Author Gretchen Rubin on Happiness, Human Nature, Habits

This week’s conversation is with Gretchen Rubin.

Gretchen has spent the past decade researching and writing about happiness and is the author of several books, including the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers The Four Tendencies, Better Than Before, and The Happiness Project. 

I wanted to talk to Gretchen because happiness is something that every one of us seems to searching for yet some of us have trouble finding.

When you ask people on the street or in a casual conversation, "What are you looking for in life? What does it all come down to?" Many people say happiness. 

What's been interesting is that on this podcast, many of the interesting thinkers and doers have not said happiness. They are looking for something different than that.

I wanted to pull from Gretchen why and how happiness is something that she's spent her life trying to understand.

In this conversation, we have a great discussion on how happiness and habits are linked.

Gretchen came up with her own personality framework – the idea being that each of us fits into one of four characteristics she calls the four tendencies.

These tendencies explain the reasons behind why we do what we do, based on how different people respond to expectations.

We even touch on my own tendencies and she’s spot on.

When we get to that part of the conversation, definitely take a moment to think about where you / others that you are close to, fit on the scale.

Gretchen mentions that, “What’s interesting is that if you don’t understand the tendencies, you might be sabotaging someone else with your advice, even if you have the best intentions.” And this is one of the reasons why I don’t like giving advice.. for more on that.. I did an episode of Tribe Talk on it.

I hope this conversation teaches you a little bit more about yourself and what it really means to be happy.

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