7 Takeaways From The Bestselling Book Stumbling On Happiness

Daniel Gilbert's bestselling book Stumbling on Happiness is regarded by many as a valuable exploration of people and their relationship with happiness. Gilbert is a distinguished Harvard psychology professor who has won numerous awards for teaching and research. His work is based on research in cognitive neuroscience and human happiness and presents relevant information in a digestible way for many who seek to understand human relationships and happiness. Below are seven takeaways from Stumbling on Happiness that you can apply to your own life to enhance happiness and well-being. You might also consider supplementing these takeaways with help from a counselor who specializes in positive psychology.

7 takeaways from Stumbling On Happiness, by Daniel Gilbert 

Below are seven of the main takeaways from Daniel Gilbert's book. 

1. Humans may be the only animals that think about the future

The uniquely human ability (part of human nature) to think about the future can significantly impact how individuals think about happiness. The human brain can perform many feats, including seeing, remembering, and forming pathways. However, Gilbert states that the ability to imagine can be even more remarkable and singular to humans, which he calls the brain's most outstanding achievement. 

Gilbert explains, "To imagine is to experience the world as it isn't and has never been, but as it might be. The greatest achievement of the human brain is its ability to imagine objects and episodes that do not exist in the realm of the real, [such as happiness], and it is this ability that allows us to think about the future." 

However, some researchers believe that brains don't imagine without structure or form. Instead, human brains can imagine the future by making predictions based on prior knowledge and events. An individual might do this by tapping into what may already be known and what has already been learned through experience.

Gilbert suggests that humans can take this knowledge and create expectations for their future selves. It can be done subconsciously, which Gilbert calls "nexting." According to Gilbert, the brain can constantly be in a state of nexting, which is why when something unexpected, unplanned, or out-of-the-ordinary pops up, people often respond with surprise, shock, or fear. 

Gilbert suggests that humans think of the future for pleasure and survival. He states, "When people daydream about the future, they imagine themselves achieving and succeeding rather than fumbling or failing." However, imagining the future may lead to feelings of nervousness or fear for some. 

Gilbert considers that nervous "nexting" serves two purposes that can be helpful to the future. For example, people might think that disaster planning can reduce the impact of the disaster if it occurs. Regardless of whether this is true, it can give some a semblance of control and safety. In addition, when an individual anticipates problems, they can take precautions to actively prevent or avoid them, leading to a potentially higher quality of life.

Another core concept in this context is affective forecasting, which the APA defines as “predicting one’s own future emotional states.” When people believe they know how they’ll feel about future events, they may act in certain ways daily, even if they end up not forecasting accurately.

2. It is difficult, but it may not be impossible to measure happiness

Happiness might not be easy to measure for some people, and Gilbert acknowledges this. He suggests a theory in alignment with the scientific community, stating, "If a thing cannot be measured, then it cannot be studied scientifically." Since happiness may not be quantitative, people have wondered whether studying it is possible. 

Gilbert suggests that happiness is "a feeling, an experience, [or] a subjective state [that] has no objective referent in the physical world." He goes on to suggest that science already has a reliable source to measure when it comes to happiness: the people who report being happy. He hypothesizes that people can be an accurate measure, as the individual is the only person with the potential to report feelings and experiences truthfully. 

When subjects report feeling happy, scientists can examine physiological measurements to support or refute the claim, like muscle movement and cerebral blood flow. While happiness is often a subjective feeling and an emotional experience, it is still genuine. The individual reporting the feeling may be the most accurate form of reference when measuring and talking about happiness scientifically.

Gilbert suggests another way scientists can improve objectivity in these measurements is to leverage the "law of large numbers." This law states that the sheer and vast amount of information gathered may start to show the true median range of a set population or test group. 

As Gilbert explains, "No individual's report may be taken as an unimpeachable and perfectly calibrated index of his experience - not yours, not mine - but we can be confident that if we ask enough people the same question, the average answer will be a roughly accurate index of the average experience."

Gilbert suggests that by examining thousands of people and their experiences of happiness, it may be possible for science to measure at least some aspects of this subjective human experience.

3. Imagination is fun, but it may have shortcomings

He then goes on to describe three possible shortcomings inherent in imagination and the related experiences for some:

• Imagination can add and subtract details. Individuals may not see that essential details are missing until they move through the experience.
• When it comes to past or future events, what a person imagines can be more like the present than those events were or will be.
• When people imagine future feelings, they may not consider that they could end up feeling differently.

Gilbert introduces several studies that showcase the brain's possible predisposition to suggestibility, which allows some people to create an extensive image for themselves. 

He then references the work of German philosopher Immanuel Kant and his idealism theory to further iterate this point. 

