Book Summary: Happiness By Design
Paul Dolan’s Happiness By Design is inspired by his behavioural research. He examines how happiness happens and how we experience it as well as some simple tools for feeling happier.
Related Book Summaries:
Designing Your Life – Bill Burnett
The Charisma Myth – Olivia Fox Cabane
Quotes:
Optimism research teaches us that we should expect the best and have a contingency plan for the worst.
You should carefully consider your reasons for the ideal self you construct and then select goals and ambitions that are sensible and conducive to your happiness.
There are so many stimuli vying for your attention—sounds, places, people, smells, and your own thoughts rattling around in your head. You only have so much attentional energy and it will make you happier, more efficient, and healthier if you are able to focus it properly.
Happiness By Design Book Summary Notes:
- Happiness is caused by both joy and a feeling that what you are doing has a purpose.
- One way to get the most out of your day is to alternate pleasurable activities with purposeful ones.
- Happiness is caused more by what you pay attention to than what you do.
- Positive behaviours can encourage more positive behaviours, but this can also work in reverse.
- We often misjudge our desires and goals, especially their potential to affect our happiness.
- Use immediate feedback to find out what makes you happy.
- If you already use a system of time tracking you can add a section for how happy the activity makes you to gain a better understanding of your day to day happiness.
- Having people around you who support your goals and ideals is also important, both for your happiness and success.
