Neil Pasricha

Pasricha was born in Oshawa, Ontario to a Hindu family.{{cite tweet |title=Register|url-access=limited|user=NeilPasricha|number=1176205933371936768 |url=https://twitter.com/NeilPasricha/status/1176205933371936768}} His mother is from Nairobi, Kenya; his father is from Amritsar, India, and he has one sister. Pasricha says much of his wonder for the world comes from his immigrant parents and their perspective on seeing everything for the first time in Canada.{{cite news|author=Sarah Hampson |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/a-few-awesome-things-about-1000awesomethingscoms-neil-pasricha/article1321508/ |title=A few awesome things about 1000awesomethings.com's Neil Pasricha |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |access-date=2016-04-14}} In his TED Talk he explains how his father would 'stare in wonder at the little stickers on all the fruits and vegetables.'{{cite web|url=http://www.ted.com/talks/neil_pasricha_the_3_a_s_of_awesome/transcript |title=Neil Pasricha: The 3 A's of awesome | TED Talk Subtitles and Transcript |website=TED.com |access-date=2016-04-14}}

Pasricha was educated at Queen's University and Harvard University.{{cite web|url=http://www.queensu.ca/news/alumnireview/former-gw-editor-celebrates-lifes-awesome-things |title=Former GW editor celebrates life's Awesome Things | Queen's University News Centre |access-date=May 26, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527214711/http://www.queensu.ca/news/alumnireview/former-gw-editor-celebrates-lifes-awesome-things |archive-date=May 27, 2014 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/life/2010/04/14/the_awesome_blog_is_a_huge_hit_40000_internet_visits_a_day.html |title=The 'awesome' blog is a huge hit: 40,000 Internet visits a day | Toronto Star |website=Thestar.com |date=2010-04-14 |access-date=2016-04-14}}

Pasricha graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce at Queen's University in 2002. While there, he wrote for the campus humor newspaper "Golden Words", which then took him to New York City to work for a humor syndicate with former Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons writers. He says "It was a cool rush but it became draining very quickly. I realized this could never be my full-time thing." Pasricha also holds an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws - Faculty of Education from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT).

Pasricha returned to Toronto and worked in marketing for Procter & Gamble before leaving to run a Quiznos Sub franchise and then selling his franchise to move to Boston to attend Harvard Business School. Upon graduating, Pasricha returned to Toronto to run leadership development at Walmart Canada. Pasricha left Walmart in 2016 to devote more time to the Institute for Global Happiness, an organization he founded in November 2015 to improve happiness in the workplace.

Pasricha began writing a daily blog called 1000 Awesome Things on June 20, 2008. The site was billed as 'a time-ticking countdown of 1000 awesome things.'{{cite web|url=http://1000awesomethings.com/about/ |title=About |publisher=1000 Awesome Things |access-date=2016-04-14}}

He said at the time of starting the site, "If you flipped open the newspaper it was filled with the same stuff every day. Polar ice caps were melting, there were pirates storming the seas, the economy was on the verge of collapse, and there were wars going on all over the world." As a result, he created a website discussing "popping bubble wrap, snow days, and the smell of a bakery."{{cite web|url=http://www.maximumfun.org/2009/10/11/neil-pasricha-creator-1000-awesome-things |title=Neil Pasricha: Creator of 1000 Awesome Things |date=11 October 2009 |publisher=Maximum Fun |access-date=2016-04-14}} In later interviews, and through a series on his blog, Pasricha shared that his personal divorce and a close friend's suicide are what prompted him to begin looking for positive things in life.{{cite web|author=Neil Pasricha |url=http://1000awesomethings.com/2010/02/17/567-getting-to-the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/ |title=#567 Getting to the light at the end of the tunnel |publisher=1000 Awesome Things |date=2010-02-17 |access-date=2016-04-14}}

In July, 2008, the popular links site Fark.com linked to post #980 Old, dangerous playground equipment which gave the blog new readership and got attention from Wired and CNN.com.{{cite magazine|url=http://archive.wired.com/geekdad/2008/07/a-tribute-to-pl/ |title=A Tribute to Playground Equipment Past | WIRED |magazine=Wired |date=2008-07-18 |access-date=2016-04-14}}{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/08/02/8.sites.brighten.day/ |title=8 feel-good websites to brighten your day |website=CNN.com |date=2010-08-02 |access-date=2016-04-14}}

