Yup, this is the same Rainn Wilson from 'The Office.' If you're in a funk, need an emotional lift, having a hard time being happy, or just want to smile; you need to see this. So inspirational, and like Jim Carrey's speech, could change your life.

I'm a bit biased with this because I'm a HUGE fan of Rainn Wilson, and his work. Most of my friends know that I'm a poster boy fan of 'The Office,' and his character Dwight Schrute. It's his work outside of that to which I'm even a bigger fan of.

Yes, this is a shirt I actually own (Instagram.com/Whatsajosh)
Yes, this is a shirt I actually own (Instagram.com/Whatsajosh)
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It's a project he founded called 'Soul Pancake.' It's a place to go that really makes you feel good, gets you thinking about the important questions in life, and really allows you to take a step back from everything.

This 18 minute speech to USC really sums up Rainn's project, but also sums up everything everyone has ever told you about happiness. Every quote, every book, every video all boiled down to this speech by Rainn, where he lists his 'laws of contentment.'

He brilliantly compares happiness to cotton candy. It looks great, we eat it, then immediately regret our decision because we're hungry again, we're not satisfied. So we work to pursue the cotton candy, the happiness, again. We chase happiness, we think we caught it, then we want more because it wears away.

Rainn talks about an 'if/ then' proposition.

If I get a job at a top law-firm, then I will be happy. If I get married to the perfect man or woman, then I will be happy. If I can become more popular, then I will be happy, etc.

It's the whole point of commercialism. If you buy this car, eat this cheeseburger, wear these jeans, use these headphones; then you will be happy. And you know what? Buy the jeans, eat the cheeseburger, the result is never happiness, joy or contentment. It's always the same, we are never satisfied.

It never meets our needs or fulfills our standards. We're left empty, wanting something more.

It's cotton candy, fleeting, sticky, unsatisfying.

He goes onto his laws of contentment.

Happiness is not an if/ then proposition. It's not something to be found outside of ourselves, or even something to be pursued. It's inside of us, and it's a choice that we make.

I could sit here and transcribe every word of this, but I really have to get going with the radio show. Please watch the video, I can't stress how powerful his words are.

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