The Little Book of Lykke: The Danish Search for the World's Happiest People

by Meik Wiking

People on a quest for something they find meaningful – whether that is building a boat or growing the perfect tomato – tend to be happier; they know that happiness is the by-product of the process and not a pot of gold at the finish line.

In other words, we are spending money we don’t have to buy stuff we don’t need to impress people we don’t like.

I think what works well in Denmark is that enjoying a good quality of life does not have to cost a lot of money. If I lost my job and my savings, I would still be able to enjoy most of the same things I enjoy today.

‘Mothers – we owe everything to them. They gave birth to us, they nurtured us, and they made us who we are.

In short, meetings are employees talking about work that they have done or work that they are going to do, and managers are people whose job it is to interrupt people. Both are killing our productivity.

according to the Office of National Statistics, happiness seems to decrease with every mile a commuter travels.

‘We look at the coherent development of the child – academically, socially and emotionally. Maths and science are important, but so are empathy, understanding how to be a good friend and knowing how to work with others,’ Louise explains.

Helping people, listening to their stories and getting involved in their hopes and dreams and struggles bring both sorrow and satisfaction. When we get to know people, we start to care more. We take part in their victories – and share their defeats. Life is messy, and relationships are hard. The outcome of helping may be a mixed bag. Getting involved also means that we can get hurt from time to time.

But helping also brings a sense of purpose.

And remember: there is no point in being a pessimist – that shit never works anyway.

Always hire people who are smarter than you. For me, those are easy to find, but they have also been good people who believe in building a better world and have helped me shape this book and the Happiness Research Institute.