4 Disciplines that Lead to Happiness and Meaning | Arthur C. Brooks

In today’s episode, we cover happiness with Arthur C. Brooks. Arthur is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, and is the author of 12 books, including the national bestsellers “Love Your Enemies” and “The Conservative Heart”, and his newest title “From Strength to Strength”.

Happiness and meaning are two things we all want but many of us follow the wrong paths to find them, so how do you figure out what the correct path is and how do you find meaning in a world that is focused on satisfying superficial desires?

What to Listen For
Introduction – 0:00
What is the ultimate secret to happiness according to science?
What are the 4 disciplines exhibited by happy people on a daily basis that you can start implementing today?
How can you get the benefits of religious faith & community if organized religion isn’t your thing?

Achievement does not equal Fulfillment – 14:19
Why do some of the most successful people on the planet feel empty and alone?
Why do many of us reach a point in our careers when we feel we’ve peaked and what can you do to keep excelling in your profession beyond that point?
What is success addiction, how do we fall into it, and what can you do to kick the addiction if you find yourself addicted to success?

Strive for fulfillment instead of achievement – 29:10
What should we be pursuing if our current goals of money, power, fame, and pleasure are leading us to feel unhappy, alone, and empty?
Why is school/education not the answer if you’re looking for more meaning in life, and what are we looking for when we think school is the answer?
How are music and other creative pursuits related to our ability to find fulfillment and happiness?

Everyday the world tries to convince us the path to happiness and fulfillment is traversed by spending money on a product or service. We are made to think being famous will lead to fulfillment and love. We mistakenly believe having more power and control over the world around us will lead to feeling complete and accomplished. The funny thing about happiness and fulfillment is they are found in the simple things that do not require significant sums of money: loving the people around you, wanting and needing less, having strong spiritual beliefs, and doing work that is a service to others.

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Resources from this Episode

Arthur C. Brooks’s website

From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C. Brooks

Dr. Judson Brewer | Unwinding Anxiety

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