The Science of Happiness

The books, in order

1. 1

   Psychology · 14 min

   Stumbling on Happiness

   Daniel Gilbert

   We imagine tomorrow using today's mood, which is why we decide badly when we're hungry, tired, or anxious.

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2. 2

   Psychology · 14 min

   The Happiness Advantage

   Shawn Achor

   The way you interpret a situation can change how much energy it leaves you to act.

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3. 3

   Psychology · 14 min

   The How of Happiness

   Sonja Lyubomirsky

   According to the author, there is no single practice that works for everyone: what works is the one that fits your own personality.

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4. 4

   Psychology · 14 min

   Learned Optimism

   Martin E. P. Seligman

   Giving up can be learned after facing many dead-end failures, and what is learned can be unlearned.

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5. 5

   Psychology · 17 min

   Authentic Happiness

   Martin Seligman

   Seligman suggests seeing happiness as three pieces: an inherited starting point, the circumstances of your life, and the part that depends on your daily choices, which is where the book places its bet.

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6. 6

   Psychology · 14 min

   Flourish

   Martin E. P. Seligman

   Measuring your life by your daily mood is like judging a career by the morning weather: how you feel today does not sum up how you live.

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7. 7

   Psychology · 15 min

   The Happiness Hypothesis

   Jonathan Haidt

   The person who points out the speck in someone else's eye usually has a plank in their own, and the conversation gets better when you admit your part first.

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8. 8

   Psychology · 14 min

   Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill

   Matthieu Ricard

   Training the mind is like training the body: a little every day pays off more than a lot once in a while.

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9. 9

   Psychology · 14 min

   The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living

   Russ Harris

   According to the book, fighting anxiety usually wastes energy and, in many cases, prolongs the discomfort.

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10. 10

    Psychology · 16 min

    Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

    Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

    The sweet spot of flow always sits one step above what you already do well: too easy bores you, too hard freezes you.

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