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Build the Life You Want || Arthur Brooks

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Sep 14, 2023

Guest

Arthur Brooks

Arthur Brooks, co-founder and CEO of DeepMind, dives into the art of happiness and resilience. He discusses how embracing life's ups and downs can lead to personal growth and fulfillment. Relationships, meaningful work, and faith are highlighted as keys to well-being. Brooks shares actionable strategies for managing emotions and habits. The conversation touches on neuroscience and how understanding our emotions, both happiness and unhappiness, can pave the way for a richer life. His insights encourage listeners to view challenges not as obstacles, but as integral parts of their happiness journey.

59:47

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Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Happiness as a Direction

Happiness is not a destination, but a direction.
It arises from building a life, not a static state.

insights

INSIGHT

The Role of Unhappiness

Unmitigated happiness is undesirable and unsustainable.
Challenges, negative emotions, and growth are essential for true happiness.

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ANECDOTE

Brooks and Oprah's Collaboration

Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey co-authored "Build the Life You Want."
Their collaboration began after Oprah read Brooks' previous book and followed his Atlantic column.

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The Journey of Happiness

02:34 • 11min

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The Science of Self-Actualization and the Pursuit of Balance

13:05 • 3min

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Navigating Happiness and Unhappiness

15:52 • 15min

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The Complexity of Love and Hate: Beyond Emotions

31:19 • 4min

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Love, Hate, and the Complexity of Relationships

35:40 • 12min

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Navigating Family Dynamics and Personal Growth

47:11 • 2min

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Suffering as a Path to Happiness

48:44 • 14min

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From Strength to Strength

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Build the Life You Want

The Art and Science of Getting Happier

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Oprah Winfrey

In 'Build the Life You Want,' Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey offer a research-based approach to improving one's life by focusing on emotional self-management. The book emphasizes building the four pillars of happiness: family, friendship, work, and faith. It provides practical, science-backed strategies to manage emotions, turn challenges into opportunities, and find inner peace. The authors share their own experiences and those of others who have found joy despite hardships, highlighting the importance of enjoyment, satisfaction, and purpose in achieving a happier life.

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In '10% Happier,' Dan Harris shares his personal journey of discovering the benefits of meditation. Initially a skeptic, Harris, a news anchor, found himself on a path of self-discovery after a nationally televised panic attack. He delves into the world of spirituality and self-help, encountering various figures including brain scientists, CEOs, and spiritual leaders. The book explores how meditation can reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being without compromising one's ambition or edge. Harris emphasizes the importance of mindfulness in making one more resilient and better equipped to handle life's challenges, though it does not eliminate problems entirely.

Today we welcome back Arthur Brooks to the podcast. Arthur is the Parker Gilbert Montgomery Professor of the Practice of Public and Nonprofit Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. He is also a columnist at The Atlantic, where he writes the popular weekly “How to Build a Life” column. A world-renowned speaker, he talks about human happiness, and works to raise well-being within private companies, universities, public agencies, and community organizations. His latest book, which he co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, is called Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier.

In this episode, I talk to Arthur Brooks about building the life you want. People often think that happiness is a static end goal. But in reality, life will always have its ups and downs. According to Arthur, we can make choices that can improve our well-being despite the presence of challenges. He talks about how to find satisfaction through family, friends, meaningful work, and faith. Arthur also shares actionable steps around managing emotions and habits that can help us create a better life. We also touch on the topics of neuroscience, transcendence, evolutionary psychology, and love.

Website: arthurbrooks.com

Twitter: @arthurbrooks

Topics

02:50 Build the Life You Want

03:55 Writing the book with Oprah

10:14 Extremes are unhealthy

15:35 Unhappiness is not your enemy

17:38 Faith and transcendental experiences

21:22 Look for real friends, not deal friends

25:09 Work is love made visible

27:27 Love your enemies

37:28 Conflict is not hatred