Emotional Equations

Simple Truths for Creating Happiness + Success

By: Chip Conley

Narrated by: Chip Conley

“An invaluable operating manual,” says Tony Hsieh, Zappos CEO and author of Delivering Happiness. Using brilliantly simple logic that illuminates the universal truths in common emotional challenges, popular motivational speaker and bestselling author Chip Conley has written “a fresh, original guide to an authentic and fulfilling life.”*

With a foreword by Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos and author of Delivering Happiness

When Chip Conley, dynamic author of the bestselling Peak, suffered a series of devastating personal and professional setbacks, he began using what he came to call “Emotional Equations” (such as Joy = Love - Fear) to help him focus on the variables in life that he could handle, rather than dwelling on the parts he couldn’t, such as the bad economy, death, and taxes.

Using brilliantly simple logic that illuminates the universal truths in common emotional challenges, Emotional Equations offers a way to identify the elements in our lives that we can change, those we can’t, and how to better understand our emotions so they can help us . . . rather than hurt us. Equations like “Despair = Suffering - Meaning” and “Happiness = Wanting What You Have ÷ Having What You Want” have been reviewed for mathematical and psychological accuracy by experts. Now Conley tells his own comeback story and those of other resilient people and inspiring role models who have worked through emotional equations in their own lives. Emotional Equations arms you with practical strategies for turbulent times.

Critic reviews

"Rarely has a CEO bared his soul in a book as Chip Conley has in Emotional Equations. This powerfully authentic story makes for a compelling read and an invaluable operating manual for life. Chip’s stories are used to create emotional building blocks that define how we can understand and navigate our internal weather and emotions."
--Tony Hsieh, Zappos' CEO and author of Delivering Happiness

“If you want to understand (or persuade) your boss, sister, neighbor, or teenager, it helps to have an emotional equation. Chip Conley built one of the most innovative, customer-inspiring businesses of the last 20 years. He’s a leader who clearly understands the value of analyzing emotions.”––Chip Heath, co-author of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

“Emotional Equations offers a splendid menu of rules-of-thumb for a satisfied, meaningful life. Chip Conley has tried what he advises; his equations to live by are clever, useful, and profound.”––Daniel Goleman, author of Leadership: The Power of Emotional Intelligence

“In this remarkable book, one of America's finest entrepreneurs shares the wisdom that’s helped him find personal and professional renewal in the face of some devastating life events. Chip Conley's equations are powerful tools for helping to make our emotions work for us, rather than against us, in business and in life.”
-- Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive

“Chip Conley makes the case that great business leaders don't have to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Rather than superhuman, the best leaders––at work and at home––are simply super humans who know how to use their internal resources effectively. Emotional Equations offers practical advice so you can make your emotions work for you rather than against you."––Marci Shimoff, author of Love for No Reason

"Emotional Equations is a fresh, original guide to an authentic and fulfilling life. Every line is based on good science and lived experience and rings truthful and invigorating. There ought to be a law against successful CEOs writing such good books...where does that leave the rest of us?"––Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of Flow

“Emotional Equations is a masterpiece by a master teacher. Philosopher/CEO Chip Conley peels away the thin veneer of let’s pretend organizational life and introduces us to the very raw and tender emotional core of our human experience. While reading, I felt joy, delight, curiosity, insight, inspiration, amazement and, most of all, a much deeper understanding of my own inner life. Simple, yet profound...you really must read this book.”
-- Jim Kouzes, co-author of The Leadership Challenge

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!

What made the experience of listening to Emotional Equations the most enjoyable?

Loved Chip Conley's voice~the information that is given is very unique. I found myself taking the long way to and from work just to get more time by myself to listen to this book!

Any additional comments?

Emotional Equations is so intelligently written and delivered. I Recommend this to everyone. I think it's Brilliant!

A really unique pont of view

What did you love best about Emotional Equations?

I loved the author's passion for what he is talking about. He was all engaged.

What other book might you compare Emotional Equations to and why?

I would compare this book to Freakonimics and Outliers because it puts old understandings in a whole new light.

Have you listened to any of Chip Conley???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to anything else by Chip Conley.

What insight do you think you???ll apply from Emotional Equations?

I will apply the equations from this book as I consider my own tensions in day to day life.

Best for times like this.

this is what I needed for such times as this. I am using all the equations to apply to my situation and I know the joy I now have is by no accident.

It all adds up.

What insight do you think you???ll apply from Emotional Equations?

When working on something myself I find the insights offered by Chip worth a review, a think through. Putting the slip ups and misfortunes into a simple formula box is like an instant Meditation.

Extremely interesting

Combining math and the social sciences, this is such a unique way at looking at emotions. I really enjoyed the concept and tried to make my own Emotional Equations. I keep a cheet-sheet of equations in my pocket that I refer to. Very fun read.