the pursuit of happiness
6 Sep 2011
|
reflections
,
health
,
life
,
money
,
wellbeing
What is the recipe for genuine unadulterated happiness? I think all of us would like to know the answer.
Do we catch happiness in a similar way to the common cold, or is their actually a more intricate formula which we can follow to make ourselves more satisfied people and in turn live happier, healthier lives?
Now, a study based on the first-ever globally representative poll has revealed some interesting answers.
Way back in 1954 the psychologist Abraham Maslow came up with a 'hierarchy of needs' a simple theory based on what are generally seen as being the most important elements of a happy life. He essentially broke down the path of happiness into an easy to digest pyramid of desires.
At the bottom, he calculated our physiological well-being, then our safety, then love and belonging and finally Esteem and Self-actualisation at the very top. The problem was that Maslow's theory remained just that - a theory, and without a sufficient level of scientific evidence to back it up.
To find proof that Maslow's theory, Diener, a University of Illinois psychologist and senior scientist for the Gallup Organisation, helped design the Gallup World Poll, a landmark survey on well-being with 60,865 participants from 123 countries that was conducted from 2005 to 2010. Respondents answered questions about six needs that closely resemble those in Maslow's model: basic needs (food, shelter); safety; social needs (love, support); respect; mastery; and autonomy. They also rated their well-being across three discrete measures: life evaluation (a person's view of his or her life as a whole), positive feelings (day-to-day instances of joy or pleasure), and negative feelings (everyday experiences of sorrow, anger, or stress). Finally, Diener analysed the poll data with fellow University of Illinois psychology professor Louis Tay for a study in the current edition of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
The results showed that the basis of Maslow's 1954 theory was fairly accurate, as humans there indeed are a number of fundamental elements that we need to make us happy, although the results also argued that 'the basic needs might get the most attention when you don't have them.'
ipac - your happiness partner
Here at ipac we understand that while money doesn't necessarily make the whole world go round, it remains an important part of our client’s well-being.
In fact there are so many options and information on how to build wealth that most of us are uncertain as to the best way to go about it.
We find that most people usually just want to make the most of what they have, avoid mistakes and take advantage of opportunities. And, of course, make money, so they can create the life they want.
Deciding on the right financial path for you and determining the right balance of investments is not always easy. A good financial adviser can help you understand the options, avoid costly mistakes, make smart choices and help you stay on track.
To find out which wealth creation strategy is right for you come in for a chat with your adviser, contact us on 1800 626 881 or visit www.ipac.com.au.
Acknowledgement to The Atlantic.