If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Happy?

Could it be that the same qualities that drive you toward professional success are keeping you from being happier? Fifteen years after earning his MBA, Raj Raghunathan spent some time with his old colleagues. Note that although they were all successful, there was no clear relationship between their academic success and their professional success. What intrigued Raj most was the weak connection between professional success and what he calls success in life. The more professional success he had, the more unhappy, unfit, exhausted, and distracted his friends became. If intelligence helps in making decisions, then naturally intelligent people will make better choices in their lives. So why do so many of the smartest, brightest, most successful people suffer from profound unhappiness? Raj set out to find an answer to this problem, and conducted in-depth research on happiness not only in students and business people, but also in housewives, lawyers, artists, and others. Take "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Happy?" Readers are on an entertaining and informative tour of the best available research on how some determinants of success can undermine happiness. Raghunathan explores seven of the most common tendencies that successful people need to overcome, and seven habits they should adopt instead. Among his surprising findings: • The relationship between wealth and happiness is much smaller than you might expect. • Generosity is not only a key to happiness, it is a critical factor in long-term success. • Appreciating uncertainty, rather than seeking complete control over outcomes, is essential to happiness. The book "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Happy?" A new, powerful perspective on your work, personal goals, and relationships, whether you're already successful or just starting out.