Together: Why Social Connection Holds the Key to Better Health, Higher Performance, and Greater Happiness

by Vivek H. Murthy

There’s something that binds everyone. Even if they are behaving in ways I find reprehensible, we still share a common humanity.

once we find points of shared value and concern, our minds and hearts open to each other.

the structure and mission of the army and, by comparison, found civilian life chaotic and purposeless.

fear of being hurt,

fear of being abandoned, which can turn to anger—and

those perceived to be leaving or ...

You become very hostile to those around you when you’re lonely. I would find any little thing to set me off and use that as an excuse for a violent act.”

others. In short, helping others makes us feel we matter, and mattering feels good.

Any form of service will do, as long as it feels genuinely and personally meaningful.

“When you’re a work addict, your tasks become the most important thing. A relationship will often feel like an obligation,”

reciprocity of true connection.

sharing in the concern and responsibility for others. This

tribal members. It’s

baked into o...

“a lot of the introverts, they want a job so they don’t have to talk as much.”

endorphin effect is just one of many biochemical phenomena that

These chemical responses reward us for bringing friends together, secure our sense of belonging, and make social activities good for us,

fame, wealth, and status at the expense of kindness, honesty, and character.

RULER—an