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During the pandemic, Oprah Winfrey reached out to Harvard professor Arthur Brooks, renowned for his teachings on happiness, with a proposal to collaborate on a book about finding joy and purpose in life.
The result: “Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier” (to be published by Portfolio on September 12).
Read the excerpt below, and don’t miss Norah O’Donnell’s interview with Winfrey and Brooks on “CBS News Sunday Morning” September 10!
“Build the Life You Want” by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey
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Introduction: The Road Ahead
America is currently experiencing a happiness slump. Over the past decade, the percentage of Americans who consider themselves “not too happy” has risen from 10 percent to 24 percent. Depression rates are dramatically increasing, particularly among young adults. Meanwhile, the percentage of those claiming to be “very happy” has fallen from 36 percent to 19 percent. This trend is not limited to America, as it can be observed globally and predates the COVID-19 pandemic. The underlying causes of this mass-scale slump are debated, with some blaming technology, a polarized culture, cultural change, the economy, or even politics. However, the existence of the slump is something we can all acknowledge.
Most of us don’t aim to solve the world’s unhappiness; we would be content with improving our own. But how can we do this when our problems seem external? When we’re angry, sad, or lonely, we rely on others treating us better, our finances improving, or our luck changing. In the meantime, we wait unhappily and resort to distractions.
This book shows you how to break free from this pattern. You have the power to take control of your own life and become an active participant instead of a mere observer. You can learn to choose how you react to negative circumstances and cultivate emotions that bring you happiness, even in difficult situations. Instead of focusing on trivial distractions, you can prioritize the fundamental pillars of happiness that provide lasting satisfaction and meaning.
This book introduces new ways to manage your life. However, unlike other self-help books that emphasize willpower, this book is centered on knowledge and how to utilize it. If you can’t figure out something about your car, you don’t rely solely on willpower; you consult the owner’s manual. Similarly, when your happiness is not right, you need clear, science-based information about how happiness works and instructions on applying this knowledge to your life. That’s exactly what this book provides.
Furthermore, this book does not advocate for minimizing or eliminating pain, whether it’s yours or someone else’s. Life can be challenging, and some people face greater hardships without any fault of their own. If you’re in pain, this book won’t tell you to wait it out or suppress it. Instead, it will guide you in deciding how to deal with pain, learn from it, and grow through it.
Finally, this book is not a quick fix for your life. While you may experience immediate progress, some lessons may take months or even years to become internalized and automatic. However, this is not discouraging news because the journey of self-management and progress is an enjoyable adventure. Building a happier life becomes a new way of living.
Building the life you want requires time and effort. Delaying only means wasting more time being unhappy and preventing yourself from experiencing greater happiness while positively impacting others as well.
If you’re done waiting, let’s get started.
Excerpted from “Build the Life You Want” by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey, in agreement with Portfolio, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey 2023.
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“Build the Life You Want” by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey
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