Dr. Laurie Santos

We often think that happiness is a destination, like get the promotion and then I'll be happily ever after.

We often think that happiness is a destination, like get the promotion and then I'll be happily ever after.

But of course, happiness is much more like a journey.

But of course, happiness is much more like a journey.

It's much more changing over time.

It's much more changing over time.

Soon as you get that good thing that you like, you might just get used to it.

Soon as you get that good thing that you like, you might just get used to it.

And so we got to watch out for these moments of arrival.

And so we got to watch out for these moments of arrival.

It, again, causes us to go for specific things that aren't really going to make us feel as happy as we think.

It, again, causes us to go for specific things that aren't really going to make us feel as happy as we think.

Yeah, well, I think you get the one moment of dopamine, like, oh my gosh, this is awesome, I get this reward.

Yeah, well, I think you get the one moment of dopamine, like, oh my gosh, this is awesome, I get this reward.

But remember that that's not an objective measure, right?

But remember that that's not an objective measure, right?

We're comparing that accolade once we got it to what we thought it was gonna be like.

We're comparing that accolade once we got it to what we thought it was gonna be like.

And because of miswanting, because our expectations are so high, often it's not nearly as good as we think.

And because of miswanting, because our expectations are so high, often it's not nearly as good as we think.