The Pursuit of Happyness Pre-viewing Questions

What are the five most important things you want from your career or job? List them in order of
importance to you.

1) I want to be happy and successful about whatever I am pursuing.

2) I want to be able to help people in any way that I can.

3) I want to be able to support and be there for my family both financially and emotionally.

4) I want to be able to afford to hang out with my friends.

5) I want to be able to donate.

2. Does “how” you get things matter to you? In YOUR mind, what is the “right” way to go about
getting the things you “want”?

I think that it is really important to work for the things that you want. If you really want to
succeed you have to try your best to actually deserve your accomplishments. Another really
important factor is to be determined and set on your goals. Having a positive mindset is very
important to achieve your goals. In order to get what you want you should have a positive
mindset that will keep you motivated to achieve success. Lastly, you should be able to accept the
fact that not everything goes as planned. So even if you might have to face obstacles in your
journey of trying to achieve your goals, instead of using them to drift you away from what you
want, you should always learn from all of them and continue to follow your dreams.

3. Do you have any kind of plan at this stage in life to get what you want?

I think that right now I need to focus on the present and try to achieve the goals that I have right
now. My goals at the moment are to achieve good grades and to develop new skills and habits
that will benefit me in my everyday life and in the future. My ultimate goal is to succeed and in
order to achieve that one is to be in the present.
 Viewing Questions:

The Pursuit

1. Why did Chris associate “happiness” with a good career or job?

He felt that in order to feel satisfied about his success he should be happy, he thinks that if he has
to do that job for the rest of his life he should be happy.

2. Do you think your career will have a big influence on at least a portion of your “pursuit
of happiness” in life? Why or why not?

Yes, I think that the career that I chose will make me happy. If this is not the case it is not the
right career for me. This is why I am taking co-op at this pharmacy to assure myself that I feel
happy and comfortable in that environment.

3. “Happiness” is a relative term and means different things to different people. The
reality of life is that we will all face difficult things. It’s not if but when. When the “going
gets tough” in life, like it did for Chris, what or who will you turn to? What will get your
through these difficult times?

I think that remembering what my goal is that I want to achieve will keep me determined and
motivated and will get me through the rough patches. My definition of happiness is knowing that
I tried my best to achieve my goals and along the way I met people and made memories that
positively impacted my journey to success.

4. Describe someone you know who has gone through great adversity, but has become a
better person because of it. Give the details of what they went through. What do you see in
that person that you admire?

When my grandfather first came to Canada he was an immigrant, he did not know the language
and he did not have anyone in Canada to help him through his rough times. He is one of the most
hardworking and determined people I know. He worked his hardest, working multiple jobs at
once to be able to sponsor his kids and wife to the country. If it weren't for him I would not be a
Canadian citizen and my life would be drastically different. I am forever grateful for what he did
for our family and whenever I am struggling through something I think about him to keep me
motivated.
The Interview

1. If you were not able to dress appropriately for an interview as in Chris Gardner’s case,
would you go to the interview? Why or why not? What would you have done?

I think that the way Chirs was dressed at the interview showed so much about his interview,
although his clothes were dirty and he had paint on him he came in confidently with a smile on
his face and a positive mindset. The fact that he even showed up to the interview says alot about
his personality. It shows that he did not just give up because he didn't have appropriate clothing,
he came in confidently and was honest. During the interview he highlighted his skills and
emotionally showed that he was ready to take on the challenge and join the team.

2. What impressed you the most about his interview? What do you think the management
was thinking when they looked at the way Chris was dressed?

I think that his overall attitude and mindset that he had throughout the interview was very
impressive. I think that the first impression that the management had of Chris was that he wasn’t
qualified for the position. Although, as the interview progressed and Chris had wowed them with
his personality their impression of him had changed significantly.

The Internship

1. What did Chris do to make the most of his time as an intern? Watch for the details!
Chris had to sacrifice his own time that should have been spent with his family, he had to
sacrifice his relationship, his mental health and overall his well being.

2. At this point in your life are you a “go and get it” type of person or a “sit back and wait”
type of person? Why are you this way? Be honest with yourself here. Is it working for you?

I think that I am a mix of both, depending on the situation. If I know that something needs to be
done by a specific deadline I will prioritize it and finish it so that I have more time for myself.
However, if I am planning to hang out with friends it tends to get dragged on for a while and
either ends up being a last minute plan or never actually happens. I think that this shows me that
I prioritize education over friends. I find that this is not good and is not an equal balance because
if I overwork myself and keep pushing away my friends, it will result in me being burnt out and
having no one to help me through that patch.
3. What do you feel is motivating Chris during his time period as an intern?

I think that his son has a huge impact on his time period as an intern because he is trying his best
to support him and keep him happy. He is going through all of this to satisfy his son's needs
which brings out how selfless and caring of a father he is. I think this shows how much love he
has for his son.

4. Would you be willing to be the “gopher” like Chris was asked to do? Why or why not?
Do you consider this butt-kissing? Why or why not?

I think that it is important to set boundaries and have limits. I would do the job that I am getting
paid to do and would occasionally if I have the time and energy go above and beyond. I would
consider this a butt-kissing because it is doing more than what is needed and at that point you
are trying too hard. As long as you have a good professional relationship with your coworkers
this would be unnecessary.

Desperation

1. What consequences did Chris face from not paying rent? (Give some detail here. This is
more than just “not having a place to sleep”)

His wife had left him so he didn't have her help trying to provide money for the family, he
couldn't afford to pay his parking tickets so he had to take the bus to work, his son and him
would have to spend nights in a homeless shelter. From what is listed above we can see that
Chris was really struggling. However, he used this to the best of his ability; it was a wake up call
to better himself. He decided to improve his people skills and use this as a learning experience.

2. How did Chris show humility in having to ask for help at the homeless shelter?
He had to ask the homeless shelter for help when his project that he was working on had been
stolen. This might have made him feel humiliated because he was chasing the person and
couldn't catch up and so he had to resort to asking for help at the homeless shelter that he and his
son stayed at.

Success

1. How does it feel when you see someone finally succeeding, when the “underdog”
prevails? How did it make you feel to see Chris “make it”?

It made me feel very happy for him. After seeing all the rough patches that he had to face and the
ups and downs that he had been through, I felt very proud of him. He worked so hard and his
story proved that with time and patience anything can happen. It gave me a spark of motivation
to also follow my dreams and to prioritize my happiness because at the end of the day that's all
that matters.

2. After seeing all of what Chris went through, would you be willing to go to the same
effort to provide a good and secure income for your family?

I am very grateful for all the opportunities that my parents worked hard for me to get and am
willing to do the same for my family. I think that I would try my best to provide for my family
just as Chris did and would implement some of the things that I learned from Chris into my life
to provide for my family.

3. Describe how watching this movie has influenced you. What are the key things you took
away from it?

Watching this movie has definitely impacted my mindset as it made me realize all that I have and
that I should and do feel grateful for. It also taught me to prioritize my happiness and mental
health because it matters more than anything. Lastly, the movie taught me to persevere and to
never give up because good things come to those who never give up.