In the 18th century, Kant stated, "The understanding can intuit nothing, the senses can think nothing. Only through their union can knowledge arise." Gilbert explains Kant's idealistic concepts by suggesting that people use physical senses and the mind to create sensations. This process might allow them to better comprehend their environment.

In his book, Gilbert states, "Our perceptions are the result of a psychological process that combines what our eyes see with what we already think, feel, know, want, and believe, and then uses this combination of sensory information and preexisting knowledge to construct our perception of reality.

When a person imagines their future, their imagination may steer them in such a way that they try to avoid negative outcomes. However, it might not accurately depict their future or how they'll feel when it arrives. They may be stuck in a cycle of “presentism,” a blind spot that can make it difficult to imagine a brighter future. 

4. No one may know for sure how all other people feel and experience happiness

Gilbert notes that it can be challenging to compare happiness between individuals. That's because happiness happens for many on an individual level and can change in manifestation depending on who is experiencing it. 

Choosing surrogates may not always help a person to make decisions that eventually lead them to find happiness. However, if individuals pick people with similar constraints, values, and context, they may be able to gain insight about what decisions lead to more happiness.  

On the other hand, accepting that one cannot always know what makes one happy may lead to fewer comparisons. Gilbert states that this unknown aspect of happiness may allow people to be happy with what they have because they are not comparing it with what they don't have. 

5. The future you imagine may be unrealistically simple

Have you ever happily and willingly made plans several weeks in advance, only to find that you become reluctant to the idea as the day approaches? Gilbert offers a suggested explanation for this challenge in his book. He states, "When we remember or imagine a temporally distant event, our brains seem to overlook the fact that details vanish with temporal distance, and they conclude instead that the distant events actually are as smooth and vague as we are imagining and remembering them." 

It may be that imagining the immediate future allows for greater detail. However, when the actual day arrives, experiences can vary, and what once excited you might not anymore. To some people, this raises an interesting question about the role of expectations in happiness.

6. Memories and imaginations may be similar to the present moment

Further in the text, Gilbert discusses something he calls presentism, or "the tendency for current experience to influence one's views of the past and the future." Because humans can carry all accumulated experiences wherever they go, describing a future free of subjective input can seem impossible.

To do so may require humans to extract themselves from what is now known and believed, returning to their former selves and speaking objectively about how they may have felt then, without the experiences they may have gathered between the past and the present. 

The same can apply to the future. You can try to imagine how happy you might be if a particular event happens. 

However, it can be beneficial to consider how much might have changed by the time you reach that future and what would happen if you found out it wasn't what you wanted. Gilbert suggests that many people actively compare how they feel in the future to how they would feel now instead of considering what they might feel then. 

7. Psychological immune systems are a buffer for traumatic events

Gilbert believes that people adapt to bad things more than they expect. Research suggests that the psychological immune system (an emotional system) keeps individuals in a state of self-preservation in times of stress. Humans can imagine negative events that haven't yet occurred, with many thinking that they may lessen their impact if they think about them ahead of time. This process may result from a resilient psychological defense mechanism, which often works preemptively to rationalize the potential for failure or loss. Over the course of time, negative events tend to hurt less than people predict. 

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

Actionable strategies

While Stumbling on Happiness isn’t meant to be a blueprint for happiness, the following are some strategies based on the book that may enhance happiness and well-being.

Do a 5-minute “future feelings” check-in

One quick practice that may help improve happiness is to do a 5-minute “future feelings” check-in each day. You might ask yourself if your plans for the day are likely to make you happier the next day. 

Pick your surrogates wisely

When weighing your choices before a big decision, you might ask yourself how a close friend might decide. You might not always reach the same conclusion, but if you choose people with similar values, you might end up making decisions that lead to more happiness. A licensed therapist may also be able to help with major life decisions. 

Counseling options 

If you are experiencing periods of prolonged sadness, stress, or apathy, you might consider speaking with a licensed therapist. You may feel drained or unable to leave your bed or your home. In these cases, online therapy may be a beneficial resource, allowing you to receive emotional support from the comfort of home. With online therapy, you can communicate with a therapist in a way that’s comfortable for you, such as: 

• Audio
• Video
• Live chat 

Studies have found that online therapy is as effective as in-person therapeutic formats. A recent study published by the Journal of Medical Internet Research reviewed the efficacy of an online platform and found that depressive symptoms and feelings of sadness in those living with depressive disorders were reduced after the intervention. 

If you want to try online therapy to address a lack of happiness, a mental health condition, or any other concerns, consider signing up with an online platform like BetterHelp. BetterHelp uses a match-based system, allowing you to get matched with one of over 30,000 therapists specializing in unique areas of mental wellness.