Your Happiness Foundation
Have you ever heard of the MOLES? No, not the adorably infuriating little excavators with the work ethic of a caffeinated backhoe. I’m talking about The MOLES!
A prestigious, invitation-only fraternity of professionals in the heavy construction industry. These are the folks who build the foundations for tunnels, bridges, dams, and the complex infrastructure that keeps civilization standing tall. Think of them as the elite crew behind the curtain, digging deep (literally) so the rest of us can move forward safely.
I know this not because I’m a dirt devotee (though I may be a Soil Mate in spirit 😩), but because I had the honor of delivering a keynote at their annual gathering in NYC a few years ago. An “intimate” event for 3,000 of their peers, partners, and families. These are fascinating people doing dangerous, complex work beneath the surface—work that holds everything else up.
And that got me thinking…So what can we learn from them as happiness doers? A lot, actually. Just like the mammoth structures their foundations support, your well-being and happiness also require strong, daily reinforcement. You don’t build a tunnel or a bridge overnight. You shore it up with planning, effort, and grit. Same goes for a good life.
The MOLES don’t just move dirt. They move possibility. They shape the world from beneath it, laying unseen foundations that support everything we take for granted above. That’s not so different from what we need to do for ourselves. Here’s how we dig deeper…MOLES…style:
1. Get Out of Your Own Hole
We all spend too much time tunneling into our own stress, our own fears, our own stuff.
But one of the fastest ways to lighten your load is to shift the focus. Reach out. Serve. Encourage. When you stop obsessing over your own script, joy has a way of showing up uninvited and staying longer.
2. Build Relationships That Aren’t Measured in Deals
The MOLES don’t work solo. Every tunnel and foundation is built by teams who trust and rely on each other. That’s your cue: real relationships aren’t transactional. They’re transformational. Build your inner circle on care, not quid pro quo.
3. Inject Powerful Fun—On Purpose
They laugh in the trenches. They tell jokes while they work. That’s not just a coping mechanism, it’s smart. Powerful Fun lifts morale, boosts resilience, and binds us together.
It’s not fluff. It’s fuel. And it’s a critical part of any sustainable happiness plan.
4. Anchor Yourself in Faith
The MOLES believe in the unseen, blueprints, bedrock, each other. You can too. Whether it’s spiritual, agnostic, or grounded in community and trust, faith gives you footing when life gets wobbly. It’s the underground anchor that helps you rise.
So, take a cue from the MOLES. Dig deep, build strong, and remember, it’s what’s beneath the surface that holds everything up.
