251: The Good Life: What An 80-Year Study of Happiness Now Tells Us, with Marc Schulz
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The concept of happiness as been explored in countless ways over the past years, yet it seems that modern society has been misguided when it comes to understanding the true drivers of happiness and well-being. For the past 20 years, Dr. Marc Schulz has been involved in a groundbreaking 80-year study of happiness – in fact, the world’s longest scientific study of happiness – and he joins us today to share his findings. The renewed focus he’s brought to the study is one that investigates relationships and their powerful effect on our overall well-being. Marc is a practicing therapist with postdoctoral training in health and clinical psychology at Harvard Medical School and is the associate director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. He also acts as the Sue Kardas Ph.D. 1971 Chair in Psychology, directs the Data Science Program, and previously chaired the psychology department and Clinical Developmental Psychology Ph.D. program at Bryn Mawr College. His credentials extend to his authorship of the recently published book, The Good Life: Lessons From the World’s Longest Scientific Study on Happiness. In this episode, Marc presents an overview of the study in question and breaks down modern society’s misconceptions about the drivers of happiness. We discover the initial intention of the study and the link it unearthed between loneliness and physical health problems. Marc explains the kinds of relationships essential for our well-being and provides an example demonstrating the remarkable impact of connection. “The good life” encompasses more than just happiness, and today, we are encouraged to lean in and experience the full spectrum of life, for the sake of our overall well-being. Science is becoming increasingly able to explain the correlation between our emotional experiences and our physical health, so tune in to discover how best to optimize your experience and subsequently, your health.    Key Highlights From This Episode: Introducing Marc Schulz, Ph.D., and today’s topic: how to attain the “good life”. [01:12] An overview of the 80-year study of happiness and Dr. Marc Schulz’s involvement in it. [02:54] The initial intention of the study. [07:55] Modern society’s greatest misconceptions about happiness and well-being. [09:18] The link between loneliness and physical health problems. [11:55] The full spectrum that the “good life” encompasses. [19:05] The impact of loneliness at work and the value of shared experience. [24:07] The role of science in explaining how our emotional experience impacts our physical health. [30:56] An example of a finding demonstrating the remarkable impact of connection. [33:41]   For More Information Marc Schulz Marc Schulz on LinkedIn The Good Life: Lessons From the World’s Longest Scientific Study on Happiness   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:  Dr. Robert Waldinger’s TED Talk: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness   Ready to Take Your Professional Life and Leadership to the Next Level? Become The Most Powerful You! In reading a great deal about leadership today, and interviewing top leadership experts, I’m recognizing a disappointing trend - that the general concept and understanding of leadership has become so vague and watered down that most of it isn’t helpful at all, and it’s not suited to a majority of women who want to lead differently. The Most Powerful You training goes deeper. It helps you recognize and understand more about yourself as a person and the leader you want to be, then take empowering, transformative actions to operate in your role in a way that takes your leadership and your career higher, making the impact you dream to. If you truly want to help your team, staff, and organization become “The Most Powerful We,” this is the right training for you.  Take this course individually or bring it to your workforce and teams today! Click her
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