In 2009, Pasricha was approached by literary agents after his blog received 10 million hits and won the Webby Award for "Best Blog"{{cite web|url=https://vancouversun.com/News/1000AwesomeThings+blogger+snags+Webby/1569785/story.html|title=1000AwesomeThings blogger snags Webby |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706013635/http://www.vancouversun.com/News/1000AwesomeThings+blogger+snags+Webby/1569785/story.html |archive-date=July 6, 2009 }}{{cite web|url=http://winners.webbyawards.com/2009/web/general-website-categories/blog-culturalpersonal |title=Blog - Cultural/Personal 2009 | The Webby Awards |website=Winners.webbyawards.com |access-date=2016-04-14}} and signed with Erin Malone from WME who also represents Christian Lander,{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/fashion/30web.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|title=Why Blog? Reason No. 92: Book Deal|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=2016-04-14}} author of Stuff White People Like, and Rainn Wilson, star of The Office and author of SoulPancake.{{cite web|url=http://agentquery.com/agent.aspx?agentid=961 |title=Find the Agent Who Will Find You a Publisher |website=AgentQuery.com |access-date=2016-04-14}}

Pasricha continued publishing one awesome thing a day until #1 Anything you want it to be was posted on April 19, 2012.

Published in 2010 by Amy Einhorn Books, a division of Penguin Publishing.

The Book of Awesome is a #1 international bestseller, and a New York Times bestseller.{{Cite web|title=The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha: 9780425238905 {{!}} PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/307111/the-book-of-awesome-by-neil-pasricha/9780425238905|access-date=2021-03-01|website=PenguinRandomhouse.com|language=en-US}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIChkLx5DtI |title=Maxwell House interviews Neil Pasricha about how he handles dark days |publisher=YouTube |date=2011-05-09 |access-date=2016-04-14}}

Pasricha wrote The Book of Awesome while attempting to get over his divorce and close friend's suicide. His frustration with the 'gloom and doom' in the news caused him to expand on simple pleasures of life through new written essays complementing existing material from his blog.

The book received both positive and negative reviews. Publishers Weekly said "Pasricha emerges a committed but inviting optimist, combating life's unending stream of bad news by identifying opportunities to share a universal high five with humanity"{{cite web|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-399-15651-9 |title=Nonfiction Book Review: The Book of Awesome: Snow Days, Bakery Air, Finding Money in Your Pocket, and Other Simple, Brilliant Things by Neil Pasricha|website=Publishersweekly.com |date=2010-04-12 |access-date=2016-04-14}} while Maclean's wrote that Pasricha was "partly to blame for turning 'awesome' into the exuberant adjective of our time'{{cite web|url=http://www.macleans.ca/culture/this-story-is-awesome/ |title=This story is awesome |website=Macleans.ca |date=2011-04-19 |access-date=2016-04-14}} and the Toronto Star wrote that Neil Pasricha "helped destroy language through linguistic bleaching."{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/2012/04/24/neil_pasrichas_awesome_blog_helped_destroy_language.html |title=Neil Pasricha's 'awesome' blog helped destroy language | Toronto Star |website=Thestar.com |date=2012-04-24 |access-date=2016-04-14}}

Published in 2011 by Amy Einhorn Books, a division of Penguin Publishing, as the sequel to The Book of Awesome.{{Cite web|title=The Book of (Even More) Awesome by Neil Pasricha: 9780425245552 {{!}} PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/309106/the-book-of-even-more-awesome-by-neil-pasricha/|access-date=2021-03-01|website=PenguinRandomhouse.com|language=en-US}}

Published in 2013 by Amy Einhorn Books, a division of Penguin Publishing, featuring awesome things about holidays such as Christmas, Hannukah, Diwali, Halloween, Mother's Day, etc.{{Cite web|title=The Book of (Holiday) Awesome by Neil Pasricha: 9780425253724 {{!}} PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/310703/the-book-of-holiday-awesome-by-neil-pasricha/9780425253724|access-date=2021-03-01|website=PenguinRandomhouse.com|language=en-US}}

Published in 2015, Awesome is Everywhere is a Children's book that Neil wrote to share "the principles of attitude awareness and authenticity" with his child.{{cite web|url=http://www.todaysparent.com/kids/awesome-is-everywhere-neil-pasrichas-new-book-for-kids/ |title=Awesome is Everywhere: Neil Pasricha's new book for kids - Today's Parent |website=Todaysparent.com |date=2015-09-17 |access-date=2016-04-14}}{{Cite web|title=Awesome Is Everywhere by Neil Pasricha: 9780670069330 {{!}} PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/417537/awesome-is-everywhere-by-neil-pasricha/9780670069330|access-date=2021-03-01|website=PenguinRandomhouse.com|language=en-US}} The beach theme was inspired by a meditation-like experience on the beach while honeymooning. The super-realistic images in the book were created by a professional Visual Effects studio using a process that composites many images into one image.

