Chet wordmark with orange bowtie Chet wordmark with orange bowtie

Arthur Brooks, writing in his book, Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier

The macronutirents of happiness are enjoyment, satisfaction, and purpose.

The first is enjoyment. This might sound like pleasure-“feeling good.” However, this isn’t correct. Pleasure is animal; enjoyment is completely human…Enjoyment takes an urge for pleasure and adds two important things: communication and consciousness…Pleasure is easier than enjoyment, but it is a mistake to settle for it, because it is fleeting and solitary. All addictions involve pleasure, not enjoyment.

To be happier, you should never settle for pleasure, but rather make it into enjoyment. Of course, that involves a certain cost. Enjoyment requires an investment of time and effort. It means forgoing an easy, effortless thrill. It often means saying no to cravings and temptations. Sometimes, getting enjoyment is hard.

pages 9–10

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