Stumbling on Happiness
by Daniel Gilbert
Gilbert's funny, rigorous tour of why we mispredict what will make us happy: imagination fills in details, forgets context, and fails to account for adaptation. It is not an advice book, and its one piece of advice, ask people currently in the situation you are considering, is excellent. A pleasure to read.
Read it if…
you are about to make a big life decision based on how you think you will feel.
Skip it if…
you want a how-to; the book explains, it does not prescribe.
Three things you will actually use
- Distrust your forecasts of future feelings.
- Ask surrogates who are there now.
- Expect to adapt to both good and bad.
Do this first
Before your next major decision, find someone living it now and ask how it actually feels.
Our verdict
Witty and smart; the best book on why we are bad at predicting happiness.
Compare with other Gratitude books
The How of Happiness
Sonja Lyubomirsky · Gratitude
Practical and grounded; a program, not a pep talk.
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Happier
Tal Ben-Shahar · Gratitude
Clear and gentle; a good first positive psychology book.
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Hardwiring Happiness
Rick Hanson · Gratitude
Simple and kind; a small practice with real effects.
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