What Makes a Good Life
Lessons from the world's longest study on happiness
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.
- Albert Schweitzer
Happiness is one of the most sought-after states of being yet it is also one of the hardest to study. Most of what we believe about happiness comes from people "remembering the past" but hindsight is hit-and-miss at best.
But what if we could study entire lives from the early teen years all the way into old age? The Harvard Study of Adult Development did just that, and it very well may be the longest, most comprehensive study of what creates and sustains happiness and well-being.
Since 1938, the study tracked the lives of two contrasting groups, well-to-do Harvard Sophomores from good homes and disadvantaged youth from Boston's most impoverished neighbourhoods.
According to the director of the study, Dr. Robert Waldinger, the major lesson was not one of wealth, success, accomplishment or fame. The clearest takeaway is simply that "good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period."
Waldinger breaks down the findings into three sub-lessons. First, people socially connected to family, friends and community are happier, healthier, and live longer. Second, the quality of our relationships matters more than the quantity of our connections. Third, having good relationships actually protects our brains, reporting that those with strong social support experienced less mental deterioration as they aged. Curiously, the study also suggests that those with the stronger relationships earned substantially higher income.
When asked if he personally made any changes as a result of the study, Waldinger said he now invests more time and energy in his relationships than ever before. “It’s easy to get isolated" he states. "We're told to 'lean in' to our work but this study shows we should lean into our relationships as well."
The littlest tweak
What is the effect of a tiny bit of change? Of doing something a little differently from how the person before you did it. Or a little differently from how you yourself did it yesterday? Can a little bit of change make a difference?
L.A. Composer Isaac Schankler created an experimental take on one of the most recognizable pieces of music of all time, Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. In his rendition, Schankler plays all the right notes in all the right order but with one small difference – he plays the left hand one bar late and the right hand one bar early.
The results are spectacular and a reminder that even the littlest tweak can change everything.