What determines happiness?
Genetics – 50%
Аn astounding 50 percent of the differences among people’s happiness levels can be accounted for by their genetically determined set points. Еach of us is born with a particular happiness set point that originates from our biological mother or father or both, a baseline or potential for happiness to which we are bound to return, even after major setbacks or triumphs.
The set point for happiness is similar to the set point for weight. The implication of this finding for happiness is that like genes for intelligence or cholesterol, the magnitude of our innate set points—that is, whether it is high (a six on a seven-point scale) or low (a two) or in between (a four)—governs to a large extent how happy we will be over the course of our lives.
Check your set point for happiness
Record the date that you first completed the Subjective Happiness Score.
Your score on that scale is your preliminary estimate of your set point. The reason it’s preliminary is that it’s somewhat sensitive to what’s happening around you.
You will need therefore to fill out the Subjective Happiness Scale again, ideally at least two weeks after initially taking it but before you begin the happiness building program described in this training.
The more often you take the Subjective Happiness Scale, and the further apart in time you take it, the more reliable the estimate of your set point.
Intentional Activity - 40%
40 percent of the differences in our happiness levels are still left unexplained. What makes up this 40 percent? Besides our genes and the situations that we confront, there is one critical thing left: our behavior. Thus, the key to happiness lies not in changing our genetic makeup (which is impossible) and not in changing our circumstances (i.e., seeking wealth or attractiveness or better colleagues, which is usually impractical), but in our daily intentional activities.
With this in mind, our pie chart illustrates the potential of the 40 percent that is within our ability to control, the 40 percent for room to maneuver, for opportunities to increase or decrease our happiness levels through what we do in our daily lives and how we think.
Circumstances – 10%
Perhaps the most counterintuitive finding is that as the chart shows, only about 10 percent of the variance in our happiness levels is explained by differences in life circumstances or situations—that is, whether we are rich or poor, healthy or unhealthy, beautiful or plain, married or divorced, etc.
Why do life changes account for so little? Because of a very powerful force that psychologists call hedonic adaptation.
Happiest participants in our journey? Are you one of them?
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They devote a great amount of time to their family and friends, nurturing and enjoying those relationships.
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They are comfortable expressing gratitude for all they have.
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They are often the first to offer helping hands to coworkers and passersby.
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They practice optimism when imagining their futures.
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They savor life’s pleasures and try to live in the present moment.
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They make physical exercise a weekly and even daily habit.
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They are deeply committed to lifelong goals and ambitions (e.g., fighting fraud, building cabinets, or teaching their children their deeply held values).
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Last but not least, the happiest people do have their share of stresses, crises, and even tragedies. They may become just as distressed and emotional in such circumstances as you, but their secret weapon is the poise and strength they show in coping in the face of challenge.