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Introducing the Series: Stop Chasing Butterflies

Writer: Bill Carlson Bill Carlson
Oct 10, 20242 min read

What to Expect from This Series


This blog series, titled “Stop Chasing Butterflies,” will explore the lessons I learned during my time in prison and how they reshaped my understanding of happiness. Over the next six blogs, I will share insights and reflections on the following key themes:


  1. The Elusive Butterfly: An exploration of the metaphor and how chasing external sources of happiness leads to discontentment and unethical behavior.

  2. Recognizing the Chase: Understanding why we chase happiness externally and the pressures that drive this pursuit.

  3. Lessons from the Bitter or Better Class: Insights gained from teaching inmates about the futility of chasing happiness and the common threads that bind us all in our search for fulfillment.

  4. Finding Stillness: Discovering how practicing gratitude and embracing stillness can shift our mindset and allow happiness to find us.

  5. The Connection to Ethics: Examining how chasing butterflies can lead to unethical decisions and the importance of inner fulfillment in ethical behavior.

  6. Your Journey to Happiness: Practical tips and reflections for readers to begin their own journey toward finding happiness within.


The Personal Significance of This Series


The impetus for this series stems from a deeply personal place—rooted in my own experiences and the question my daughter posed: “Dad, what were you thinking?” This inquiry led me to commit to understanding my thoughts and actions and ultimately realizing that my search for happiness had been misguided.


I invite you to join me on this journey as I delve into these themes, sharing not only my personal story but also the collective experiences of those I met along the way. Together, we will explore the idea that true happiness comes from within and learn to appreciate the beauty of stillness and gratitude.


Conclusion: Let’s Begin This Journey Together


I hope you’ll find the insights shared in this series meaningful and inspiring. Whether you’ve found yourself in a similar chase for happiness or are simply curious about the pursuit of inner fulfillment, I encourage you to join me as we unravel the layers of this metaphor and discover the power of letting happiness find us.


Stay tuned for Part 1, where we will dive into The Elusive Butterfly – Chasing Happiness vs. Letting It Find You.



 
 
 

Comments

What the Professionals Are Saying 

"I teach a course on negotiations, during which I spend a good deal of time talking about honesty and ethics in negotiations. As an ethics researcher, I think it is important that students not only understand strategies for successfully claiming value in negotiations, but also learn about the temptations they will face to engage in unethical bargaining, and unethical behavior more broadly in their professional careers. Bill brought this message to life. Bill explained to my students – with openness, authenticity, and scientific insight – the ethical missteps he took in his career. I am incredibly grateful to have had Bill in my class – I learned from him just as much as my students did. I think he would be a welcome, and much needed, addition to any course related to ethics, well-being, power and influence, or negotiations (and likely many more!)."   

                                                                        Professor Emma Levine/ University of Chicago Booth School of Business 

“Bill Carlson has a reservoir of experience that will resonate with college students and professionals from all walks of life. Seldom do you encounter an individual willing to openly share his foibles and mistakes in an attempt to deviate the life paths of those mutually-inclined to make the same errors. Bill lays his life bare in his presentation and shares the detrimental impact his decision-making had on his personal and professional life; yet he lays the foundation for an inroad to a better future built upon his gratitude for life, learning from his mistakes, and pursuit of his new definition of “life wholeness”.  

                                                                         Dr. William C. McCoy, Director/Rutland Institute for Ethics

                                                                         Visiting Professor, College of Education/Clemson University 

"For over 30 years, I have been teaching full- and part-time. For the past eleven years I have been a member of the accounting faculty at Fordham University. This semester, Fall 2021, Mr. Carlson agreed to speak with my students about his story, and I can say that I have had few guest speakers who delivered such a powerful message about the importance of professional obligations. It was the story of a seemingly nice guy who exhibited a lack of judgment and would pay a heavy price for it. Most importantly, it is a story of a man who reflected upon his moral lapse and has made a solid commitment to helping others."              

                                                                                       Timothy P. Hedley, Ph.D., CPA, CFF, CFE

                                                                            Retired Global Leader of Fraud Risk Management Services, KPMG LLP

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