Test: Is your life happy or interesting?
The culmination of my four-year obsession with happiness research is that I think people need to choose between an interesting life or happy life. (Note: This does not mean you are interesting or not interesting. I am talking about what values guide your decision making.) I think the things that make life happy have to do with complacency, and the things that make life interesting have to do with lack of complacency. If you want to read more about this, search on my sidebar “happiness” and “interesting” and you’ll get a bazillion posts because I’ve been obsessed with the topic.
I have discovered that I would rather be interesting than happy. The good news is that even though I'm punting on the quest for happiness, I do have a good sense of how to know if you should be seeking happiness yourself, or if your quest for interesting makes happiness a lost cause.
Here's the test:
1. Did you relocate away from family for a better job or another more interesting experience? Minus one
You would have to earn $150,000 more from a job if you were doing it far away from family, according to economist Nattavudh Powdthavee of University of York.
2. Did you relocate to be near family? Plus one
Happiness does not come from a job, or from being revered by your peers. It comes from personal relationships.
3. Are you nationally recognized as being great at doing something or do you have nationally-recognized expert knowledge in something? Or are you reorganizing your life in order to achieve this end? Minus one
Interesting people raise the bar on themselves. They are singularly focused because they recognize that in order to be great, you need to be focused. They will sacrifice other things in life for this obsession.
4. Were you a happy child? Plus one
Sixty percent of our ability to be happy is predetermined by our genes.
5. Do your friends pray? Plus one
People who pray are happier than people who do not pray, probably because having faith is fundamentally optimistic. (You can be any religion, and pray for anything.) Happiness is contagious, and we are more likely to be happy if our friends are happy.
6. Do you need your kids to go to a school that is recognized as excellent in national rankings? Minus one.
People who need the best of everything — maximizers — are not happy people.
7. Do you have fat friends? Plus one
Fat people are not generally maximizers. And if your friends are not maximizers than you probably aren't either.
8. Do you have an opinion on Picasso? Minus one
People who focus on interesting are quicker to form opinions on subjective topics.
9. Do you have three friends who are a Jew, a Muslim and a born-again Christian? Minus one
Diversity is interesting, but in small groups (like friends) it does not make for happiness, according to Frans Johansson, author of The Medici Effect.
10. Are you a Republican? Plus one
Republicans are happier than democrats. This dichotomy is based a lot on personality. Republicans tend to have personality traits that are uncomfortable with change, whereas people who lean democrat tend to have personality traits of change agents, according to personality research from Xyte.
11. Do you think Christmas is a national holiday? Plus one
Christmas is not a national holiday, because the US is not a Christian country. But regardless of what’s true, homogenous thinking breeds happiness. It's why countries like Sweden and Finland are so happy. They are homogenous.
12. Have you been to a therapist? Minus one
Peopel who are interesting but not happy have a point where they need to make sure they are okay. Also, they are interested in finding out about themselves even if they are fine. The ratio of therapists to citizens is lowest in populations that skew to maximizers (like New York City and San Francisco).
13. Do you know the difference between $70 eyebrows and $20 eyebrows? Minus one
It doesn’t matter if you spend that much for eyebrows. But if you know why people who must have good eyebrows cannot take chances, and why most people have terrible eyebrows, then you took the time to find out enough about eyebrows to know what is best and how yours could be better.
14. Can you tell the difference between real diamonds and fake diamonds. Plus one
Trick question. A maximizer will have tried to learn to figure it out and will have learned that even experts can't without a special tool.
15. Have you tried on a pair of $200 jeans? Minus one
If you are not interested in seeing what they look like on you, you probably just want to be happy with how you are. People who are interested in new experiences are less likely to be happy, according to Psychology Today.
16. Do you think this test is BS? Plus one
People with interesting lives do not get offended that they cannot be happy. Happy people are offended that they cannot have interesting lives.
Scoring:
-8 to -3 You have a desire for interestingness over happiness
3 to 8 You have a desire for happiness over interestingness.
