#549. Lessons From the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness | Dr. Robert Waldinger

Today’s guest is the man in charge of the world’s longest scientific study of happiness, a study that has been running since 1938. 

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Dr. Robert Waldinger is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development at Massachusetts General Hospital, and co-founder of the Lifespan Research Foundation. He is also a Zen master and teaches meditation in New England and around the world. His TED Talk is one of the most viewed of all time, with over 43 million views. He’s the co-author, along with Dr. Marc Schulz, of The Good Life.

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In this episode we talk about: 

• What the Harvard Study of Adult Development is and how it got started
• How much of our happiness is really under our control
• Why you can’t you be happy all the time
• The concept of “social fitness” 
• Why you should “never worry alone” 
• How having best friends at work can make you more productive
• And why, in his words, it’s never too late to be happy

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Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/robert-waldinger-549

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Where to find Robert Waldinger online: 

Website: http://www.robertwaldinger.com/

Social Media:

• Twitter: @robertwaldinger
• LinkedIn

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Book Mentioned:

• The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness

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Other Resources Mentioned:

• The New York Times 7-Day Happiness Challenge 
• TED Talk: What Makes A Good Life? 
• Dr. Marc Schulz
• Harvard Study of Adult Development
• TPH #238: You Don’t Have to be Alone to be Lonely | Former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy
• TPH #225: Happiness Takes Work | Sonja Lyubomirsky

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