Yale’s most popular class ever “The Science of Wellbeing” by professor Laurie Santos, Daniel Gilbert Harvard psychologist who wrote ”Stumbling on Happiness”, and Harvard lecturer Shawn Anchor “The Happiness Advantage” have studied successful people to understand what makes them happy (or unhappy). Most people want to be successful in life. And of course, everyone wants to be happy. When it comes to the pursuit of success and happiness, most people assume the same formula: if you work hard, you will become successful, and once you become successful, then you’ll be happy.
The only problem is that a decade of cutting-edge research in the field of positive psychology has proven that this formula is backwards. Success does not beget happiness. Based on the largest study ever conducted on happiness and human potential (a survey conducted by the author of more than 1,600 students), revealed that happiness actually fuelled success and performance, not the other way around. Why? Because when we are happier and positive we are more engaged, creative, productive, resilient to stress, leading to a more successful life. You really do hold the key to making yourself happy!