Arthur Brooks, social scientist, professor at Harvard University, and bestselling author, discusses cultivating happiness, self-managing emotions, navigating relationships, and the importance of compatibility and complementarity in partnerships. He explores strategies for dealing with information overload, managing emotions effectively, and reconciling science and faith. Brooks also touches on the root causes of despair and hopelessness, the role of spirituality in dealing with death, and the misconception of defining oneself solely by happiness.

Arthur Brooks, Harvard professor, delves into the pursuit of happiness, debunking misconceptions and highlighting the importance of balance, relationships, and finding purpose. He explores Aquinas' idols, embracing challenges, reshaping memories, and overcoming envy to achieve lasting fulfillment.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter Arthur Brooks is a social scientist, professor at Harvard University, a columnist for The Atlantic, and the bestselling author of From Strength to Strength. In this episode, Arthur explains how intelligence changes as we get older, and how to take advantage of this to maximize our happiness and success. He distills truths about the meaning of happiness and its three main components: enjoyment, satisfaction, and purpose. He goes into detail about many of the keys to a happy life, including the importance of cultivating virtuous relationships. On the flip side, Arthur warns of the dangers of social comparison, “success addition,” and the four worldly idols—money, fame, power, and pleasure—that drive many of us. Additionally, Arthur provides examples of exercises that can guide one in the right direction, overcome fear, and cultivate habits that can lead to a happier life. We discuss: Insights from Arthur’s career as a professional French horn player [2:15]; A radical shift away from music to a Ph.D. in quantitative policy [12:00]; Personal experience with shifting intelligence: fluid vs. crystallized intelligence [16:45]; An epiphany from a chance encounter on an airplane that shaped Arthur’s thinking [22:00]; The three main “macronutrients” of happiness [25:00]; Exploring the “purpose” component of happiness [29:00]; The importance of having a partner and true friendships [32:00]; The makeup of a true friendship, and why men tend to struggle with making real friends [36:45]; The “satisfaction” component of happiness and the importance of “wants management” [42:15]; The tyranny of social comparison [47:45]; Insights into happiness through Chinese art, and the concept of a “reverse bucket list” [51:45]; An exercise demonstrating the importance of relationships with others and the need to work on them [55:30]; The four main idols that drive us: money, fame, power, and pleasure [1:01:15]; Success addiction, workaholism, and their detriment to happiness [1:04:00]; A radical approach to overcome fear—the antithesis to love and happiness [1:14:00]; Ancient Hindu advice for the perfect life [1:26:30]; The end result of getting caught in the 4 idols [1:31:45]; The complexity of happiness [1:33:30]; and More. Connect With Peter on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

Cal Newport interviews Arthur Brooks, bestselling writer who has lived a deep life and co-authored a book with Oprah. They discuss the transition to positive psychology, focusing on demand, the importance of deep thinking and proper training, and book co-authoring with Oprah. They also chat about favorite geeky things and decorative lighting preferences.

Arthur Brooks, writer of 'Build The Life You Want', busts myths about happiness, discusses the three macronutrients of happiness, the perils of pursuing pleasure, and managing emotions. He differentiates healthy and unhealthy envy, emphasizing the importance of finding meaning in life.

Oprah Winfrey and Arthur Brooks discuss finding meaning in life, removing mirrors from your home, and whether happiness experts can be happy themselves.

Discussion on happiness in the US with Arthur Brooks, Elon Musk's legal battles, role of religion in happiness, corporate tax rates impact, factors affecting happiness like social media and gender disparities in mental health, maximizing rewards with credit cards, insights on personal growth and parenting challenges.

Arthur Brooks, a happiness researcher with over 25 years of experience, discusses the concept of happier-ness. He explores the importance of values congruence, managing negative emotions, redefining mental health, and the difference between pleasure and enjoyment. He also emphasizes the importance of love and relationships in achieving happiness.

Arthur Brooks discusses balancing success and personal growth, exploring Stoicism and Christianity's interplay. The conversation touches on virtues, professional decline, busyness, morning routines, diverse perspectives, and finding purpose through uplifting others.

Arthur Brooks, social scientist and bestselling author, discusses the pursuit of happiness and the dangers of attachment to beliefs. They explore controversial topics like religious beliefs, political differences, and family schisms. They also delve into the components of happiness, the importance of balance, and the concept of homeostasis. The podcast touches on idols, negative thought cycles, the intersection of science and religion, deep desires for oneness and ultimate truth, and the difference between complex and complicated problems.