Published in 2016 by Putnam Publishing, a division of Penguin Publishing.{{Cite web|title=The Happiness Equation by Neil Pasricha: 9780425277980 {{!}} PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/316210/the-happiness-equation-by-neil-pasricha/9780425277980|access-date=2021-03-01|website=PenguinRandomhouse.com|language=en-US}}

The Happiness Equation is a #1 international bestseller, Toronto Star bestseller, and Globe and Mail bestseller.{{cite web|title=Bestsellers The books Canadians bought this week.|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2016/06/03/bestsellers.html|work=The Star|date=3 June 2016}}{{cite web|title=Bestsellers: Canadian Non-Fiction, September 24, 2016|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/bestsellers/bestsellers-canadian-non-fiction-may-25-2013/article4226554/|publisher=Globe & Mail}}

Pasricha was returning from his honeymoon in Asia when his wife took a pregnancy test in the airplane bathroom and told him on the plane that she was pregnant. Upon landing, he began writing a letter to his unborn child on how to live a happy life, which evolved into the book.{{cite web|last1=Gulli|first1=Cathy|title=The secret to happiness? Stop trying to be happy.|url=http://www.macleans.ca/society/life/the-secret-to-happiness-stop-trying-to-be-happy/}}

Published in 2018 by Audible Studios, the production arm of Audible, a subsidiary of Amazon.

This audio book is subtitled "A Memoir of Failure & Resilience" and was published as an exclusive title to the Amazon audiobook brand of Audible. Neil performed the recording for the book with a minor cameo by his father. The book is a collection of stories highlighting both the highs and lows in his attempt to find his way in the world. It is a candid look at his early family life and the experiences that helped shaped his view of the world. The running theme is that success comes not from focusing on failures, but from continuing to move forward.

The primary tagline for the book is: "We all fail. We all fall. We all need to know how to get back up."{{cite book|title=How to Get Back Up|url=https://www.audible.com/pd/How-to-Get-Back-Up-Audiobook/B07GNVR43Z|publisher=Audible}}

Published in 2019 by Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster.{{cite book|title=You are Awesome-How to navigate change, wrestle with failure, and live an intentional life|date=5 November 2019|url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/You-Are-Awesome/Neil-Pasricha/9781797103730|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=9781797103730}}

In it Pasricha discusses topics of resilience,{{cite web|title=Neil Pasricha's new book shows how wrestling with failure can make you 'awesome'|url=https://calgaryherald.com/entertainment/books/neil-pasrichas-new-book-shows-how-wrestling-with-failure-can-make-you-awesome|newspaper=Calgary Herald}} failure,{{cite web|title=Are You Failing At Failing? Author Neil Pasricha Says It's Time To Change The Narrative|url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/11/11/live-your-best-life-handle-failure|website=WBUR.com}} cell phone addiction,{{cite news|title=Are we addicted to our screens?|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-are-we-addicted-to-our-screens-discuss/|website=globeandmail.com}} and our inability to predict the future.{{cite web|title=Why are we so bad at predicting what will happen to us in the future?|url=https://ideas.ted.com/why-are-we-so-bad-at-predicting-what-will-happen-to-us-in-the-future/|website=ted.com|date=3 December 2019}}

The book received both positive and negative reviews. The Toronto Star said it was "inspiring advice on developing resilience and putting a positive spin on life's setbacks and heartbreaks"{{cite web|title=Learning, becoming, improving: Some self help for your New Year resolutions|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2019/12/25/learning-becoming-improving-some-self-help-for-your-new-year-resolutions.html|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=25 December 2019}} while Publishers Weekly wrote it was "a slick but ultimately underwhelming production with little to appeal to the thoughtful reader”.{{cite web|title=You Are Awesome: How to Navigate Change, Wrestle with Failure, and Live an Intentional Life|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-98-213588-1|website=Publishers Weekly|date=5 November 2019 }}

