The Art of Manliness

Key Insights From the Longest Study on Happiness

Jan 11, 2023

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Robert Waldinger, the current director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development and co-author of 'The Good Life,' dives into what truly makes people happy. He reveals that the quality of relationships is paramount to happiness, and explores the intriguing U-shaped curve of marital satisfaction. Waldinger shares how upbringing impacts our life trajectories and highlights the significance of nurturing friendships for overall well-being. Active engagement in social connections is presented as a key strategy for thriving at any age.

47:11

Creator website

Episode guests

Robert Waldinger

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Top Five Tips for Overcoming Relationship Challenges in Midlife

01:38

How to be a Better Social Worker

00:51

The Benefits of Staying Close to Your Family of Origin

01:42

The Benefits of Appreciating Your Partner

01:54

Intro

3min

Insights from the Harvard Study on Adult Development

5min

The Power of Social Connections

17min

The Power of Appreciation in Marriage

2min

The Importance of Fun and Physical Touch in Relationships

5min

The U-Shaped Curve of Happiness and Relationships

2min

The Impact of Family and Friendships on Happiness

15min

The Key to Happiness and Longevity: Staying Engaged

3min

Started in 1938, the Harvard Study of Adult Development represents the longest study on happiness ever conducted. It set out to follow a group of men through every stage of their lives, from youth to old age, to discover what factors lead people to flourish.

Here to share some of the insights that have been gleaned from the Harvard Study of Adult Development is Dr. Robert Waldinger, the current director of the project and the co-author of The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. Today on the show, Robert explains how the study has affirmed the absolute primacy of relationships in happiness and how to develop the “social fitness” to make and enrich those vital connections. We discuss what the happily married couples in the study did differently, and why happiness in marriage tends to follow a U-shaped curve which hits its low point in midlife. We talk about how the way you were raised helps set a trajectory for your life, but how it’s also possible to overcome a rough upbringing to become a transitional character in your family. We also discuss the role that friends and work played in the happiness of the men who participated in the study. We end our conversation with what folks in every stage of development — whether youth, midlife, or older age — should focus on to live a flourishing life.

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