Two Nobel Prize winning scientists tested how annual salary affects three different measures of well-being. They found that income does affect well-being for people at lower salary levels. Based on their estimate, it is much better to earn $70,000 than $40,000. If you earn $10,000 or $20,000 then earning more will make you feel less stressed and happier. But that effective income on well-being starts to level off, and it does so quickly.
Recovering from a car crash that smashed her face, listener Rebecca Kaduru stumbled across an episode of The Happiness Lab in which we interviewed wounded Iraq veteran JR Martinez. His story brought Rebecca great solace in her own painful journey to recovery.
Following our recent show talking to Rebecca, we wanted to give you a chance to hear the episode which so touched her - The Unhappy Millionaire - in which we examine the "psychological immune system" that help humans overcome even the toughest experiences.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.