Can you imagine living happily no matter what happens? Thirty-eight years ago a great master craftsman began teaching me how to do this. Unbelievably, it took me 36 years to truly appreciate his enormous gift.

In 2002, a back injury sentenced me to living in bed 22 hours a day. I lost my business, a 6-figure income, and the ability to move about freely. When a friend asked me how I could still be so happy, the value of the master’s lessons snapped into focus: It had never occurred to me to be unhappy!

The master, an old-world Hungarian watchmaker, began my lessons when I was four. He granted me the privilege of sitting beside him as he repaired watches and clocks.

My first happiness lesson was to sit quietly, without distracting him from his delicate repairs.

Amazingly, I succeeded almost without trying, for as the master worked something magical happened. A great love and peace filled the workshop, and I fell into the deafening silence that surrounded him.

As I focused on his work, my stillness on the outside was soon reflected by stillness on the inside. All sense of misfortune, stress, and unhappiness melted away.

The master taught me that focusing on your tasks destroys negative emotions. Negativity thrives when you focus on what’s wrong. Focusing on your tasks suffocates the negatives by stilling your thoughts.

Focusing also improves the quality of your work, brings satisfaction in a job well done, and eventually profound joy.