The Misconceptions About Happiness: The Arrival Fallacy

People often put a lot of effort into trying to be happy, but they still feel unsatisfied. This is because we have misconceptions about what will make us happy. We believe that if certain things happen, like getting a promotion, a higher salary, or achieving a specific goal, we will finally be happy. However, studies show that these things only provide a temporary happiness boost. Lasting happiness comes from something else. This misconception is known as the arrival fallacy or the happily ever after fallacy. We mistakenly predict that achieving certain things will make us happier than it actually does, and the happiness doesn't last as long as we expect. This sets us up for disappointment and the belief that we need to keep striving for more to finally be happy. Even wealthy individuals fall into this trap, thinking that more money or success will bring them happiness. However, they too realize that it doesn't fulfill them as they anticipated. We need to recognize and correct our bias in affective forecasting, understanding that the intensity and duration of happiness from external achievements are often overestimated.