Why So Many Smart People Aren't Happy
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Irrelevant criteria
We know what will make us happy, but we don't know how to measure it. We measure our success by using social comparisons, like a salary, or with awards.
Because people tend to use vague criteria, they are never satisfied when they reach it and always want more. This leads to an unsustainable source of happiness.
Scarcity vs abundance oriented
We view the world in one of two ways:
- Scarcity-minded approach: My win will make someone else lose. The scarcity mindset plays an important role when we have to fight for our survival.
- Abundance-oriented approach: There is room for everybody to grow. Doing something meaningful, instead of focussing on a goal, contributes to a happier life overall.
Do what you enjoy
If you do what you enjoy and are naturally good at, and if you focus on it long enough, you will probably advance toward mastery anyway, and fame and money will be a byproduct.
Things that make us happy
- Having meaningful social relationships
- Being very good at something you do
- Having the freedom to make life decisions independently.
Three things that don't necessarily contribute to your happiness:
- Being better educated
- Being richer
- Being more accomplished
Tying happiness to outcomes
It is not good to tie your happiness to outcomes since that can affect your happiness.
Overcoming some obstacles might pose more obstacles, while other events that we thought would be bad for us might make us grow and learn.
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