After having a nationally televised panic attack, Dan Harris knew he had to make some changes. A lifelong nonbeliever, he found himself on a bizarre adventure involving a disgraced pastor, a mysterious self-help guru, and a gaggle of brain scientists. Eventually, Harris realized that the source of his problems was the incessant, insatiable voice in his head, which had propelled him through the ranks of a hypercompetitive business, but had also led him to make the profoundly stupid decisions that provoked his on-air freak-out.
Eventually Harris stumbled upon an effective way to rein in that voice: meditation, a tool that research suggests can do everything from lower your blood pressure to essentially rewire your brain.
In 2014, 10% Happier was published – part memoir, part how-to – and turned into a surprise #1 New York Times bestseller. That book led to a 10% Happier podcast (now in the top 5 in the Health category), and a meditation app that teaches fidgety skeptics learn to meditate..