Renowned social scientist Arthur C. Brooks has spent decades researching what it means to be happy, coming to the conclusion that happiness is not a destination but rather a direction one should strive towards continuously. In his recent book co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, they emphasize that individuals must aim for “happierness” instead of seeking out pure happiness as an end goal. Brooks often explains that happiness consists of specific subdivisions or macronutrients, which people can work on to increase their overall sense of well-being without a predetermined destination in sight. In fact, the pair underscored the idea during their podcast interview with “Ten Percent Happier With Dan Harris”.
According to Brooks’ findings, happy individuals enjoy life and derive satisfaction from fulfilling activities while also having a sense of meaning about why they exist. These three subdivisions are crucial components that contribute significantly towards an individual’s overall happiness levels: enjoyment (pleasurable experiences with the addition of people and memory), satisfaction (the joy derived after struggling for something) and purpose (a belief in one’s life having a sense of meaning).
Brooks also emphasized during his podcast interview that individuals must not mistake pleasure as being synonymous to enjoyment. Constantly chasing purely pleasurable experiences is an unsatisfactory way to live, he explained. Instead, people should add two things – namely people and memory – into the mix while enjoying themselves for a more fulfilling experience.
Social activities such as going out with friends or sharing humorous videos on social media are enjoyable ways individuals can share pleasure together because it is derived from an activity that brings value to others’ lives, which makes them feel good about their contributions in society too. Similarly, solitary experiences like reading a book, meditating, and listening to music also contribute towards enjoyment levels.
Satisfaction stems from the joy individuals derive after struggling for something; it is what they earn through hard work or sacrifice that gives meaning to life’s rewards. Brooks shared an analogy provided by his father-in-law: “The reason people aren’t as happy as they should be is because they don’t enjoy their dinner,” he said, explaining how individuals who never feel hungry will not appreciate the value of a meal once it arrives on the table.
Purpose has three subdivisions according to Brooks – namely beliefs about life after death, finding one’s role in community affairs and being proud of something you’ve done in your lifetime (like volunteering). Purpose is arguably the most essential macronutrient out of all these; it refers to having a belief that your life has some significance. However, people should understand there aren’t necessarily correct answers as such subdivisions are subjective and differ from individual-to-individual perspective.
Can you provide more examples or tips on how we can increase our satisfaction levels based on Brooks’ insights?
Leave a Reply