gretchenrubin.com Open in urlscan Pro
2a04:fa87:fffd::c000:42bd  Public Scan

Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM

/

<form action="/" class="searchForm__form--3IHhJ" data-reactid="167">
  <h3 class="searchForm__heading--1L1B0 typography__heading2--am7w4 typography__heading--iPtyY" data-reactid="168"><span data-reactid="169">What are you looking for?</span></h3>
  <div class="searchForm__inputWrapper--a6TFX" data-reactid="170"><label for="search" data-reactid="171">Search</label><input type="search" name="search" class="searchForm__input--3_kha" value="" data-reactid="172"><button
      class="searchForm__button--1gBYO buttons__buttonYellow--2jLgP" type="submit" data-reactid="173"><span class="searchForm__buttonText--2YeHk buttons__buttonText--1F0Q2" data-reactid="174">Search</span></button></div>
  <div class="searchForm__options--3AaLy" data-reactid="175">
    <div class="searchForm__option--w4ALQ" data-reactid="176"><input type="radio" id="searchAll" name="searchScope" value="searchAll" class="searchForm__optionInput--fAjc3" data-reactid="177" checked=""><label for="searchAll"
        class="searchForm__optionLabel--8ePtj" data-reactid="178"><span class="searchForm__fauxRadio--3LVcW" aria-hidden="true" data-reactid="179"></span><span data-reactid="180">Search everything</span></label></div>
    <div class="searchForm__option--w4ALQ" data-reactid="181"><input type="radio" id="searchPodcasts" name="searchScope" value="searchPodcasts" class="searchForm__optionInput--fAjc3" data-reactid="182"><label for="searchPodcasts"
        class="searchForm__optionLabel--8ePtj" data-reactid="183"><span class="searchForm__fauxRadio--3LVcW" aria-hidden="true" data-reactid="184"></span><span data-reactid="185">Podcasts only</span></label></div>
  </div>
</form>

Text Content

You need to enable JavaScript to run this app.

Get weekly newsletter updates from Gretchen.Subscribe

Dismiss
 * Home
 * About
   * About
   * For the Press
   * Manifesto
   * Live Events
   * Live Video
   * Contact
 * Courses
 * Four Tendencies Quiz
 * Books
   * All Books
   * Outer Order, Inner Calm
   * The Four Tendencies
   * Better Than Before
   * Happier at Home
   * The Happiness Project
   * Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill
   * Forty Ways to Look at JFK
   * Power Money Fame Sex
   * Profane Waste
   * The Restatement of Love
 * Podcasts
 * Blog
   * All Posts
   * Top 100
   * Quizzes
   * Tips
   * Happiness
   * Health
   * Relationships
   * Habits
   * Mindfulness
   * Productivity
   * Self-Knowledge
 * Shop
 * The Happiness Project
 * The Happier App


WANT MORE HAPPINESS AND GOOD HABITS?
I HAVE A NEWSLETTER FOR THAT!


Subscribe
 * Facebook
 * Instagram
 * Twitter
 * LinkedIn
 * YouTube
 * Pinterest


Dismiss


WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

SearchSearch
Search everything
Podcasts only
Browse all posts



GRETCHEN RUBIN

 * Facebook
 * Instagram
 * Twitter
 * LinkedIn
 * Email

Menu
 * Books
 * Podcasts
 * Blog
 * Courses
 * Happiness Project
 * Happier App

Search

Get weekly newsletter updates from Gretchen.Subscribe

Menu


GRETCHEN RUBIN

Search

September 29, 2022


ALEX BUDAK: “I BELIEVE THAT BECOMING A CHANGEMAKER IS AN INCLUSIVE IDENTITY THAT
WE CAN ALL STEP INTO.”

1
Comments
add a comment
Tags
 * Interview
 * Work

Interview: Alex Budak

Alex Budak is a social entrepreneur, a faculty member at the Haas School of
Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and author of the new book,
Becoming a Changemaker (Amazon, Bookshop).

I couldn't wait to talk to Alex about happiness, habits, and leadership.

Gretchen: What’s a simple activity or habit that consistently makes you happier,
healthier, more productive, or more creative?

Alex: An evening walk! As a social entrepreneur, faculty member, author, and
(most importantly!) a dad, solo time to think and reflect is all too rare right
now. My wife and I both prioritize ensuring that each of us get a walk-in most
nights, and we both come back healthier and happier as a result. Sometimes I
will listen to music (ask me for my playlist!), but oftentimes I just let my
mind wander.

What’s something you know now about happiness that you didn’t know when you were
18 years old?

That happiness is something that can be shared. I love your Second Splendid
Truth: “One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other
people happy; One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be
happy yourself.” I think we tend to focus so much on the individual, but I’ve
absolutely found my greatest personal moments of happiness in making others
happy and in sharing these moments together.

You’ve done fascinating research. What has surprised or intrigued you – or your
readers – most?

