Love, Learn, Play: A Simple Formula for a Happier, More Meaningful Life

by Akhil Gupta

Overview

In a world that equates success with happiness, many high-achievers still feel unfulfilled. In Love, Learn, Play, Akhil Gupta offers a transformative mindset that reframes how we think about purpose, peace, and flourishing.

Drawing from his remarkable journey—from global finance to Harvard classrooms—Gupta explores how ancient wisdom and modern science point to three essential forces that lead to true well-being: love, learning, and play. These are not luxuries, he argues, but our deepest human needs.

This powerful, research-backed framework helps readers:

• Break free from false cultural narratives
• Reconnect with their authentic self
• Balance meaning and happiness without burnout
• Bring wholeness to work, parenting, and personal life
• Create a life that feels deeply alive—every day

Whether you're leading a team, raising a family, or reevaluating what really matters, Love, Learn, Play offers a practical and inspiring guide to a life that’s not just successful—but truly flourishing.

If you've ever asked, “Is this all there is?” this book is your answer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798887506951
Publisher:	Forbes Books
Publication date:	12/09/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	312
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

AKHIL GUPTA is the founder and director of Universal Enlightenment & Flourishing (UEF) and is the former founding chairman of Blackstone India.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"If everyone spent more time to learn, to play, and perhaps especially to love, we would find more flourishing in our world. Akhil Gupta’s book provides an engaging account, and one that can be backed up with empirical research as well. Let us learn, play, and love!"
— Tyler J. VanderWeele, PhD
John L. Loeb and Frances Lehman Loeb Professor of Epidemiology; Director, Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University

"This book includes many thought-provoking ideas that caused me considerable introspection. Fundamentally, it was an inspiring journey because it makes flourishing seem accessible to everyone."
— Hamilton E. James
Chairman, Costco; Former Executive Vice Chairman, The Blackstone Group

"Akhil has a gift for revealing the profound within the seemingly obvious. With this book, he brings our attention to love, learn, and play, and shows us how these deeply ingrained aspects of our being can be cultivated for maximum flourishing."
— Adil Zainulbhai
Chairman, Capacity Building Commission of India (established by the PM of India in 2021); former Director, Mckinsey & Company

"In a world often defined by distraction and disconnection, Akhil Gupta gives clarity on what truly matters. In Love, Learn, Play, he distills a lifetime of experience into a generous, wise offering for anyone ready to define success not by what we accumulate, but by how we live more fully and authentically."
— Jacqueline Novagratz
CEO, Acumen; Best-Selling Author of Blue Sweater

"Sharing his personal journey to seek answers on how humans can flourish, Akhil offers a prescription for a happier life, supported by scientific research and the wisdom of others. This book provides a comprehensive survey and offers much wisdom and insights that has the potential to transform one’s life!"
— Lee Hau Hian
Managing Director, Batu Kawan Berhad, Malaysia

"Akhil has uniquely distilled cherished wisdom, cultivated across centuries and continents, into a compelling understanding of what is ultimate for us as we live. His beautiful words are deeply personal, professional and profound. Readers can savor provocative thoughts on every page that make us reflect on what it truly means to be human—and fully alive."
— Howard Koh
Former United States Assistant Secretary for Health, US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Associate Dean of Public Health Practice and Director of the Division of Public Health Practice, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

"Akhil Gupta’s Love, Learn, Play is a generous gift for us all, wisdom to live by. The cure for what ails us is simpler than we think: slow down, think with care and attention, give thanks, and then commit ourselves to a life of love for our neighbors near and far. Deep down, all is grace—happiness born in the gracious and humble love that overflows the narrow boundaries of our short time on earth. May this lovely book help many on the path to meaning and wholeness in our troubled age."
— Francis X. Clooney SJ
Parkman Professor of Divinity, Harvard University

"Love, Learn, Play is a timely and insightful guide to living a life of meaning and purpose. Drawing on data-driven research and global wisdom, Gupta presents a simple yet powerful framework for human flourishing. In a world marked by distraction and division, this book offers a refreshing vision grounded in self-awareness, compassion, and joy. Both practical and profound, it is a must read for anyone seeking to lead with purpose and live with intention."
— Tiffany Steinwert, PhD
Dean for Religious and Spiritual Life, Stanford University