How do I tread the path to holistic happiness? At least once in life, every individual ponders this. Speaking on ‘The Path To Holistic Happiness’ at Outlook Money’s 40 After 40 Retirement Expo on Tuesday, Gaur Gopal Das, a personal coach, monk, lifestyle and motivational strategist, and author, gave a spiritual insight on life and living in the world, explaining that life can be understood with a mathematical equation, which is, focus on X and not on Pi.

In mathematics, pi, the Greek letter for p or π, is the ratio of the circumference of any circle to the diameter of that circle. Regardless of the circle’s size, this ratio will always equal pi.

What is ‘pi’ in life? 

Pi stands for things you cannot change or alter in life. “For instance, our birth (B) and death (D),” Das says.  Life is like a segment - there are B and D. In between what happens is called life (X). This is what one must focus on. 

Pi is many other things in life - Stress from retirement, tension from work, and people you can’t change. “Stop hitting your head against the pi of the world,” Das stresses.

Invest in These 5 Goals

Das emphasises the value of investing - not on stocks or mutual funds but rather on things that make up life. To summarise, here are five goals you should invest in to achieve the path to holistic happiness: 

1. Financial Goals: Take insurance to deal with the pi in life (uncertainties, diseases, bad days, etc.), he says.  

2. Physical Goals: Sleep well and eat well. “A healthy future is a controlled tongue,” Das stresses. He further notes that physical well-being is crucial for complete retirement planning. 

3. Mental: X also stands for ‘mindfulness’, so mediate to deal with stress (pi). 

4. Emotional: We live a little too much on for others be it parents, spouses, or children - but don’t forget to live for yourself. “Invest in self-care,” Das states. 

5. Spiritual: Having a purpose serves well in life. Das emphasises that the true meaning of happiness is when you start investing in a purpose that you truly believe in. 

Das underscored that the “most important thing is to make the journey (the life) beautiful.”