The Happiest Man in America

Speaker, Author, and training consultant

INTRODUCING

James Paul Godsey

James Paul Godsey (J.P. “Gus” Godsey) was selected as “The Happiest Man in America” by USA Weekend magazine in March 2003. USA Weekend was attempting to find the happiest man in America and found that Virginia Beach, VA, was picked as the best place to live in America.


They went there and did countless interviews and surveys. Eventually, tests were administered by Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., nationally acclaimed happiness expert and author of Authentic Happiness.


Godsey scored in the top percentile of the 70,000-plus people worldwide who have taken the tests. In fact, “Dr. Marty” was so astounded by Godsey’s scores he made him take the tests three times.

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Gus' birthday celebration with his grandkids

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

I bought my corned beef for next week and have green beer and the 57th St. Patty’s Day Parade set in stone on my schedule.  It is held in the Ocean View section of Norfolk, VA, 3/16/24, 10AM, come join us for shamrock buffoonery.  I used to march in it for 6-7 years playing in a three-man band, mandolin, fife, and me on drum (Irish Bodhran).   That is all I could play, and poorly too..  Anyway…it is grand fun and ends with a BIG PARTY at the Knights of Columbus Lodge.  Bands, beads, beer and grownups who believe they are Leprechauns…just for a day.


On a second note, I am teaching a class on Happiness at the Adult Learning Center in VA Beach 3/26/24.  Please go to Alc.vbschools.com, go to course catalog, page 27 and sign up.  It is really a fun class, I promise.  More details next week.


Happy St. Patty’s and as always, peace on earth, good will to men.


Till then,


Gus

Previous Posts

rolling happisms

"Happisms taken from “How To Be Happy EVERY DAY”

“I not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday, is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”


-Groucho Marx-

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming really interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”


-Dale Carnegie-

This man is one of my true heroes in life. I believe his course “How to win friends and influence people,” should be mandatory at every college campus in the nation.

“Good manners NEVER go out of style.”


My Mama, Doris S. Godsey taught me that from a man getting out of his seat when a women approaches a table, to saying, “Yes, Sir,” and “Yes, Ma'am,” to opening doors and a bunch of other “stuff.” Do you remember all of the manners your own Mama taught you? Well…our Mamas’ taught us for a reason and so I think it is best we follow their lead! 

The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”


-William James-

My all time favorite quote.  

Let a friend know you are a trusted ear that will listen and not judge.


Ask someone how he or she is doing and LISTEN. Please don't do this if you are not going to really listen. Of course, the majority of the time people will say, "Oh, just fine." Sometimes you can tell when things are not "just fine."

Love unconditionally and give with no strings attached.

"Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking."


-J. C. Watts-   

This former U. S. Congressman and Oklahoma Sooner quarterback hits the nail on the head. It really makes me feel good when I look back on a tough time, when it would have been easy to cheat, or taken the easy street, but I stood tall and did the right thing. Sometimes it is not easy, but it is the right thing to do.

“Too many people overvalue what they’re not and undervalue what they are.”


-Malcolm S. Forbes-

 I am convinced that there is something good and of value in everyone. Just because society doesn’t have a big price on it, doesn’t mean it’s not priceless. Remember, this is the same society that glorifies “potty mouthed” entertainers, and overpaid athletes and actors. You know you have something good, so run with it.

Be a tutor

Helping someone learn to read and write is almost the greatest gift of all. The feeling you will have when you see the light come on in the child’s eye when he or she “gets it,” is priceless.

Give toasts


Toasting is a lost art. There are many good books on this. I am convinced a well thought out, sincere, from the gut toast, is one of the most eloquent things a guest or host can do. Practice ahead. Make sure you stick it like a Mary Lou Retton landing in the 1984 Olympics. 

“Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you”


-Maori Proverb-

Wow. This really blows me away. I wish I could think of prophetic things like that. Is it ever so true? If we look in the eyes of the good, the bad will fall by the wayside. I am really going to be positive every day

DO NOT GOSSIP


I repeat, DO NOT GOSSIP. Be the person that people know not to even broach the subject with since they know they will get thrown out on their ear. Gossip is by far the major reason for break-ups of friendships and business relationships. If you have a problem with someone, talk with him or her.

