The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want

“The science of happiness deserves to be more than a fad. Striving to be happy is a serious, legitimate, and worthy aim. If you consult the ancient texts in history, literature, or philosophy, you’ll also find that it’s eternal.”

Lyubomirsky emphasizes the universal human desire for greater happiness and well-being. She points out that many people experience suffering and a sense of emptiness or unfulfillment in their lives. She then counters that fact with the assertion that pursuing happiness is not only a noble and admirable goal but also a very human one. Lyubomirsky thereby situates her present effort to support the pursuit of happiness as part of a long line of scholarly work.

“The catch is that we tend to look for happiness in the wrong places. What we believe would make a huge difference in our lives actually, according to scientific research, makes only a small difference, while we overlook the true sources of personal happiness and well-being.”

Lyubomirsky’s statement underscores how many common misconceptions surround the sources of happiness, introducing her theme of Debunking Happiness Myths. What many people believe will bring significant happiness in fact, based on scientific research, yield only minor boosts in happiness at best. Meanwhile, genuine sources of personal happiness and well-being often go unnoticed or underappreciated.

“Perhaps the most common error is that we assume that positive events, be they promotions at work, clean bills of health, hot dates, or victories by our preferred presidential candidates or football teams, will provide much more happiness than they really do.”

Lyubomirsky emphasizes a prevalent misconception in which people overestimate the impact of major positive events on their happiness. She suggests that promotions, good health reports, exciting dates, or even personal victories may not deliver the level of happiness expected. Scientific research, as she highlights, indicates that these events often provide less happiness than anticipated and that any happiness imparted is not long lasting.