How to be Happier
The hedonic treadmill and why one shiny new thing won’t change it all
I’ve been exploring new work opportunities lately. And I’ve found myself thinking some silly thoughts.
Things like, “if I get that work, my life will be made.”
And, “This is going to change the game for me, I’m going to level up my happiness x100 if this happens.”
This kind of language is dangerously close to the absolutist if/then frame of happiness.
Have you ever thought to yourself, if I could just get that promotion, I’d finally be happy…?
Or maybe it wasn’t about work or a promotion. Perhaps it was if only I could win that award, or buy that new house, or get married, or move to that country or lose ten kilos: Some specific goal or event you identified as the critical factor to feeling whole, fulfilled, happy.
I’d guess most people have had moments like this; where they lock onto an idea and convince themselves that that, that thing, holds the final number of the combination to unlock their happiness and bring total fulfilment for the rest of their lives.
The problem is, it rarely does.
Sure, the pay rise or award won or wedding or new car boosts happiness for a while. But eventually, when the novelty wears off, we go right back to the same level of happiness we felt before it. Then, there’s a new ‘big thing’ we strive for, in hopes that it will fulfil us in the long term.
At least, that’s the case according to the theory known as the hedonic treadmill (or hedonic adaptation).
The Hedonic Treadmill
The idea here is that positive or negative external changes affect our happiness for a time, but eventually we adapt to them and go back to our version of ‘normal’. Regardless of the intensity of the event, the vast majority of the time we habituate and return to our baseline level of happiness.
What the baseline level of happiness looks like for you will be different from others. Research suggests that our personalities and temperaments affect our happiness set-point. Some people lean naturally towards the jolly-Santa type, while others might resonate more with the Grinch.
The hedonic treadmill is, in some ways, reassuring; because although the boost from positive events doesn’t last forever, by extension, the adverse events won’t either.
The process of habituation allows us to slowly diffuse the intense emotional impact of milestone events in our lives. In that sense, it’s a testament to our resilience as a species; divorce, illness, losses and other tragic events will undoubtedly affect us, but there’s a good chance we will recover in due course, finding happiness again.
One now-classic study in 1978 assessed the happiness levels of three different groups: Lottery winners, people who had become paralysed in accidents, and a control group. I should note these studies have since been hotly contested, as with most issues of human happiness. But they’re still cool. Here’s what they found:
The lottery winners weren’t substantially happier than the control group, and, fascinatingly, winners “took significantly less pleasure from a series of mundane events”.
It’s suggested that an extreme positive event like winning the lottery could make other good, ordinary things less exciting and happiness-inducing for a time.
While the group of accident victims rated their general happiness lower than the other two groups, the researchers note “the paraplegic rating of present happiness is still above the midpoint of the sale and… did not appear nearly as unhappy as one might have expected.” However, their rating of expected future happiness was the highest out of all three groups, as was their rating of past happiness (which the researchers name a ‘nostalgia effect’).
The research demonstrates that in presuming one key event will dictate our disposition for the rest of our lives, we overlook habituation and the complex nature of happiness.
The hedonic treadmill theory is an unfortunate reminder that one big win in life is not the key to happiness. The new car smell fades eventually, the shiny corner office becomes commonplace, and the amazing new city we moved to shifts from a novel adventure to the expectant and monotonous.
Which leads to the question… if something like coming into an absurd chunk of money won’t secure my happiness, what will?
What is our happiness based on?
Our baseline of happiness and well-being operates relatively consistently throughout our lives. While research is ongoing, some, like psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, suggest that the happiness set-point comprises the following:
50% based on genetics;
40% based on personal attitudes and behaviours;
10% based on external circumstances (demographics like age, education, sex, location).
Recent research exemplifies that things are, as always, far from simple, with some arguing the heritability (the genetic element) of happiness is actually much higher.
To me, the percentages are not that important. If we accept the general theory, then part of our happiness is virtually locked in, and another part is not. It’s the latter we must focus on: The happiness proportion borne out of our choices.
Hopping off the hedonic treadmill
My cat, Gary, loves lasers. He’ll chase one for hours, growing more determined as the hunt continues. But, as is the nature of cat-toy lasers, when he catches one… not much happens. He’ll never physically hold the laser and enjoy it. After one pursuit, he must move on to the next laser, and the next.
He does this until I feel bad, give him a treat and throw away the laser, ashamed of encouraging his impossible dream.
Instead of chasing rainbows — the fanciful goals we’re convinced will transform our lives — we might be best to hop off the hedonic treadmill.
What does that mean? Perhaps it requires zooming out and seeing our human experience in context; along with the small joys that can bring positive emotions daily.
Some research suggests that certain minor events can provide frequent, small increases in well-being that accumulate over time. Exercising regularly and attending religious services were found as examples of this: the more people did them, the happier they were.
(In other words, instead of the hedonic treadmill, we should try an actual treadmill.)
We can probably take this idea to most realms of life. Getting married in a grandiose display with hundreds of friends and family will lose its happiness-power after a while, but appreciating and connecting with your partner every day could keep the spark going.
Receiving that award from work will give you a fancy certificate for the mantel, but challenging yourself to produce outstanding, meaningful work each day might foster greater well-being over time.
Relaxing on the sand with a margarita can make for a tranquil holiday, but making time to experience nature and do things you love regularly is a better solution for the long term.
The hedonic treadmill is likely a natural human phenomenon, and in some ways it’s helpful. But placing all our expectant joy on one event or achievement throws off our perspective.
As they say, the real magic is in the little things.
I suspect the hedonic treadmill is rife at the minute: This time of year, particularly this year, it’s easy to shove all our future positive expectations onto 2021. That next year we’ll be able to go on that holiday or start that new business or get married or whatever it is, and that will change the game for us. Even though we’ll feel a buzz in the new year, eternal happiness is a lot of weight for a calendar to carry. So, perhaps it’s a good time for all of us to take a step back, and assess our priorities and perspective. Perhaps we must look at happiness not as a project to be completed, but a state we must engage in the present, through our choices and our thoughts.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this — feel free to let me know. As for me, I’ve done my best this week to catch myself when I fall into hedonic-treadmill-style thought loops. The journey continues!
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