I often hear people say, “I’m unhappy, and I don’t know why. Can you help me?” When I start examining their lives—specifically how they’re practically set up (where they work, their routines, their environment)—I quickly realize their lives are not conducive to happiness.
In turn, in his book The Setup, Dan Bilzerian discusses a simple but powerful idea: how you set up your life determines the results you get. Metaphorically, if you position yourself in front of a money-making machine, you’ll make money. If you’re in a place where people constantly bring drama, stress, or negativity, you’ll absorb that instead. It’s not about luck, it’s about design.
In turn, when people ask, “Why am I unhappy?” they often look for answers in their childhood, emotions, motivation, or mindset. While those factors matter, your life setup—the way you organize your habits, relationships, work, and environment—better explains your current success and happiness.
The Formula Behind Dan Bilzerian’s Setup
Dan Bilzerian’s lifestyle—lavish, extravagant, and unapologetic—is a deliberate setup. Whether you admire it or not, his approach follows a clear formula: position yourself where the outcomes you want are inevitable. He surrounds himself with wealth, influence, and pleasure because that’s what he values. His setup ensures he gets more of it.
You don’t have to live like Bilzerian to apply the same principle. The key is recognizing that happiness and success are largely a result of how you structure your life. If you want to be healthier, your setup should include good nutrition, exercise, and rest. If you want financial freedom, your setup should prioritize income-generating activities and smart investments. If you want strong relationships, your setup should include time for connection and mutual growth.
It’s not about copying someone else’s life. It’s about designing a setup that delivers the results you want.
Why Most People Overlook Their Life Setup
Many people don’t realize they can redesign their lives. They accept their circumstances as fixed, blaming external factors for their unhappiness. But the truth is, you have more control than you think. Your life setup is something you can adjust—one habit, one relationship, one decision at a time.
The mistake is waiting for happiness to arrive on its own. Instead, you can engineer it by organizing the different parts of your life—health, work, relationships, finances—to work in your favor.
How to Start Optimizing Your Life Setup
You don’t need a complete overhaul. Start by asking:
- What parts of my life are working well? Double down on those.
- What’s holding me back? Remove or improve those areas.
- What do I want more of? Structure your days to make it happen.
Small, intentional changes compound over time. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. Happiness isn’t something you stumble into. It’s something you create by how you organize your life. Whether you want wealth, peace, fulfillment, or all three, your setup will determine what you achieve.
If you want a deeper dive into creating a life setup for Optimal Happiness, my book Optimal Happiness breaks down the process. But here’s the core idea: Your setup determines your outcomes. Design it wisely.
Stay happy!