Pasricha hosts a podcast titled 3 Books with Neil Pasricha which focuses on discussing the three most formative books of guests such as Judy Blume, Seth Godin, and the "world's greatest Uber driver."{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/life/relationships/advice/2018/04/09/why-i-just-started-a-podcast-to-help-you-read-more-books.html|title=Why I just started a podcast to help you read more books|newspaper=The Toronto Star |date=9 April 2018}} The podcast publishes on the lunar calendar and is stated to be uncovering the 1000 most formative books over 333 consecutive new moons and full moons from March 31, 2018, to September 1, 2031.{{cite web|url=https://www.3books.co/faq|title=3 Books Frequently Asked Questions}}

Pasricha is the Director of The Institute for Global Happiness with the mission "to increase happiness in organizations."{{cite web|url=http://globalhappiness.org/about/ |title=About - The Institute for Global Happiness |website=Globalhappiness.org |access-date=2016-04-14}} The organization shares resources such as workshops, videos, and speeches with the goal of making happiness accessible. Pasricha says the organization focuses on happiness at work specifically because "aggregate data from 150,000 people showed the place we're spending most of our time is also the place we're the least happy — which is work."{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/pied-piper-of-happiness-neil-pasricha-who-shares-formula-for-how-to-be-happy/story-KHt7Ck8t1hzDwsfowPTrnO.html|title='Pied Piper of happiness': Neil Pasricha who shares formula for how to be happy|date=2017-01-07|newspaper=hindustantimes.com|access-date=2017-02-14|language=en}}

In 2015, to help with literacy among children, Pasricha spearheaded an initiative with book publishers and educators to bring more books and funding to elementary schools.{{cite web|url=http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/media-advisory---first-book-canada-kobo-and-bestselling-author-neil-pasricha-launch-the-awesome-project-to-give-canadian-children-in-need-their-very-first-books-535813791.html |title=Media Advisory - First Book Canada, Kobo, and Bestselling Author Neil Pasricha Launch "The Awesome... -- TORONTO, Oct. 22, 2015 |access-date=December 18, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222130748/http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/media-advisory---first-book-canada-kobo-and-bestselling-author-neil-pasricha-launch-the-awesome-project-to-give-canadian-children-in-need-their-very-first-books-535813791.html |archive-date=December 22, 2015 }}

• 2009 - Winner - Webby Award - Best Blog{{cite web|url=http://webbyawards.com/winners/2009/web/general-website-categories/blog-culturalpersonal/1000-awesome-things/ |title=1000 Awesome Things |publisher=The Webby Awards |access-date=2016-04-14}}
• 2009 - Winner - Webby People's Voice - Best Blog
• 2010 - Winner - Webby People's Voice - Best Blog{{cite web|url=http://webbyawards.com/winners/2010/web/general-website-categories/blog-cultural/1000-awesome-things/ |title=1000 Awesome Things |publisher=The Webby Awards |access-date=2016-04-14}}
• 2012 - Winner - White Pine Award - Best Non-Fiction{{cite web|url=http://www.bookcentre.ca/news/2012_forest_reading%C2%AE_winners_announced |title=2012 Forest of Reading® Winners Announced | Canadian Children's Book Centre |access-date=December 18, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222163805/http://www.bookcentre.ca/news/2012_forest_reading%C2%AE_winners_announced |archive-date=December 22, 2015 }}
• 2018 - Canada's Top 40 Under 40{{cite web|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canadas-top-40-under-40-2018-honourees-announced-686680211.html|title=Canada's Top 40 Under 40 2018 Honourees Announced}}
• 2018 - Apple's "Best of 2018" (3 Books Podcast){{cite web|url= https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewFeature?id=1439382778&mt=2&ls=1 |title=Best of 2018|website=iTunes }}

Pasricha currently lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with his wife Leslie.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/life/2012/12/21/where_are_they_now_1000_awesome_things_author_neil_pasricha_talks_about_life_after_his_popular_blog.html |title=Where are they now? 1000 awesome things author Neil Pasricha talks about life after his popular blog | Toronto Star |website=Thestar.com |date=2012-12-21 |access-date=2016-04-14}} He worked at Walmart Canada in the field of leadership.

{{Reflist|30em}}

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• [http://globalhappiness.org/ The Institute for Global Happiness]
• [https://www.ted.com/speakers/neil_pasricha Neil Pasricha] at TED

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Category:1979 births

Category:Living people

Category:Canadian male bloggers

Category:Canadian people of Indian descent

Category:21st-century Canadian non-fiction writers

Category:Business speakers

Category:Harvard Business School alumni

Category:People from Oshawa

Category:Queen's University at Kingston alumni

Category:Writers from Ontario

Category:Forest of Reading Award winners