The Path

The Path: What Chinese Philosophers Can Teach Us About the Good Life (2016), a work of philosophical nonfiction by Michael Puett, examines ancient Chinese philosophical teachings, explaining how they can help us live fulfilled, prosperous lives. Also known as The Path: A New Way to Think About Everything, the book is an international bestseller, appealing to both philosophy students and general readers looking for a self-help book. Puett is the Walter C. Klein Professor of Chinese History and Anthropology at Harvard University and the author of a handful of similar self-help books.

Designed to appeal to those who haven’t previously studied Chinese philosophy or Eastern philosophers such as Confucius, The Path provides an overview of key Chinese philosophical teachings and as such, is suitable for readers with even a passing interest in alternative philosophies.

Puett’s thesis is we look for happiness in the wrong way. Looking for our true self is a waste of time because there is no such thing as a true self. Instead, our inner self evolves constantly, and what makes us happy changes all the time. Happiness comes from embracing the unpredictability of life. If we focus on looking for our one identity, we’re holding ourselves back from reaching our full potential.



The Path is divided into nine chapters. Each chapter takes a key facet of Eastern philosophy and examines it briefly before looking at ways we can apply its teachings to our everyday lives. Puett is convinced that, if we adopt these philosophies, then we will be happier, more fulfilled, and more successful. He encourages us to read the book carefully, study it, and reflect on each chapter and lesson as we go along.

The first major lesson Puett puts forward is that there is no “path” for us to follow. Our fate is not predestined, and the universe is in a constant state of flux. We are not born with a single, unchangeable path to fulfillment inside of us. We must change direction, or change paths, all the time. This is difficult for those accustomed to Western ideas of philosophy to understand, but according to Puett, it is the only way to understand the world.

How we live our lives changes constantly over the course of days, weeks, months, and years. For example, although we may think we are making logical decisions about what we will eat for dinner, or what time we will leave for work in the morning, we are driven by our instincts and needs at that moment in time. This means that we pick our food not because of a predetermined path inside ourselves, but because of how hungry we are, and what nutrients we need, at that specific time.



Puett argues that we are far more malleable and flexible than we give ourselves credit for. The ancient Chinese understood this. Subscribing to the idea that we have a true self just waiting to be discovered is an example of negative thinking and self-doubt. It is a safe option that allows us to limit ourselves and cling to long-held beliefs. Believing there is one true path, and that we’ve somehow found it, gives us permission to stop trying. Once we stop expanding then we’re living our lives wrong.

In ancient China, those such as the Taoists believed that the universe is spontaneous, irrational, and illogical. As products of this universe, we are the same, and this is an exciting, wonderful thing. It gives us permission to take control of our lives, shaping them, as we will, all the while acknowledging we can drop everything and start again when it suits us. There is no order, only organized chaos.
Puett explains that it’s up to us to step outside our comfort zones and look at life with a fresh eye. He sets the reader challenges, such as smiling at strangers and finding ways to be kind every day, inviting different energies into our lives. This, in turn, exposes us to fresh perspectives and ideas that will inform how we live our lives from that moment forward. In other words, Puett returns to the idea that everything is constantly changing, and we live from moment to moment, evolving as we go.

Critics of The Path point out that Puett’s teachings don’t take into consideration differences in class, age, gender, or nationality. The book doesn’t account for how many people don’t have the freedom to make their own choices to the extent that the book encourages us. However, critics accept that The Path illustrates for us that we are not the first generation to ponder the nature of our identities and how to live the best life. Everything we do has a ripple effect on the world around us, and we should at least appreciate the part we play in a chaotic universe.