The key features of projects that contribute to well-being are meaningfulness and manageability. Meaningful projects align with values, are enjoyable, and express who you are. However, manageability is also crucial for well-being. Projects must be manageable in terms of successful completion, control, coherence, and time. Meaningful projects that are also manageable enhance well-being, while those that are not manageable do not significantly impact subjective well-being. The most important aspect of personal projects is the sense of efficacy, the belief in the likelihood of successful completion. Projects that are both meaningful and manageable lead to greater happiness compared to those lacking manageability.
Award-winning researcher and pioneering psychologist Brian Little has plenty of accomplishments under his belt. He’s the author of the bestselling books “Me, Myself, and Us” and “Who Are You, Really?” His TED Talk on the science of personality has tens of millions of views and he’s been elected a Favorite Professor multiple times at Harvard. And he’s also Adam’s favorite psychologist – and personal mentor. Brian and Adam talk about how our personal projects shape our well-being, the nuances of introversion and extraversion, when it makes sense to act out of character, and what our daily pursuits reveal about us. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts