The MIT Mathematician Who Calculated Happiness

Originally published on Rabbi Smason’s beehiiv on October 22, 2026.

John Urschel is a unicorn.

A professor at MIT, Urschel recently solved a mathematical problem that had puzzled researchers for more than three decades. His work involves concepts so complex that most of us would have trouble understanding the questions, much less the answers.

But perhaps the most fascinating thing about John Urschel isn’t what he’s accomplished in mathematics. It’s what he walked away from to pursue it. Before becoming an MIT professor, Urschel had a successful career in an entirely different field — one that gave him fame, fortune, and opportunities most can only dream about.

And he voluntarily gave it up.

What did John Urschel discover that was worth more than a career millions would envy?

✨3 Ideas

1. Dare to imagine your best life

What would your life look like if you could make it truly extraordinary?

Imagine, for example, a life filled with deeply loving relationships that enrich your days, rewarding work that enthralls you, or the satisfaction of making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

The life we ultimately create may depend on the life we dare to imagine. Not a perfect life, but one that fulfills our soul’s deepest aspirations.

2. **Are you aiming high enough? **

Consider an archer whose arrow falls ten feet short of the target. What went wrong? **Perhaps he simply didn’t aim high enough. **

In our lives, we may pursue modest goals, yet never discover what we’re truly capable of because we haven’t set our sights high enough.

The danger isn’t always that we fail to reach our goals. Sometimes it’s that we succeed in reaching goals that were too small.

3. **Your best life begins today **

There’s a poster in a room for people seeking to overcome substance abuse: “The elevator is broken. Please take the 12 Steps.”

**An extraordinary life isn’t created in one extraordinary moment. It’s built through the choices we make, day after day. **

What would bring you one step closer to the life you’ve imagined? Perhaps reconnecting with an old friend, learning a new skill, or finding a way to make someone’s life better.

📜2 Quotes

“Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.” — Proverbs 21:21

“There’s a difference in living and living well.” — _George Strait, song, ‘Living and Living Well’ _

❓1 Question

Is there an opportunity to make your life better that you haven’t yet decided to pursue?

And remember John Urschel, the brilliant mathematician? Before becoming an MIT professor, he was a 6-foot-3, 313-pound offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football League!

But playing in the NFL — something millions of young athletes dream about — left Urschel unable to give his best to everything that mattered most to him. So, after three years of “living the dream,” Urschel retired to live HIS dream: earning a doctorate, becoming a mathematics professor, and nurturing a close relationship that would last a lifetime.

Reflecting on his decision, Urschel said: “I feel like I bet on myself in a big way. I’m living my best life right now.”

And perhaps that’s the most important calculation any of us can make — not simply how to succeed at what we’re doing, but how to build a life truly worth living.

Until next time, Wishing you a week of taking steps toward your best life,

Rabbi Ze’ev Smason

P.S. Have you ever said no to something good so you could say yes to something better? I’d love to hear your story!