"I became interested in happiness because of my own unhappiness. I was an undergraduate at Harvard studying computer science, and I found myself in my second year doing very well academically, doing well in athletics, I played squash, doing quite well socially, and yet being very unhappy. And it didn't make sense to me because when I looked at my life from the outside, things looked great."
"I checked the boxes. But from the inside it didn't feel that way. And I remember waking up one very cold Boston morning, going to my academic advisor and telling her that I'm switching majors. And she said, 'What to?' And I said, 'Well, I'm leaving computer science and moving over to philosophy and psychology.' And she asked me, 'Why?' And I said, 'Because I have two questions. First question is, why aren't I happy? Second question, how can I become happier?'"
A person can excel academically, athletically, and socially yet experience profound unhappiness. Changing academic focus to philosophy and psychology can stem from the desire to understand why happiness is absent and how to become happier. Formal study across disciplines and advanced research can concentrate on methods to increase well-being for individuals, couples, families, organizations, and nations. Cultural messages that equate success with happiness encourage relentless goal pursuit. Attaining external milestones frequently fails to deliver lasting inner contentment, prompting investigation into psychological causes and practical interventions to boost sustained well-being.
Read at Big Think
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