Meet the self-help guru who only owns 15 things and claims to know the key to happiness
Described as the "Oprah of the internet", James is a well renowned self-help specialist with a dedicated following
MEET the self-help guru with a difference, who claims to be happier than ever after leaving his home and getting rid of nearly everything he owns.
James Altucher is an unlikely hero, but the former entrepreneur has helped thousands of depressed followers to turn themselves around, thanks to his simple tricks to get the most from life.
In an interview with the , the 48-year-old American revealed that, for him at least, happiness is all about focusing on the basics.
And the chripy blogger lives life to the full - despite not owning a home and only having 15 possessions.
James recently chose to give up almost everything he had, letting the lease on his apartment expire and giving away more than 40 bin bags full of his possessions.
The professional author, who was once as a loaded stock broker, even got rid of his college diploma and childhood photo albums in his quest to strip life down to the basics.
What he kept includes his laptop, iPad, three pairs of chinos and three T-shirts, as well as a pouch containing $4,000 (£3060) worth of $2 notes.
Today, everything he owns can fit into one small bag, which he carries between Airbnb rooms and his friends' houses, where he happily stays.
And he claims his happiness is all down to his stripped-back lifestyle, which he funds with the profits from his bestselling books.
In his interview with the New York Times, James joked: "I have ambition to have no ambition."
The college graduate also claims that college is a waste of money, advising young people to get into business or coding instead of forking out for an expensive degree.
Back when he was a successful businessman, James was so wealthy that he used to ride a helicopter into the neighbouring state of New Jersey to play poker.
However, his money didn't make him happy, and he was even driven to thoughts of suicide when he lost it all gambling on risky investments.
But now he uses his experiences to help other people find their own happiness, frequently telling people: "If you don’t choose the life you want to live, chances are, someone else is going to choose it for you. And the results are probably not going to be pretty.”
In Choose Yourself, one of James' books, he advises readers to turn their lives around by managing what he calls "the four pillars of happiness."
These include physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being, and involve some surprisingly easy ways to improve your state of mind.
They can be met by eating well, going to bed and waking up early, breaking a sweat for at least 10 minutes every day, being around people you love, writing a list of 10 new ideas every day and feeling grateful for what you have.
However, James disputes that he even is a self-help guru, claiming: "I only say what has worked for me, and then others can choose to try it or not."
He added: "Basically, I’ve been down on the floor so many times, I know now that I can always bounce back, and it gets faster each time.”
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