Harvard Study of Human Development, 2003 Questionnaire
Q: “What is the secret to aging well?”
A: “Happiness, caring. Watch what you’re eating. Try to get out and do a little walking or exercise. Have friends. It’s so good to have friends.” —Harriet Vaughn, Study participant, age 80
1: What does it feel like when we love someone? Or when we know someone loves us?
“Think about how you experience … continue reading
1: The year was 1946.
John Marsden and Leo DeMarco were both at major crossroads in their lives,” Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz write in their book The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness.
Both men had volunteered to serve in the military during World War II. John served stateside, while the Navy assigned Leo to duty in the South Pacific.
Both John and … continue reading
1: “People are terrible at knowing what is good for them,” Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz write in The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness.
There are several reasons for this reality.
First is our belief that happiness is something we achieve. “As if it were an award you could frame and hang on the wall,” Bob and Marc write.
“Or as if it … continue reading
Rabbi Harold Kushner‘s son, Aaron, died when he was fourteen of a rare aging disease.
Harold has “spent the years since reflecting on how the tragedy has shaped him, and studying how other people are remade by their sufferings. “David Brooks writes in his book How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen.
“I am a more sensitive person, a … continue reading
1: “The writer David Lodge once noted that 90 percent of what we call writing is actually reading,” David Brooks writes in his book How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen.
Because we read back over our work. Continuously. To make it better.
Dealing with trauma is similar, David believes. He calls this process “excavation.”
“It’s going back and back over … continue reading
1: “To know a person well,” David Brooks writes in his book How to Know a Person, we “have to know who they were before they suffered their losses and how they remade their whole outlook after them. . .
“To know someone who has grieved, we have to know how they have processed their loss—did they emerge wiser, kinder, and stronger, or broken, stuck, and scared?”
Knowing how … continue reading
1: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about.
Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations. On Friday, I share something about myself or what we are working on at PCI.
This Friday, we continue our search for wisdom as we push to end 2024 on a strong note and start 2025 with a bang.
So, what does our dog … continue reading
To become a transcendent leader, we must understand what truly motivates people.
Author and leadership expert Fred Kofman believes there are four levers leaders must utilize to capture the hearts and minds of their team members.
Yesterday, we looked at the power of purpose. Today, we detail three other powerful tools transcendent leaders tap into to build inspired organizations: Principles, People, and Autonomy.
First up: Principles.
“As a culture architect,” … continue reading
Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about. Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations. On Friday, I share something about myself or what we are working on at PCI.
One of my goals for the year is to experiment with different approaches and tools to strengthen my relationships with the people I love and care about.
We’ve been revisiting … continue reading
1: Are we destined to be happy or unhappy? Loved or lonely? Does what happened to us in our childhood define us, forever?
“We get asked questions like this a lot,” Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz write in their book The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness.
Bob and Marc are the current Director and Associate Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development… continue reading
