just how Winter Vinecki rolls. She already holds a world record and she is nowhere close to her prime. She nurtures a healthy positivity that covers all eventualities. Should anything go awry, she's still on track to go to Stanford and perhaps try a little skydiving. Winter leaves little doubt that she'll succeed no matter her path.
www.SpartanUpPodcast.com/030

Lessons:
1. A worthy cause is a great motivator.
2. Active and supportive parents are great role models.
3. Have a good backup plan.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes holds the greatest number of exploring world records of any living person and almost inconceivable endurance in every facet of his extraordinary life. Considered the world's greatest explorer, he has a decidedly different take on concepts such as grit, obstacle resistance and success. But even if his views don't take on the traditional motivational parlance, they have clearly worked in his life, an extraordinary one to say the least.
http://spartanuppodcast.com/029

Lessons:
1. You never “reach success”; you're only as good as your last movie.
2. It’s never too late to face your fears.
3. To surmount obstacles, have a cup of tea and figure out how to go around them.