One reason that challenge brings happiness is that it allows you to expand your self - definition. You become larger. Suddenly you can do yoga or make homemade beer or speak a decent amount of Spanish. Research shows that the more elements make up your identity, the less threatening it is when any one element is threatened.

Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Lower the bar. Actually spending ten minutes clearing off one shelf is better than fantasizing about spending a weekend cleaning out the basement.

Reading makes me want to write my own books, and just trying to understand what I see in the world around me makes me want to figure things out.

The thing that inspires me most is reading and just observing the people around me. I think those are the two things that make me want to write.

Contemporary research shows that happy people are more altruistic, more productive, more helpful, more likable, more creative, more resilient, more interested in others, friendlier, and healthier. Happy people make better friends, colleagues, and citizens.

Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life.

The most reliable predictor of not being lonely is the amount of contact with women. Time spent with men doesn't make a difference.