Arthur Brooks, an expert on happiness and co-author of "Build the Life You Want" with Oprah Winfrey, discusses the ongoing journey of achieving happiness, or 'happier-ness.' He emphasizes that true fulfillment isn't a destination but a practice rooted in relationships and service. Brooks reframes negative emotions as essential signals and promotes viewing mental health as a continuous journey. He highlights the importance of community and shared experiences in fostering genuine happiness, encouraging self-reflection and purpose through personal achievements.
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insights INSIGHT
Happiness Over Lifestyle
Prioritize happiness over lifestyle.
If you cultivate happiness, your lifestyle will become sufficient.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Evolution's Lies
Recognize that evolution prioritizes survival, not happiness.
Don't be fooled by the pursuit of worldly rewards, they won't automatically bring happiness.
insights INSIGHT
Individual vs. Group
Humans are simultaneously individuals and group members.
We constantly face the dilemma of prioritizing ourselves or the group.
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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.
From Strength to Strength
Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life
Arthur C Brooks
In 'From Strength to Strength', Arthur C. Brooks addresses the inevitable decline in abilities that comes with aging and provides a practical guide on how to transform this period into an opportunity for growth. Drawing on social science, philosophy, biography, theology, and eastern wisdom, as well as interviews with everyday men and women, Brooks advocates for refocusing on priorities such as deep wisdom, detachment from empty rewards, connection and service to others, and spiritual progress. He argues that by adapting our expectations and focusing on these areas, we can achieve increased happiness and purpose in our later years.
Leaders Eat Last
Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't
Simon Sinek
In 'Leaders Eat Last', Simon Sinek explores the principles of true leadership, emphasizing the importance of trust, safety, and the well-being of team members. The book delves into the biological and anthropological aspects of leadership, highlighting the role of neurochemicals such as serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins in shaping behavior. Sinek advocates for a 'Circle of Safety' where leaders prioritize the needs of their team members, ensuring they feel protected and valued. He contrasts short-term, self-serving leadership with long-term, people-centric leadership, using examples from various organizations to illustrate his points. The book stresses that leadership is a choice rather than a rank and that great leaders focus on the well-being of their people above all else[2][3][4].
You’ll never achieve perfect happiness. This might sound like bad news, but it’s actually a good thing. Because being happy is not a final destination, it’s an ongoing practice. In short, it’s happier-ness.
That’s a term Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey coined in their new book “Build the Life You Want” where together they lay out a blueprint for a better life. And they would know: Arthur has studied the science of happiness for over 25 years, and I have never had a conversation with him that I haven’t left with a life-changing perspective on what it means to live a meaningful life.
A Bit of Optimism 
