Everyone wants to be happier—but too often we go chasing things that make us miserable instead.
In this episode of Office Hours, I break down the three big elements—what I call “macronutrients”—that you must have to live a happy life: enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning. I offer practical ways to strengthen each macronutrient in your own life and revisit the concept of emotional profiles. I help you think about your unique experience of positive and negative emotions, how to lean into your strengths, and how to manage your weaknesses.
And one exciting bonus: My team and I have developed a survey that measures both your unique macronutrient composition and your emotional profile. I hope you can use it to start getting happier today. Take the Happiness Scale at learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale.
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Where to find Arthur Brooks:
• Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/
• Newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter
• X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/
• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com
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Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(03:28) How genetics influences happiness
(08:36) Why pursuing happiness isn’t selfish
(09:23) Why we long for happiness and why we make mistakes trying to find it
(10:54) Misconception #1: Happiness isn’t a destination; it is a direction
(14:30) Misconception #2: Happiness isn’t a feeling
(18:24) The three macronutrients of happiness
(20:11) Macro #1: Enjoyment (versus pleasure)
(24:45) Macro #2: Satisfaction
(28:44) Macro #3: Meaning
(33:36) The role of unhappiness
(37:04) Misconception #3: Trying to eliminate all suffering
(38:17) The four combinations of affect profiles and how to measure your happiness
(49:40) Q&A: Being happier with type 1 diabetes
(51:09) Q&A: How to get better at public speaking
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Referenced:
• Take the Happiness Scale test: https://learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale
• How to Build a Life: https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/how-build-life/
• The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Files-Insights-Arthur-Brooks/dp/B0F4MFQ6VN
• Peter Drucker’s website: https://peter-drucker.com
• Twin Studies: A Unique Epidemiological Tool: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4919929
• Genetic Influences on the Development of Alcoholism: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4159132
• 3 Steps to Managing Your Emotions: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/podcast/3-steps-to-managing-your-emotions
• The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (Official Lyric Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrIPxlFzDi0
• The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness: https://www.amazon.com/Meaning-Your-Life-Finding-Emptiness/dp/0593545427
• Meaning of Life Questionnaire: http://www.michaelfsteger.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/MLQ.pdf
• The three meanings of meaning in life: Distinguishing coherence, purpose, and significance: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2016-30427-009
• Introduction to the Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex (VLPFC): https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/ventrolateral-prefrontal-cortex
• ...References continued at: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/office-hours
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