Ideas change everything

The surprising science of happiness

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Dan Gilbert |

TED2004

• February 2004

Dan Gilbert, author of "Stumbling on Happiness," challenges the idea that we'll be miserable if we don't get what we want. Our "psychological immune system" lets us feel truly happy even when things don't go as planned.

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Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

Dan Gilbert, author of "Stumbling on Happiness," challenges the idea that we'll be miserable if we don't get what we want. Our "psychological immune system" lets us feel truly happy even when things don't go as planned.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.

About the speaker

Psychologist; happiness expert

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Harvard psychologist Dan Gilbert says our beliefs about what will make us happy are often wrong -- a premise he supports with intriguing research, and explains in his accessible and unexpectedly funny book, Stumbling on Happiness.

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Stumbling on Happiness

Dan Gilbert | Vintage (2007)

Dan Gilbert - *Stumbling on Happiness*

Since the Talk: Why this was the most important talk of my life

Ten years later, Dan Gilbert marvels at the impact of TED, shares some suggestions of useful further reading — and owns up to some mistakes.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.