As inspiring stories go, it doesn’t get much better than Bert and John Jacobs, the founders of the hugely successful, socially conscious T-shirt company Life is Good.
While some may look at their success and imagine that it was driven on by money, they would be very much mistaken, because this business grew from something that we can all possess in infinite quantities: optimism.
With the publication of a new book, Life is Good: The Book, the Jacobs brothers have been sharing the inspiring story of how their refreshing approach to business and life took root – and it all comes down to their beloved mother, Joan.
When the brothers were in primary school, their family was involved in a car crash through which their father lost the use of his right hand. Frustrated by his injuries, he developed a bad temper, and the Jacobs household became characterised by stress, strain and arguments.
Keen to focus on the positive side of life, however, Joan wanted to instil a message to her six children of how ‘good’ it really could be, and so she began a ritual that would change their lives.
Every night, she would gather the kids around the dinner table and ask them to recount something good that had happened to them that day. This encouraged the brothers to “celebrate the power of optimism”, which ultimately drove on the success of their company.
Life is Good started out with the brothers selling T-shirts on the street and sleeping in a van, existing on nothing but ‘peanut butter and jelly sandwiches’. And while they almost gave up numerous times, they always kept going based on their mother’s insightful mantra: “Life is not perfect. Life is not easy. Life is good.”
Now with an estimated worth of $100 million, Life is Good has turned into a movement based on positivity and the 10 ‘superpowers’ that they believe we can all possess: openness, courage, simplicity, humour, gratitude, fun, compassion, creativity, authenticity, and love.
The Jacobs brothers’ story certainly provides some food for thought. There is always room in our lives for a little more positivity and appreciation of our blessings, and maybe tapping into this could make a big difference in our lives.
