It is simple to assume that true happiness and satisfaction can solely be achieved by conducting main targets, however that is removed from the reality, in keeping with Arthur C. Brooks, a social scientist and professor at Harvard College who teaches a free course about happiness.
“A lot of people think that once they learn their skills, once they’re set in life that everything will be okay, but that’s a fallacy that we call in my business, ‘The Arrival Fallacy,'” Brooks mentioned through the CNBC Work Summit 2023 this month.
The premise of the arrival fallacy is that after you accomplish a sure factor, you may mechanically be happier and extra glad along with your life, Brooks mentioned.
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Some examples of the accomplishments that individuals assume will get them the satisfaction they’re searching for, in keeping with Brooks, embrace:
- Securing a high-paying job or monetary stability
- Getting married
- Shopping for the home they’ve at all times wished
- Dropping a specific amount of weight
No matter what that vacation spot is for you, Brooks mentioned it is best to keep away from the arrival fallacy and embrace change as a way to actually be pleased.
“Human beings are wired for progress. Progress is what brings us a real sense of satisfaction. Forward motion. Goals, moving towards them are what we really need,” he mentioned.
“Ultimately, the goal isn’t happiness because happiness isn’t a destination; it’s a direction. The way that we get happier has somewhat to do with the things going on outside of us, but it has more to do with our inner lives.”
To really feel extra satisfaction in your life, Brooks suggests treating your happiness like an investment portfolio by prioritizing these 4 areas:
- Religion and life philosophy
- Household
- Neighborhood and mates
- Significant work
“None of these things can make up happiness all on their own,” Brooks says throughout his course about happiness. “They complement each other and exist in harmony.”
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