-2 to 2 You are suspiciously well balanced. Or lacking a self-identity. I’m not sure which.
I scored a 4 and really enjoyed the idea behind this test. Even though I may have not agreed with some of the questions and if it has a relative role on happiness or not, I still find the concept very interesting.
This questionnaire is so interesting and enjoy it so much. My math is so weak. I need a calculator to solve my score :)
This is how it works; have you seen the movie Armageddon? It has Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thorton and Steve Buscemi in it. It's about NASA sending a group of oil well drillers into outer space to drill a hole in an asteroid on a collision course with earth. It is one of favorite movies and I highly recommend it. If you sit through the entire movie saying to yourself "that could never happen" or "That is impossible" it is really difficult to enjoy the movie. Even worse what if someone sits right behind you and says that stuff out loud all during the movie. You know what they are saying is true but you have suspended your disbelief. You will most likely get angry and either move or say something. You get the same reaction when your tell your friend that his MLM is a joke.
Interesting that Republicans are happier than Democrats. I believe that the other side of that coin is this:
Independents are less happy than either of the above, because they think for themselves (rather than follow the Party Line), and thus are more aware of what a mess our country is in.
Interesting – I scored a 1. Well balanced? Lacking an identify – definitely not.
Interesting test but I have to say I don’t think I agree with all the questions and “assumptions.”
Is happiness ever really attained ? We only realise we were happy when we are sad.
I agree with Kelly drunk people are happier than sober ones!
BUT
Sober people are in their right minds therefore always do the right thing!
Thank you for your interesting articles they are a blast to read!
Hmm…something is wrong. This test is not for everyone. First two questions confused me. >_<. I moved closer to my family and I got a high-paying job. Now, it's driving me nuts because I missed the life I left behind. I'm not after cash and I'm lonely with my family. X_x
I am not happy. I have realized of that, but I think that it is very important to live with it as a natural thing. Also I am very funny and that helps me to have some little happy moments. I live in andalucia, spain, that is very sunny and that helps too. You have to live as you can. As I know that I am not going to play tennis like Rafa Nadal ever, I know that I am not happy.
It’s hard to answer the question until you define interesting. Interesting can be a lot of things, ranging from the mundane to the most defeating of statistical norms. It all depends on who is judging. Even a very simple life can be considered interesting if it at least captures a sense of onceness.
In my case, I have done many interesting things, from traveling the world to working a great career. But for some reason, the more “interesting life was” the more depressing it became, as I accomplished the most when I moved away from everyone that I knew and loved. In this way, interesting has taken on a whole different meaning. The more interesting life became, the less happy I was.
In the long run what matters is that life was meaningful and worth while. That’s where happiness lies.
In ten years, it wont matter what car you drove. It won’t matter if you wore that $200 pair of jeans. All that will matter is what you learned and how you used it.
Happiness is definitely worth striving for and so is contentment.
Awesome post and a lot to think about. An interesting life is definitely subjective, but something most people only dream about or watch on tv.
Haha, too funny and in some instances very true. I also think it can go both ways, but I loved the one about having fat friends. Also the one about eyebrows…I have a lot of friends who have done laser hair removal because of spending somewhere between the 20-70 every week or every other week…males included.
I pray, and I guess I “am” optimistic too. What’s the use of praying if you don’t think there will be a good/favorable outcome? ;-)
Laser hair removal? No thanks. Sometimes I don’t want those suckers, but I’m afraid I might miss them someday. I know. Getting a little off-topic here, but just had to stand in defense of hair.
This is a pretty interesting test, but I’m sure it tells the exact difference between interesting or happy life. The question no 6 is a bit controversial to me because I think that those people who are “maximizers” put themselves a lot higher goals and when they achieve them they feel extremely happy because these aims are unreachable for most people – and that also makes the life of “maximizers” a lot more interesting. So I think it would be best to have both of them in my life.
Penelope,
You are spot on again. Every successful person I’ve met is more a miserable bastard. There is nothing fun about getting ahead in life because it requires so much hard work.
