This father lost his son, and then wrote a book about joy

Mo Gawdat believes that happiness can be prioritised and practiced, just like exercising or eating healthy. Photo: Pansing

Mo Gawdat had it all. He was a high flyer in his homeland of Egypt who earned a lot of money from as early as his late 20s, which helped to support his loving wife and two children. It could be said that his life was the epitome of happiness.

But despite everything, Gawdat was completely miserable for years in his 20s and 30s. As an engineer, he had developed a mind-set of trying to control everyone and everything around him, and would constantly complain when life didn’t go his way.