A helpful reader of The Dilbert Blog set up a wiki for The Happiness Formula I recently talked about.
http://happinessformula.pbwiki.com/
The password to edit it is “happy.” Have at it. If you’re not familiar with the wiki concept, it allows anyone to edit the information. So if you know a lot about, for example, a good diet, you could contribute what you know to that branch of the tree. Please stick to information that has some basis in science.
One Dilbert Blog reader noted that current research shows that happiness causes success more than success causes happiness. That makes sense to me. There’s plenty of research about people having a baseline of happiness that doesn’t vary much with circumstances. And given that happy people are typically optimistic, energetic, and fun to work with, I can see how happiness would lead to success.
My experience has been that circumstances in my life will move me about 10% in either direction from my baseline of happiness. That can be the difference between happy and unhappy. On any given day, the swing might be much greater, but I always revert to the baseline – give or take 10% – once the unusual good or bad luck passes.
I think it’s fair to say that the Happiness Formula describes a way to get you to your own best happiness potential. I know people who are giggle-happy all day long, and I’m sure that’s beyond my genetic happiness potential.
Many of you pointed out that Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is similar to the Happiness Formula. There’s a big overlap, but happiness is different from needs, and the Happiness Formula is more of a practical map.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow’s_hierarchy_of_needs
One of the great things about my job is that I never know when I might wake up and be part of something that changes the world. I doubt the Happiness Formula wiki will change the world, but you have to admit that it has the potential to change some individuals.
That’s why today is a good day.