logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2023
50m 18s

Happiness 2.0: Cultivating Your Purpose

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode

Having a sense of purpose can be a buffer against the challenges we all face at various stages of life. Purpose can also boost our health and longevity. In this favorite episode from 2021, Cornell University psychologist Anthony Burrow explains why purpose isn’t something to be found — it’s something we can develop from within.

Did you catch the kick-off episode to our Happiness 2.0 series? We talk with psychologist Iris Mauss about how to stop chasing happiness and build a lasting sense of contentment. And if you're enjoying this series, please consider supporting our work. Thanks! 

Up next
Oct 6
Love 2.0: How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 2
When things go wrong in our relationships, we often try to change the way our partners behave. But usually, trying to fix a person only makes things worse. Last week, we talked to psychologist James Cordova about why this tendency can be so damaging, and what to do instead. This ... Show More
1h 44m
Sep 29
Love 2.0: How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 1
Many love stories end when the characters are still in the heady, euphoric early stages of a relationship. But what comes after that intoxicating first phase of love is over? Today, we kick off a new series on the challenges specific to long-term relationships. We'll talk with ps ... Show More
1h 41m
Sep 22
Passion vs. Paycheck
The idea of being driven by a calling goes back centuries. It was the language used to describe religious people who were called to the priesthood. Today, millions of people in secular professions yearn to be similarly galvanized by their work. This week, researcher Jennifer Tost ... Show More
53m 25s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2024
#467 The Goal of Life (Embracing the Journey of Self-Improvement)
The Goal of Life (Embracing the Journey of Self-Improvement) The Elusive Goal of Life The question of life's purpose has haunted humanity for millennia. Philosophers, theologians, and everyday people have pondered its meaning, offering diverse and often conflicting answers. Is it ... Show More
14m 52s
Mar 2024
Uncovering Your Life’s Purpose
In this episode of The Successful Mind Podcast, we explore the topic of how to find your life purpose and overcome the obstacles that make success seem hard. Many people struggle to live the life they truly want, stuck in jobs they tolerate with people they don’t enjoy. But by fo ... Show More
14m 27s
May 2024
Is There A Science To Happiness?
Have you ever wondered: What does it mean to be truly happy? Can our brain chemistry, or even our genetics, determine how we feel about our lives? And, most importantly, can we learn to be even happier? Cognitive scientist and Yale University Psychology Professor Laurie Santos ha ... Show More
31m 57s
Apr 2023
Happiness Break: Visualizing Your Purpose, with Dacher Keltner
Finding a greater sense of purpose can help us achieve our goals and strengthen our relationships. Dacher leads a meditation to find purpose by imagining a better world. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3u7njv3a How to Do This Practice: Find a comfortable place to ... Show More
9m 2s
Mar 2017
#109 Happiness - How to Find Happiness
Life can be challenging and hard at times.  How to find happiness, no matter what is going on in our lives, is the focus of this episode.  Learn very specific tools for finding happiness now.   To visit the Happiness Podcast, go to: http://www.HappinessPodcast.org   To learn more ... Show More
13m 7s
Aug 2021
Purpose and Happiness
Get more straight-talking success strategies on the Daily Boost FIVE DAYS a week. Go to MotivationToMove.comYou might not be surprised to hear me say that everybody I know has moments when they ponder their purpose in life and wonder if they are on the right track.You might also ... Show More
13m 58s
Nov 2022
What's Your Purpose In Life?
Have you ever found yourself feeling lost or unsure of your purpose in life? It's a question that plagues many of us at some point, and it can be a difficult and overwhelming feeling. But the good news is that finding your purpose is not only possible, it's also an incredibly rew ... Show More
18m 29s
Jul 2023
How To Be Happy: Tips For Finding Happiness In Everyday Life
On today’s episode of The Mindset Mentor Podcast we’re setting you up for a pretty great day today and potentially every other day in your life moving forward if you can catch what I’m throwing with this episode. Every single one of us knows what happiness feels like, and yet man ... Show More
23m 54s
Oct 2021
Discovering Deeper Purpose & Happiness At Work with Jenn Lim
How do you live in a state beyond happiness? Do you sometimes find that happiness is elusive? Where you’re asking yourself why you do what you do. Is it because you want to? Or because you have to? And what is the difference?  Today, I’m here with my good friend Jenn Lim. She’s t ... Show More
20m 39s