The Happiness Trap, by Russ Harris
Every week or so, the adviser team sits down together to discuss what books or material we’ve been reading that helps us do what we do. We discuss and share insights – it’s a time and process that we all value and get a lot out of.
The book we were talking about today was The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris. It was first published 10 years ago but the content remains current and resonated with all of us. It’s a global best-seller for a reason.
At the centre of this book is the premise that Russ Harris believes that evolution has made it hard for us to be happy. Harris believes that society’s misleading ideas about happiness directly contribute to the current epidemic of stress, anxiety and depression.
The book is easy to read and offers practical strategies to build a satisfying, full and meaningful life. Here’s a simple example from the book:
Ask your future self these 3 questions…
Imagine that you’re looking back on your life as it is today. Finish the following sentences:
- I spent too much time worrying about…
- I spent too little time doing things such as…
- If I could go back in time, I would…
Have a go. It’s often a real eye-opener and points to the big difference between what we value doing and what we are actually doing.
At Treysta one of our main goals is to help our clients live a life aligned with their values (we’ve even got a new research-based process to help them identify what they are – more on that another time).
Have you read this book? Let us know what you thought of it.
