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The Happiness Hack: Would You Still Chase Success If No One Was Watching?
A Harvard Psychologist’s Simple Question That Could Change Everything About How You Live
In the age of constant comparison, happiness feels like a moving target. Social media magnifies success stories, amplifying our insecurities. But what if the secret to true happiness lies in one simple, paradigm-shifting question? Harvard psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar offers an exercise so straightforward it might just be revolutionary: What would you do if you were completely anonymous?
The Happiness Formula Is Broken
For years, society has drilled one message into our heads: success equals happiness. We’ve been told to chase promotions, accumulate wealth, and build impressive résumés. Tal Ben-Shahar knows this trap all too well. Once a high achiever stuck in what he calls a “void of existential emptiness,” he believed ticking life’s checkboxes would lead to fulfillment. It didn’t.
Ben-Shahar’s epiphany was clear: external markers of success fail to bring lasting happiness. His research uncovered a more sustainable approach — happiness as a process, not a destination.
But if success isn’t the answer, how do we recalibrate our lives?
