logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2019
37m 39s

The Unhappy Millionaire

Pushkin Industries
About this episode

How can winning the lottery ruin your life - while contracting an incurable disease feel like 'a gift'? Dr Laurie Santos hears about dreams come true and nightmares realised; and talks with Dr Dan Gilbert about why human happiness isn't defined by these major events in the way we all assume.

For an even deeper dive into the research we talk about in the show visit happinesslab.fm 

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Today
A Neuroscientist’s Guide to Changing Your Brain with Dr. Richard Davidson
Your brain is changing all the time, whether you realize it or not. Everything from your hobbies and chores to the media you consume can physically shape it. So how can you make sure it’s changing in ways that actually serve you? Laurie speaks with neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davi ... Show More
36m 23s
Sep 7
Stop Doing Things the Hard Way with Dr. Angela Duckworth
When we’re struggling to reach a goal, most of us assume the answer is to buckle down and try harder. But what if all that white-knuckling is actually making things more difficult than they need to be? Dr. Laurie speaks with psychologist Angela Duckworth, best known for her groun ... Show More
58m 13s
Aug 17
The Life-Changing Power of a Sabbatical
It’s hard to focus on wellbeing when we’re expected to work nonstop until retirement. Taking a break from time to time should be a given, not a privilege. Dr. Laurie works in one of the few industries that recognizes the importance of extended time off. As she begins her own year ... Show More
48m 31s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2023
The science of happiness with Laurie Santos | How to Be a Better Human
The phrase "comparison is the thief of joy" might be the kind of cliché that makes you roll your eyes — and yet, it's an idea that is, scientifically, pretty accurate. In today's episode, psychologist Laurie Santos — a Yale professor and host of "The Happiness Lab" podcast — disc ... Show More
36m 12s
Dec 2022
What It's Actually Like To Win The Lottery
We speak with a young woman whose family won the lottery. We discuss how her life has changed, the dark side of winning, and her plans for the future. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/opl and get on your way to being ... Show More
58m 28s
Jul 2024
HAPPINESS with Laurie Santos
<p>What is happiness? How do our circumstances affect happiness? Why is the word “gratitude” kinda cringey? What can we do to feel better? Should we try to feel happy all the time? Yale cognitive scientist, Eudemonologist, and host of The Happiness Lab podcast Dr. Laurie Santos c ... Show More
24m 32s
Jan 2023
Can money buy happiness?
According to a 2020 Swedish study, most lottery winners see no notable improvement in happiness or mental health. This begs the question; can you pay to live a happier life? In this episode I dig into the psychology behind money, covering why scarcity beats abundance, learning if ... Show More
32m 49s
Sep 2021
Eudemonology (HAPPINESS) with Laurie Santos
<p>HAPPINESS RESEARCH, straight up. What is happiness? How do our circumstances affect happiness? Why is the word “gratitude” kinda cringey? What can we do to feel better? Should we feel guilty for feeling happy? When is positivity “toxic?” Yale cognitive scientist, Eudemonologis ... Show More
1h 10m
Oct 2022
Listen to This: The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Here’s a special preview of the new season of The Happiness Lab, a podcast from Pushkin Industries. You might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos has stud ... Show More
4m 37s
Jul 2024
Does Money Buy Happiness?
We’ve all heard the phrase, “money doesn’t buy happiness.” But, Elizabeth Dunn, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, says that isn’t necessarily true. She sits down with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, to talk abo ... Show More
32m 59s