“Who you are speaks so loudly, I can’t hear what you’re saying”


-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

  Mr. Emerson said a mouthful here. How many times have we witnessed the hypocrisy of politicians or celebrities spouting off about this or that only to be caught with their hand in the cookie jar a short time later. Talk the talk, but make sure you walk the walk. 


Maybe the best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never saying a word, and then you walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you’ve ever had.

“Don’t be a liar, a thief or the last one to reach for the check…and that last one may be the worst of the lot.”


-Paul J. Godsey Sr-

This is my Dad’s favorite saying and it states a lifetime of wisdom in 26 words.  

. “If you can’t explain it to your Mother or Grandmother, don’t do it”


-Glen Salow-

On Ethics.

“Don’t cheat that man in the glass”


-Jimmy Dean- 

Yep that’s right, the sausage king made it. The one whose verdict that matters most is the one looking back at you in the mirror.

 

“There ain’t no easy horses, but you got to learn to ride.”


Written by - Schulyr, Knobloc h and Schlitz, and sung by Schulyr, Knobloch and Bickhardt

My brother Paul’s all time favorite song.  

“Try to make at least one person happy everyday. If you cannot do a kind deed, speak a kind word. If you cannot speak a kind word, think a kind thought. Count up, if you can, the treasure of happiness, that you would dispense in a week, in a year, in a lifetime.”


-Lawrence G. Lovasik-

“A person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.”


-Chinese Proverb-

CHECK OUT OUR COLLECTION

BOOKS by j.p. "gus" godsey

HOW TO BE

HAPPY EVERY DAY

This is J. P. Godsey’s first book and offers daily insights as to how to make each day the best it can be. This is sure to be an upbeat, humorous, and enthusiastic offering of “Gus’s” quotes and philosophy on making EVERY DAY count. This book has been RE-RELEASED effective January 1, 2008. Yep, it has new Happyisms, new pictures, and new “stuff” to keep you happy for years to come. On the top of this website’s home page are examples of Happyisms from the book. They are daily affirmations of things we can all do to make our lives more fulfilled, and yes…happier.

Buy from Barnes & Noble

HOW TO BE

Be Happy In HARD TIMES

This book is packed with helpful advice on how to survive these hard times with a smile. Gus grabs the bull by the horns and rips through a tough environment like a steak knife through hot butter. This book follows his first bestselling book, “How To Be Happy EVERY DAY”. It covers, in plain English, tips on how to get more out of life this minute. Check out the table of contents. Take a spin on the foreword written by Dennis McCafferty, of USA Weekend Magazine, who selected J.P. “Gus” Godsey as “The Happiest Man in America” back in 2003. He knows more than anyone how Gus’s grasp of the simple, turns hard times into happy ones. This 13-chapter book is a quick read, but still offers stories that make your jaw drop from disbelief, your belly ache from laughing, and your mind race as to how you can implement these helpful tips into your life. Read the Preface, Table of Contents, and Foreword.

Email mrhappyusa@cox.net to place an order

BOOKS BY AUTHOR

J.P. "Gus" Godsey

Meet Buttercup, a sweetie-pie flying squirrel; Buckshot, a big buck deer; Scooter, a blue-skinned lizard; and Dipper, a timid possum: Four unlikely friends who find themselves on one crazy adventure!


A typical day at the park starts out with a friendly game of dodge ball but quickly turns into something none of them bargained for. With one quick snap of his jaw, Skeeter the fox swipes Scooter’s tail---and


Scooter is determined to get it back! With this gang, it’s all for one and one for all, so the friends enter the forest together, hot on Skeeter’s trail. . . Little do they know the dangers that await them there. One thing’s for sure: A sly fox, a grumpy bear, a no-nonsense porcupine and a very hungry snake turn this ordinary afternoon into a day these four friends will never forget! A bonus is there is a underlining strong anti-bulling message that is so needed today.

