For today’s Monday Morning Mojo, I am sharing a tribute to Ted Turner, one of America’s most notable trailblazers in business, media and philanthropy, who died on May 6^th at the tender age of 87.

The Life and Times of Ted Turner

Since my late teens I have been personally influenced by Ted Turner, because for many years, CNN, the 24-hour news network he founded, had been my source of television news. Ironically, on this date, June 1, 1980, 46 years ago, CNN debuted. I have watched thousands of hours of this network, as I love to have something playing in the background when I am working, often taking a glimpse of what is happening in the world. CNN started right around the time I was graduating from high school, and it has been influential in my life throughout my career.

Ted Turner was much more than a media titan. He did wonderful things for humanity and the world we live in, and while he was portrayed as being irreverent, I personally loved the causes he supported. I remember vividly the time he created the Goodwill Games. In 1985, he established the Goodwill Games as an international multi-sport event in response to the tit-for-tat Olympic boycotts of the 1980 and 1984 Games, aiming to ease Cold War tensions through friendly athletic competition.

Ted Turner was a leader who helped shape a society we can all be proud of, and I found many of the stories of his life to be hugely inspirational and worth a share in the Monday Morning Mojo. Here is a short clip describing a bit about what his life was all about.

Eudaimonistic Happiness

I learned a new word this week, which, given its meaning, prompted me to share amongst our community. The word is “eudaimonistic happiness”, and, as defined by Aristotle, was known as the highest good in ancient Greek tradition. Eudaimonistic happiness is the state of good spirit, often translated as happiness or welfare. In Aristotle’s works, “eudaimonia” is the aim of practical philosophy-prudence, including ethics and political philosophy. The term is derived from the Greek words eu (good) and daimon (spirit), suggesting a positive and divine state of being that humans can strive towards and possibly achieve. Eudaimonistic happiness is often contrasted with hedonic happiness, which focuses on pleasure and enjoyment, while eudaimonistic happiness is about meaning, purpose, and personal growth. The distinction between the two types of happiness is important for understanding what it means to build a fulfilling life.

While I believe Ted Turner strived for such happiness and generally achieved a lot, he was also known to struggle with bipolar disorder and depression.

I am sharing this new word here because I believe focusing on reaching for eudaimonistic happiness is important for all our well-being. I heard about this on a podcast and much of the discussion was about how important personal connections and community are towards such happiness. So, my many thanks to all of you who are part of this community and make an effort to reach out.

My Own Happiness

While I am missing my kids and extended family and friends in the US, Lisa and I are chasing our own eudaimonistic happiness in Asia these next few weeks. I had a wonderful time catching up with friends in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing the last two weeks, and we just had a wonderful weekend with Lisa’s family, and friends from our Beijing residence days, who are now living in Taipei and Bangkok. Here’s a picture of us out in Taipei over the weekend.

Wishing this community all the success in chasing your eudaimonistic happiness and I hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about the life of Ted Turner.

Have a great month ahead.