Decisions and Happiness: The Neural Connection

This chapter explores the neural mechanisms of decision-making and its influence on happiness, particularly through the lens of the prefrontal cortex and ego depletion. It emphasizes the benefits of limiting choice contemplation post-decision to enhance feelings of happiness and well-being.

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Episode notes

I explain the science of happiness, including the different types of happiness and how our actions, circumstances and mindset control them. While it is difficult to standardize happiness from one person to the next, I outline a structured framework of what is critical to increasing your innate “natural happiness,” including financial security, purposeful work and relationships, and I explain specific tools to increase internal happiness (so-called “synthetic happiness”). I review how specific types of human connection and attention to our choices (or lack thereof) can increase or undermine our level of happiness. I also discuss the importance of certain types of physical contact, gratitude, financial choices and volunteer contributions that research shows can maximize happiness. And I discuss how factors such as children, pets, physical well-being, substance use, prior traumas and life-phase milestones affect our quest for and depth of happiness.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.