Sonja Lyubomirsky: We know that people across the world want to be happier. And say that
it is important to be happier. But is being happy a worthwhile goal? In other words, are
their tangible benefits to happiness, or does it just feel good? Some people think that,
that happy people are more kind of selfish, hedonistic and self-centered. It really all
about me, me, me, right? I want to be happy.
Well it's a really good question. I think unequivocally, yes there are tangible benefits
to being happy. A couple of colleagues of mine and I, actually wrote a paper where we
reviewed two hundred, twenty-five (225) studies. And we found that people who are happier,
and people who experience more positive emotions, make more money, and are more productive at
work, and are more creative at work, they are better leaders and negotiators; they are
more likely to get married... These are longitudinal studies, so, if I measure you happiness today,
and then come back ten (10), twenty (20) years from now, you are more likely to get married,
have fulfilling marriages, to have more social support, more friends.
Happy people are more philanthropic, they are more generous and kind to others. They
give more to charity, so, it is not the case that happy people are more, sort of, self-centered;
you could actually argue that they are more other-centered. Happier people are better
"Copers," they are more resilient, and they are healthier; they have strong immune
systems. There is evidence they actually live longer.
Now of course the causal direction can both ways, right? So, marriage and good health
makes people happy. But, the research is now showing that it also goes the other direction.
Being happy leads you to have good things in your life, leads you to accrue positive
things. So, basically I am just arguing that the pursuit of happiness isn't just about
pleasure, isn't just about feeling good, or about hedonism. Being a happier person
can sort of, lead to a lot of other kinds of success in life. So, hopefully I have persuaded
you that, that happiness is important.