This week, I had the privilege of speaking with Naveen Jain, a self-made billionaire, philanthropist, and serial entrepreneur who came to the U.S. with just $5 in his pocket. We discussed everything from life and business to his mission to solve some of the world’s most significant problems, including making chronic diseases optional. While the conversation was filled with wisdom, one takeaway stood out to me, and I believe it’s one that can help you both personally and professionally.

Here’s the biggest lesson I learned from our talk with Naveen:

Happiness starts from within.

In today’s world, many of us seek happiness outside of ourselves—whether through other people, a new job, a car, a house, or even social media validation. We often do things to impress others, believing that their approval will bring us joy.

But here’s the hard truth: relying on others or material possessions for happiness is a trap.

Naveen shared his powerful perspective: “Physical possessions only make you feel happy for 30 seconds, and after that, it’s just ‘yeah, whatever.’ If you rely on someone or something to make you happy, you’ve given up control of your happiness. Happiness comes from within. If you are content with who you are, you could be in the darkest corner and still feel joy. But if you carry unhappiness with you, you could be sitting in paradise and still feel miserable.”

The key to true happiness is acceptance of who you are—without relying on external factors to validate you.

What are your thoughts on this? Share in the comments below!