Arthur C. Brooks is an unlikely happiness guru.

He’s not a psychologist, philosopher, or mystic. He’s an economist and public policy analyst who, for years, ran a prominent think tank.

But rubbing shoulders with heads of state and titans of industry made him miserable. Confronted with the sobering realization that for too long he’d privileged work over connection and status over happiness, he left the c-suite and set about renovating the mission of his life.

Before long, Arthur was teaching at Harvard Business School. But he wasn’t teaching hostile takeovers and leveraged buyouts. He was teaching happiness. From a scientific perspective.

Now, the pursuit of happiness might not seem like your typical business school fare. But Arthur’s got a good line on this. As he writes in his new book, The Happiness Files:

“Your life is the most important management task you will ever undertake. It is, in fact, like a startup, where you are the founder, entrepreneur, and chief executive. And if you treat your life the way a great entrepreneur treats an exciting startup enterprise, your life will be happier, more meaningful, and more successful than it otherwise would be.”

So that’s what today’s show is all about. What does it mean to live your life like it’s a startup?

What you’ll learn:

Why smart people are often less happy
The simple test that reveals your biggest weakness
How exercise and diet affect mood
Why we should live in “day-tight compartments”

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ARTHUR C. BROOKS: Success Won’t Make You Happy — Here’s What Will