I’ve conducted the first ever longitudinal study – The Changemaker Index – that
explores how individuals develop their capacity to lead positive change over
time. One of my favorite findings is that there is no statistically significant
difference in development based on one’s age. No matter one’s age, everyone
develops at approximately the same rate. That means that no matter how young you
are or how old, you can become a changemaker! How wonderful is that?

Would you describe yourself as an Upholder, a Questioner, a Rebel, or an
Obliger? 

Perhaps it’s not a surprise since I teach changemaking for a living – but I am a
rebel through and through!

Is there a particular motto or saying that you’ve found very helpful?


The one quotation that has stuck with me since I was a child comes from Jackie
Robinson: “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”
It’s a regular north star for me as I reflect on how I spend my time and remain
in service to others.

In your field, is there a common misconception that you’d like to correct?

A lot of people think that leadership cannot be taught – that it’s an innate
ability that one either has or does not have. My teaching at UC Berkeley has
shown me the exact opposite. While “leaders” might be scarce (there will only be
one CEO, after all), “leadership” is abundant. We can all learn to step up and
lead positive change from where we are. I teach leadership through a combination
of sharing empirical data and research from leading scholars; interactive case
studies; hands-on, experiential exercises; and bringing in a diverse array of
guest speakers to share stories and inspiration. I find it really inspiring to
see just how much my students develop as leaders and how they step into their
own leadership potential. If they can do it, so can any of us. That gives me a
ton of hope for the future.

Lastly, what does being a changemaker mean to you?

I define changemaking in a boldly-inclusive way. Simply put, I believe a
changemaker is someone who leads positive change from where they are. There’s no
mention of roles, titles, or formal authority here. And crucial to this
definition is the opportunity to lead change at any level and in any situation:
we need not be a senior leader in order to lead change. In my book, Becoming a
Changemaker, I include over 50 case studies showing how people from all walks of
life have led positive change from where they are: from a Walmart associate
fighting for equality in parental leave policies to a project manager who just
really, really wanted his team to start composting. I believe that becoming a
changemaker is an inclusive identity that we can all step into, in our own ways,
and I’m so excited to see how people take these lessons and put them into
practice!



Share This
 * twitter
 * linkedin
 * email

 * Interview
 * Work

1
Comments
 * twitter
 * linkedin
 * email

One Last Thing


INTERESTED IN HAPPINESS, HABITS, AND HUMAN NATURE?

Sign up to get my free weekly newsletter. I share ideas for being happier,
healthier, more productive, and more creative.


Subscribe
Want to see a sample?


DIVE INTO THE BLOG

 * top100
   
   TOP 100
   
   Start here with the 100 most read posts of all-time.

 * quizzes
   
   QUIZ
   
   Take my Four Tendencies quiz

 * tips
   
   TIPS
   
   Get good tips here.

 * archive
   
   THE ARCHIVE
   
   Find any post based on month, year, or topic.

 * emailNewsletterLight
   
   SUBSCRIBE
   
   Get my free “Moments of Happiness” quotes newsletter.

 * book
   
   JOIN THE BOOK CLUB
   
   Get monthly book recommendations from me.




MORE POSTS FOR YOU

Up Next


HAVE YOU EVER SAVED ANYONE’S LIFE?

September 27, 2022
More in Interview


ERIKA SÁNCHEZ: “I REALIZED…YOU CAN’T ACHIEVE YOUR WAY OUT OF TRAUMA.”

July 14, 2022
More in Work


DORIE CLARK: “TOO MANY SMART AND TALENTED PEOPLE GIVE UP ON THEIR GOALS TOO
SOON.”

September 23, 2021
More Posts


FIND OUT IF YOU’RE AN UPHOLDER, OBLIGER, QUESTIONER, OR A REBEL.

The Four Tendencies explain why we act and why we don’t act. Our Tendency shapes
every aspect of our behavior, so understanding your Tendency lets us make better
decisions, meet deadlines, suffer less stress and burnout, and engage more
effectively.


Take the quiz


Dismiss


GET MY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Sign up to get my free weekly newsletter. It highlights the best material from
here, my Facebook Page, and new original work.


Subscribe


TRYING TO FIND...?

 * Secrets of Adulthood
 * Contact Gretchen Rubin
 * Tips
 * Videos
 * Collections
 * Galleries
 * Short Bio
 * Merch


RESOURCES

 * Four Tendencies Quiz
 * Video Courses
 * Four Tendencies Workshop
 * All Resources
 * Book Downloads
 * Podcast Downloads
 * Other PDF Downloads
 * Happier Podcast Sponsors


STAY CONNECTED

 * Newsletter
 * Facebook
 * Instagram
 * Twitter
 * LinkedIn
 * Pinterest
 * YouTube
 * Feedburner
 * Goodreads


BOOKS

Previous Slide

Next Slide
We use cookies on this site to gather data and improve your experience. For more
information, see our Privacy Policy
I ACCEPT
Email Gretchen: grubin@gretchenrubin.com© 2022 Gretchen Rubin. All rights
reserved.When making recommendations, I sometimes use affiliate links. These
links don’t impose any extra cost on you, and they help support the free content
I provide here.Terms, Conditions of Use & Privacy Policy