BLOG: The Elephant In The Room ... Fame, Status Won't Make You Happy

Last Friday afternoon, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver spoke candidly about the mental health of many of his players at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. It was the first time I have ever heard a commissioner of the four big-time sports speak so openly about a tough subject. Everything he said was eye-opening, but it is on point.

Fans and the media only see the outside. These athletes make tons of money, have big houses, attend the fanciest of parties, and get all the girls. But all of them are hiding something. All of them are projecting an image. They only let you see what they want you to see. They never let you see the whole person.  

Fame, fortune and the bright lights of the NBA isn't going to make you happy. If you were unhappy before all fame and limelight, you're not going to be any happier with it. Trust me. 

I spent 13 months working at Harvard - yes, Harvard University, the oldest and most prestigious university in the nation. But anytime I told people I spent 13 months working at Harvard, I cringed. While it was something I was proud of, it also wasn't. I learned a ton of new things, and met many great new people all of whom I still keep in contact with today, but with the name Harvard comes a stigma. The stigma that you are better than every one else. And that is not something I want to portray. 

Other than being Division I athletics and having highly selective admission standards, Harvard is truly no different than many other colleges or universities. It faces many of the same problems other affecting other colleges. The students are still 18-, 19-, 20-, 21- and 22-year-olds, who if any of you remember the way you acted at that age, these kids aren't much different. 

The NBA and Harvard share a lot in common. They both are the pinnacle of their industries. If you make it there, you are perceived as successful. Everyone is envious. But they are on the outside looking and it's tough to see past the facade. For the Gen Z'ers reading this, it's analogous to taking 100 selfies on your phone, choosing the best one and spending  20 minutes on a clickbait-y description. 

For me, I came to this realization last August. Our office was just renovated, they had taken down a wall, but you could see where the wall was because of the carpet outline on the floor. Well a few days later, Harvard had its carpet guy come in to take measurements for an estimate. To my surprise, the business Harvard uses for its carpet is run by a long-time family friend. 

That's the definition of success. 

All along I always thought, I have to get to the top. I have to go Division I, be at a big-time school, or top-notch professional organizations. But I've only come to find out that I was WRRR....ONGGG! There I said it. I was wrong! 

I began to come to this realization over last summer, the summer of 2018. I was working 9-5 in the office at Harvard, then at night Monday through Thursday I was working a basketball league in either Watertown or Brighton. And I had a blast. 

Earlier that May, I managed to let the commissioner let me produce weekly video highlights for the summer league. He said 'yes' and that began the best summer of my life. And it only got better. Later that September, he informed me if I wanted to do more video features for the other programs they'd love to have them. What? Was completely not expecting that, but hey a win's a win! 

Getting back to what Adam Silver said about his current NBA players, money, fame and stardom doesn't bring happiness. How can you truly be happy when you're sitting isolated with your head down and music blaring through your headphones?  Or when you don't come into contact with single soul from when you board plan to showing up in the locker room? 

Human interaction is the whole concept of our society and if you're lacking that, it's sad. 

The best part of my weekend was when I was working the Middle School Fun and Games night for the recreation department. One kid didn't want to do anything, but when I gave him my camera and said "hey go snap some photos." He was a little reluctant at first, but warmed up to it, even asking how some of the other functions on the camera work. And he took some great photos. 

That's what success is. That is what life is all about. Bringing people together and making people aware of who they are and what they are good at. 

And further proof fame, status and money doesn't bring happiness. Enjoyment of the process does.

From the Braungardt Family Podcast: "Mom I Wanna Be A YouTuber."