Speaking at the event Das emphasised the importance of choosing happiness in life and why it is important to smile through life’s ups and downs. He added that while one cannot always smile when faced with a problem, one should try to laugh away the smaller problems in life
Gaur Gopal Das, a personal coach, monk, motivational strategist, and author spoke at Outlook Money’s third edition of 40 After 40 retirement expo held in February 2025. Das spoke about the importance of being happy, manifesting goals instead of chasing them and being process oriented as opposed to goal oriented.
Speaking at the event Das emphasised the importance of choosing happiness in life and why it is important to smile through life’s ups and downs. He added that while one cannot always smile when faced with a problem, one should try to laugh away the smaller problems in life.
“There is going to be a reason to be stressed every single day of your life. There are going to be reasons to cry every day. You're going to have to choose to smile. Smiling won't happen, you're going to have to consciously smile. You know why we need to laugh? Because it's enough,” Das said.
Das explained his point by giving an analogy of a crane that stands in the water and lets small fishes pass through but catches the big fishes. He urged people to be like the crane and treat the smaller problems in life like the small fish and keep their energy, time and money reserved for the ‘big fish’.
“The crane stands on one leg and looks at the water and keeps focusing on the fish. There are hundreds of fishes coming and going. And guess what the crane does? It allows the little fish to pass, because if the crane catches the little fish, it will miss out on the big fish. Don't sweat the small stuff out, don't rush after the small fish. Keep your energy, time, money, resources reserved for the big fish. Otherwise, if you're exhausted, how will you focus on what's important in life?,” Das said.
Das said that while growth is critical it should be manifested and not chased. Das said wanting growth is like chasing butterflies, he used the metaphor of building a garden to attract the butterflies instead of chasing them. He added that success should not be chased, instead it should be manifested.
“Growth is critical but wanting growth is like chasing a butterfly. The more you chase a butterfly, the more the butterfly starts flying away from you. I see hundreds of people who want to make money but at the end of it all, it doesn't translate into that kind of a result. Build a beautiful garden filled with flowers without having to chase a single butterfly. All the butterflies will come and sit in the garden surrounding it. Don't chase success, manifest success. Chasing success is the worst blunder that everybody who wants to grow has ever done. And everybody who has actually grown has manifested success by making that garden,” Das said.
Das added that the process of manifesting success involves focusing on the right process. He said that those who wish to focus on their growth or their retirement should try to be process oriented rather than goal oriented.
“You don't chase success, you manifest it by focusing on the right process. If you want to focus on your retirement, if you want to focus on your growth,if you want to focus on your personal growth, don't be goal oriented, be process oriented,” Das said.
Das also advised people to invest in themselves as they plan their retirement. He added that most people realise that they have not paid attention to their peace and their well being when they are close to retiring. He said that while financial investments can only be made when you have the money to make them, one should invest in their own self on a daily basis.
“In all of the investments that you're making for your retirement, don't forget to invest in yourself. We use the best materials for our families, we use the best materials in our social life. When it comes to crafting our own life, our own peace, we pay no attention to it. And as you move towards retirement, you'll realise that you're living a life which is made of poor choices and which is why every single day you invest in yourself. Financial investments are not that easy, they'll be spaced based on how much you have, but personal investments you can always make,” Das said.
Das emphasised the need to invest in one’s own self daily by taking daily breaks. He added that people who look forward to the weekend are planning their retirement terribly as people who invest in themselves don’t feel the need to look forward to the weekend as they look forward to every day of life.
“How many of you look forward to the weekend? If you look forward to the weekend, your retirement planning is terrible. Because if you are investing in yourself, you wouldn't need to look for a weekend. A weekend will be great, but you wouldn't need to look at the weekend. The more you work on yourself, take a little time out, a little time out for yourself,” Das said.