Buy on Amazon

CHECK OUT OUR MEDIA COLLECTION

TV Appearances AND VIDEOS

J.P. "Gus" Godsey Has appeared on nationally syndicated shows such as Good Morning America, The Daily Show with John Stewart, and CNBC Power Lunch.

  • The Daily Show

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    The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

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Pleasing the Fifth - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Video Clip) | Comedy Central US

INSPIRING MOTIVATIONAL

SPEAKER AND COACH

Godsey is a master at providing insightful, humorous, and thought-provoking motivational speaking programs. He offers insights on how to make each day the best it can be and provides his personal philosophy on making every day count.


He also explores navigating and surviving life's trying times with a smile. Godsey's coined term, "happyisms", are daily affirmations of things we can all do to make our lives more fulfilled, and he shares these tips with his captivated audiences. To book a motivational speaking session from Mr. Happy USA himself, get in touch today!

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MORE ABOUT J.P. "GUS" GODSEY

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

High School: At Buckhannon Upshur High School, he began a 13-year career in wrestling and played football and baseball. He also developed acting skills, appearing in several class plays.


College: At West Virginia Wesleyan College, he received a bachelor of science in business management and economics. He was class president and president of his fraternity, Theta Chi. He was also involved in several athletic programs, college activities, and clubs, all while working 40 hours a week.


Post-college education: Godsey received extensive securities degrees in management, securities trading, commodities, insurance, and a certified senior advisor designation.

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MORE ABOUT J.P. "GUS" GODSEY

OCCUPATIONAL HISTORY

Godsey’s first job was shoveling sidewalks in Lancaster, PA, when he was seven years old. This led to a successful yard-mowing and paper route in New Mexico. Junior High involved a job at a food processing plant in Indianapolis. In Buckhannon, he worked his way through high school and college as a yard boy, maintenance man, maid, night watchman, and bartender/bouncer.


He graduated and accepted his first professional job as the initial manager of the newly opened 2001/VIP nightclub in rapidly expanding Myrtle Beach, SC. This was the “spot to be” and was packed night after night in the disco heyday. He left after two years to go back home and accepted a job as the campaign manager for his former boss and father figure, J.D. Hinkle, who was running for Congress. He left this and worked for two years as a sales/public relations representative for the Washington Federals of the United States Football League.


After getting married, he moved to Norfolk/Virginia Beach and began a 25-year career as a successful stockbroker with three different firms. After hosting several weekly shows for 20 years, he left the brokerage business to begin a career as a radio talk show host for WHKT “Freedom 1650” AM, heard 3-6 p.m. EST and streaming on his website. He left the radio business on December 31, 2010, to accept a job as a training consultant for a technology training firm.

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Frequently Asked Questions
  • Can you tell me more about Mr. Happy USA?

    J.P. "Gus" Godsey AKA Mr. Happy USA, known as "The Happiest Man in America" by USA Weekend Magazine, is a speaker from Virginia Beach, Virginia.


    As a speaker, Gus has reached thousands of people across the country to help them gain ultimate happiness. He became a speaker after being named "The Happiest Man In America". 


    Come see this amazing speaker by contacting us today. You don't want to want to miss your chance to be able to get the help you need from a speaker with this much experience.

  • What services do you provide?

    As an author, Gus writes books and articles that focus on personal growth, self-improvement, and motivation. His writing style is designed to inspire, empower, and encourage readers to take control of their lives and reach a new level of happiness. He believes that words have the power to change lives and he is dedicated to using his writing skills to make a positive impact on people's lives.


    As a motivational speaker, Gus brings his writing to life by delivering humorous and impactful speeches to a wide range of audiences. His goal is to inspire and motivate people to pursue their dreams, overcome obstacles, and make positive changes in their lives. 

  • How can I learn more about your services?

    If you want to hear more about what we do at Mr. Happy USA, email us at mrhappyusa@cox.net, or call the office at 757-685-6400.

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