Have you heard the story of the millionaire who gave away everything he owned to become homeless and happy?  He told of having no regrets about walking away from a lucrative shearing business that made him a “millionaire” to sleep under a tree in a Launceston Park. It’s a remarkable true story and you can hear about it on Silver Linings.

Terry Lees explains that for some people, less is more because they can live life without feeling trapped by emotions of the past. Terry offers insight into where we can find lasting happiness.

Listen to the episode below, or continue on to read the transcript.

Episode Transcript:

A beautiful true-life story written by ABC Journalist Sarah Abbott in Tasmania is the story of Brent Flower, or “Hammer” as he prefers to be called. Hammer said that when he gave away everything he owned he felt like he could fly. He told of having no regrets about walking away from a lucrative shearing business that made him a “millionaire” to sleep under a tree in a Launceston Park. “There’s a lot of thought that we need all this stuff to be happy,” he said. “I believe it’s a falsity.”

Hammer grew up on the North Island of New Zealand and became a professional shearer, joining the shearing world circuit, and for years travelling the globe, shearing sheep in Scotland, Australia, and the US. Eventually he settled down in Wyoming USA, where he set up a successful business as the largest shearing contractor in North America.

But for Hammer, wealth and possessions did not bring happiness. “What do you win when you’ve got a lot of stuff? You know, it just gathers dust,” he said. Increasingly disillusioned with Western culture’s obsession with affluence, Hammer questioned the purpose of life. So, he did what made sense to him. “I gave it to my ex and I walked away with a suitcase,” he said. Hammer said that was where his real learning journey began, through self-education via local libraries — and via an experience with despair.

On his darkest days, as he found himself on Tasmania’s west coast, he said he thought, “I can’t do anything here and what is the point?”. However, after deeply considering life and his circumstances, “the decision was made to live” and he sought professional help. “The authorities helped me and here I am, and glad to be alive, by the way,” he said.

That’s also when he decided to start giving back. He joined the Launceston branch of non-profit environmental restoration group Conservation Volunteers Australia, spending two or three days a week with Conservation Volunteers, something he said he immensely enjoyed. He was regarded by the group team leader as a “sensational” volunteer; energetic, strong, with a great attitude, and the ability to motivate other people around him. Hammer also made a point of picking up rubbish whenever walking around town, even attending to clogged stormwater drains and overflowing bins.

“They say you wanna leave the world a better place, so … it looks better behind me than in front of me,” he said. “I believe I’m giving back to the community by the things I do. Giving for what I’m receiving.”

Still an NZ citizen he does not qualify for assistance from Centrelink, for which he is glad. “I believe, to some extent, you can become reliant on that and it’s sort of a trap in itself,” he said. He was grateful for “perks”, like the odd free breakfast and shower from the Salvation Army and a $25 voucher for supermarket food once a month.

And then there was his tree to be thankful for, the one he slept under for two years. “That goes beyond words — the appreciation and love I have for that tree,” he said. “Because you actually need a place to call home. Because if you’re homeless and carrying everything with you, that’s a whole other ball game.”

Hammer said leaving Launceston and his tree was “bittersweet”. “I gotta say it, say this from the bottom of my heart, it’s been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. And I’ve done a lot of things. I’ve been around the world a lot of times.”

Hammer left Launceston, travelling to Kangaroo Island, South Australia, to volunteer his labour rebuilding a bushfire-ravaged farm and working for food and shelter – “to do what I can to help, help where I’m needed, ” Hammer said.

What a remarkable story! From millionaire to homeless and happy; a journey from wealth and success to his darkest days in remote western Tasmania before newfound happiness sleeping under a tree in Launceston. For Hammer it is very much living a philosophy that less is more.

Just before his death at the age of 56, billionaire Steve Jobs said, “In other eyes, my life is the essence of success, but aside from work, I have a little joy. And in the end, wealth is just a fact of life to which I am accustomed… Your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world.”

People who are less emotionally attached to things generally feel the relief of not being so upset when disaster strikes. They have hardened themselves with the ability to quickly recover from breakups or financial concern, while still being able to maintain an air of happiness and gratitude. Less is more for them because they can live life without feeling trapped by emotions of the past.

In the Bible, Paul the Apostle says: “We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it; but as long as we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that. People who long to be rich are a prey to trial; they get trapped into all sorts of foolish and harmful ambitions which plunge people into ruin and destruction” [1 Timothy 6:7].

The last word goes to Tibetan Lama, Sogyal Rinpoche, who said: So, where do we find this lasting happiness?  In the realisation of the ultimate nature of ourselves.  Everything is here within us.  The truth is within us.  Happiness is within us.  True happiness and peace of mind cannot be found in anything external; it can only be found within. –

Look within and look for the silver lining.

This is Terry Lees

[Music: I’m Doin’ Alright – Adam Harvey]