Stumbling on Happiness

by Daniel Todd Gilbert

It is only natural that we should imagine the future and then consider how doing so makes us feel, but because our brains are hell-bent on responding to current events, we mistakenly conclude that we will feel tomorrow as we feel today.

We cannot do without reality and we cannot do without illusion.

A healthy psychological immune system strikes a balance that allows us to feel good enough to cope with our situation but bad enough to do something about it

On the contrary, research suggests that people are typically unaware of the reasons why they are doing what they are doing,1 but when asked for a reason, they readily supply one.2

My friends tell me that I have a tendency to point out problems without offering solutions, but they never tell me what I should do about it.