Why “Being Happy” Won’t Get You Where You’re Trying to Go
If an alien descended to Earth and found herself, somehow, in the self-help section of a bookstore, she might deduce that we’ve clearly got an obsession with happiness.
Among the titles that might catch her eye: The Art of Happiness. The Happiness Project. The How of Happiness. Authentic Happiness — the list goes on. And on. Why, she’d wonder, are Earthlings so preoccupied with this concept?
If she were shrewd, the alien might also notice that none of the books were published before the late ’90s. That’s because our cultural fixation on happiness can be traced back to Martin Seligman, a psychologist who in 1998 became president of the American Psychological Association. It was at this post that he popularized the positive psychology movement, which shifted focus from negative thinking and mental illness to happiness, well-being, and positivity.
For self-help writers, the topic of happiness is fertile ground. It’s loosely defined, and no matter how rich or fulfilling our lives, it seems we could always be happier. For those of us obsessed with self-improvement, happiness is the elusive final frontier.
But when it comes to running a business, so much of the conventional wisdom around happiness isn’t just impractical; it can actually be detrimental. Here’s why.
