What makes us happy?

One thing I've noticed common to most HBS students is an intense drive toward achievement. If we follow Maslow's hierarchy of needs, we pursue self-actualization and self-transcendence as the ultimate goal. As defined by Maslow, this means to "...have unitive consciousness and plateau experience ... and to have or to have had peak experience (mystic, sacral, ecstatic) with illuminations or insights." It also means to have achieved spiritual self-sufficiency, authenticity, meaningfulness, humility, and cognitive self-understanding. In order words, achieving one's full potential as a human being.

With such lofty goals, it's no wonder that so many HBS students are left with unresolved desires and anxiety about making their mark on this world.

Although I haven't had my "transformational" section experience yet (it will be interesting to revisit this subject in a year), on the surface it seems many HBS students are one pyrmaid level below the top: Esteem. They are tactically driven by tangible achievement, votes of confidence and success, and are consciously or unconsciously seeking the respect of others in this world. I suppose this is a natural position in life for a 20-something on his/her quest towards greater intangible success; one just has to see it as a phase rather than an end state to truly appreciate the personal dimensions and context of the HBS experience.

So what does make us happy?

Wouldn't it be nice if we could track several hundred Harvard graduates across the depth of their lives, monitoring, observing, recording, and evaluating what brings one true happiness? Can we confirm or deny the age old sage that money can't buy happiness? Amazingly, Harvard has been conducting exactly such a study on the same group of graduates for the past 72 years! The study tracked 268 Harvard men throughout their lives; the ones still with us are well into their 80s.

With a group so privileged and ambitious, and with such a strong drive to be successful and make a mark in the world, is it a surprise to anyone that a third of the participants exhibited some sort of mental illness - if only temporarily - by their 50s? At the same time, it should be of little surprise that some of the participants also filled the job of the oval office, the US cabinet, and countless powerful boards.

The article is well put together and reveals a lot of surprises. Although it tends to dwell on esoteric academic references, it also addresses more puzzling questions such as "What college aged personality traits predict political affiliation?" "What variables best predict health later in life?" And of course... "What brings us happiness?"

On a personal note, it was reassuring to read that every life, no matter how it is presented or projected to others, is filled with personal tragedy, personal growth, setbacks, eloquence, complexity, empathy, and connection. We all live through the full spectrum of emotion. We also know there is no playbook for happiness - we all just do the best we can on this one way journey.

I invite you to learn from what must be one of the deepest studies in positive psychology ever compiled.