The Giving Way to Happiness: Stories and Science Behind the Life-Changing Power of Giving

by Jenny Santi, Deepak Chopra (Foreword)

A guide to how giving can be the key to happiness—combining the latest research with firsthand accounts from Goldie Hawn, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, and others.

As a Philanthropy advisor, Jenny Santi has met some of the world’s most notable and inspiring change-makers. Despite their diverse backgrounds, each of these people has related to Santi that the thing in their life that has given them the most joy is the simple act of giving. In this inspiring book, Santi shares their stories – how they found purpose, healed from past wounds, and discovered meaning beyond material success – as well as her own personal struggles in finding happiness in order to inspire readers to discover the power of giving in their own lives.

Told firsthand by such notable people as Academy Award winner Goldie Hawn, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, Teach for America founder Wendy Kopp, philanthropist Richard Rockefeller, environmentalist Philippe Cousteau, and many others, the stories in this book make an eloquent and passionate case that oftentimes the answers to the problems that haunt us, and the key to the happiness that eludes us, lie in helping others.

In this book you will
- How altruism activates the same pleasure centers of the brain stimulated by food, sex, and drugs
- Practical, universally applicable lessons on what kind of giving makes people happy and what doesn’t.
- How to give your time, talents, and treasures in ways that are more impact-oriented, energizing, and rewarding than ever

In this inspiring book, Santi reveals giving is the secret to living a life that is full of meaning, purpose, and happiness.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Psychology

369 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 2015

About the author

Jenny Santi is a trusted philanthropy advisor to notable ultra high net worth philanthropists, celebrity activists and foundations worldwide. Through her work she helps her clients channel their wealth, power and influence towards social good. By age 28 she became the Head of UBS’s award-winning Philanthropy Services department in Southeast Asia, and within less than a year of independent practice at her consulting firm Saint & Partners, already serves clients including an Oscar-winning actress, signatories of the Buffett-Gates Giving Pledge, and several prominent foundations in the USA and Switzerland.


She has organized numerous philanthropy events, including the much-acclaimed UBS Global Philanthropy Forums, and led together with INSEAD the largest study on Asian family philanthropy. A former university lecturer, she is a frequent media commentator and event moderator on the topic of giving. Jenny did her MBA at INSEAD and Wharton; and graduated summa cum laude from the Ateneo de Manila University. She attended New York University's Heyman Center for Philanthropy & Fundraising, and is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy. She is the Regional Advisor to Asia at the (Goldie) Hawn Foundation, a Mentor at The HUB in Singapore, a Social Entrepreneur in Residence at INSEAD, and a
 member of the Steering Committee of the Philanthropy in Asia Summit in Singapore.



She is the author of "The Giving Way to Happiness," coming soon from Penguin Random House.

Reviews

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend gave me this book to read and I'm glad he did. It was helpful to me in two ways. First, as a retired tech executive who has started a non-profit -- it gave me a view into how other people approach following their passion to solve huge problems. I learned about how social entrepreneurs and philanthropists across the world are making a difference and it helped me think more strategically about how I want to proceed. Secondly as a family, we are grappling with how to include our children in these endeavors, and have them follow their own passions to make an impact in the areas they care about. I definitely agree with the author that spending time really helping others impacts our lives too, although that is not why we do it.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the content of the book is appealing as it shares the motivations of why the ultra-wealthy give, the author’s tone and comments undermined some of the positive value of the book. For example, she seemed to compete with the subjects of her book as she relayed her own brushes of wealth (eg, going to a private school in Manila, her mother volunteering with orphans). Further, she dwelled in insignificant details such as what her subjects were wearing to their interviews, how they flew (didn’t) fly first class. These were distracting comments.

[Daniel Hageman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I suppose I just expected this to be a bit more about the science and philosophy behind the idea, as opposed to the largely anecdotal survey taken from various philanthropists. Still some good stuff here though!

[BHARAT MANSUKHANI · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title was misleading

When I started reading the book I thought it would be more about pointers for deriving Happiness. However, it was more directing towards philanthropy and charitable giving. A good read though.

[Johannes Bertus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book from goodreads first reads. Right off the bad let me say I am so grateful this book moved beyond just giving money that seems to be the cornerstone of most books of this type (automatic two stars). For me it walked a fine edge between inspiration and hopelessness that never really settled comfortably. I was pleased it had a frank discussion of burnout and donor fatigue (bumped it up another star barely). The ending didn't leave me refreshed or burning with desire to give. I think this book would have come off better if I had read it over the course of a few weeks and not all at once.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't entirely what I thought it would be... enjoyed much of it, but a good part of it was focused on philanthropy of the ultra-wealthy.

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not practical for most of us. I read it like fiction.