1: Happiness researcher Arthur Brooks was interviewing “a young striver” for his book The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness.
The man struggled to put his feelings into words. “Matter-of-factly, he told me about his virtual job, dating apps, social media friends, and video gaming,” Arthur writes.
“Most of his interview isn’t worth recounting,” he writes.
“But then, flatly, he said this: ‘I feel … continue reading
1: “It’s always the same list,” Oliver Burkeman writes in Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts.
How to live a fulfilling life. It’s always the same list.
“Nurture our relationships, pursue challenging goals, spend time in nature, and make room for fun,” Oliver notes.
But we knew that already.
“If following a list was all it took, we’d have solved … continue reading
1: Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz get asked many questions.
Bob and Marc are the Director and Associate Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the world’s longest scientific study of happiness.
People often approach them with worried looks and ask: “If I’m shy and have trouble making friends, is the good life out of reach?”
Or, “If I had a bad childhood, am I just totally screwed?”… continue reading
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
1: Psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi’s believed he discovered the “secret to happiness.”
He labeled it “the flow state.” It’s when we are completely absorbed in an activity. Also known as being “in the zone,” we lose our sense of time. Our actions and awareness become one in which we have a heightened sense of control.
We enter the flow state through as part of a four-step process. So far this week, … 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.
Did you know we spend almost half of our waking hours at work?
Here’s the math:
Seven days. Twenty-four hours each day. 168 hours total hours in any given week.… continue reading
1: In his fourth Olympic games, in his final race, Dan Jansen won his first-ever Olympic medal, finishing first with a world-record time.
Yesterday, we explored Dan’s emotional gold medal-winning race.
“Before the race, [Dan] decided to compete with a completely new mindset,” Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy write in The Gap and The Gain: The High Achiever’s Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success.
Rather than think about … continue reading
1: “Dan Jansen is considered by many to be the best speed skater to ever live,” Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy write in The Gap and The Gain: The High Achiever’s Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success.
“But he seemed to be jinxed,” the authors note.
Dan competed in his first Olympics in 1984 when he was 16 and finished fourth, one spot off the medal podium.
“Over … continue reading
