You Don’t Have to be Einstein to Get This Question Right!

When Einstein speaks to you, listen.

What’s more important: the message or the messenger?

If I told you, “A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness,” you might thank me for my fortune cookie counsel, before thinking you’ve probably heard better advice elsewhere.

And if I added some more underwhelming and un-genius guidance like,  “If there’s a will, there’s a way,” you’d probably want to run me out of town.

But what if I told you those exact words of wisdom once came from Albert Einstein, Mr. E=mc2   himself. He jotted them down on hotel stationery when he found he didn’t have pocket change to tip a bellhop who had hand-delivered a message to his room at the Imperial hotel in Tokyo in 1922. The famous physicist who gave the world the Theory of Relativity — and also the bellhop his theory of happiness — was in town as part of worldwide lecture tour.

After scribbling down the two notes in lieu of a gratuity, Einstein told the bellhop to hold onto them in the off-chance they might one day be valuable.

Per usual, Einstein’s insights proved spot on. A relative of the bellhop recently brought the notes, written in German and bearing Einstein’s signature, to an auction house in Jerusalem, anticipating a winning bid of around $10,000.

They sold for a galaxy-busting, mind-blowing $1.8 million.

So next time, when someone gives you advice, consider the source!