Trying to move up the social ladder is what drives progress in the world. If we were driven by a quest for happiness, we’d all still be living in caves.
The happiest I’ve ever been was when I was working as a bartender in a chain restaurant. The work was mindlessly easy and social and I met a ton of women. I would do this for the rest of my life but I’m way too concerned with how society values people with menial jobs.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not meant to be happy and I’m much more productive because of it. Despite having a generous paycheck and easy lifestyle, I’m still envious of people who have it better. I’m reaching for an ideal that is unattainable but this drive has secured a better life for my children.
Interesting post :) To me, Simplicity is happiness and being able to live well is an happiness and to live in a interesting or dull life is really up to the individual.
I’d rather be happy than be interesting. You may lose people’s interest but real happiness within you may last as long as you have that positive attitude with you.
Question #1 is something I wish I had the guts to do… relocating for a more interesting experience. I suppose a lot of people are in that position.
Has anyone read Barbara Ehrenreich’s Smile or Die? Because all this happiness stuff is looking a little passe after reading her interview with Seligman.
Her work may even suggest that you do not have to choose between this happy/interesting dichotomy… and that there is something insidious and disturbing about the whole happiness setup.
I read the book in an afternoon. I have a very different perspective on the whole genre of positive psychology.
This post is really interesting, though I’m a bit skeptical
A small +1 for me, seems I have to build up my personality! From now on I’ll try to be ultra demanding for my children’s education and make a couple of jewish and muslim friends. Fat if possible!
Just kidding ;) But that was a funny test to do.
I think you can be happy and interesting, it’s just a case getting a nice balance between your values, dreams, aspirations and outlook on life. The danger is a lot of people get stuck in comfortable ruts which can be draining.
Okay, I give up: why *do* most people “have terrible eyebrows”? Are eyebrows like wine, where refined aesthetes who spend a lot on theirs invent imaginary characteristics to justify their spending?
“The ratio of therapists to citizens is lowest in populations that skew to maximizers (like New York City and San Francisco).”
You mean highest?
Hilarious! I feel so much happier about my lack of happiness now!
People actually pay $70 to have their eyebrows done? Wow! “I am suspiciously well balanced. Or lacking a self-identity. I’m not sure which.” Yea me. Happiness is a choice.
That’s hilarious. I believe it is because I have an interesting life that I am happy. Otherwise, I think I’d just be bored and unhappy.
Hit the nail on the head. This test is not BS, just before I got that question I was thinking how interesting this test was. lol. With regards to questions 1 and 2, I moved away from all my family and friends in California to be with a girl. I thought I needed nothing else, no other personal relationship could compare. She benefited me so much. She broke up with me a month ago, and have the feelings as if it happened yesterday. Now, I’m stuck, going to school, away from all the ones I care about in California, and have nobody here that cares for me. I have started going to church again, I have made “friends that pray,” but never again will I undermine the importance of personal relationships. Not just small talk in daily interactions, but the building of genuine relationships. I tell you, being away away from all that back home, the hyper-individualism our culture has adopted has readily been seen. It is so unhealthy. If love is the only thing that can save this world, I think one should aim less in being interesting/different; It’s going to take the power of groups, community action with sound leadership, cooperation of ideas, individualistic, unique thinking for the betterment of the group.
I scored a -2. I am not well balanced I am lost in Kansas, trying figure out where I should go next.
Any advice much appreciated!
I like to think I’m happy AND interesting. Am I not happy to be thinking that?
Actually Christmas is a national/federal holiday. It is a legal public holiday.
http://www.opm.gov/Operating_Status_Schedules/fedhol/2010.asp
You should add that non-religious people are less happy. That is also a large factor in happiness and has been researched for years and years.
Have a Merry Christmas!! :P
I am a “0” which is a very hard thing to admit.
11. Do you think Christmas is a national holiday *in the States*? (is this yet another website that thinks electrons have trouble with US borders?)
I have a interesting life or we can also call it a happy life, in most cases are your life what you make it to.
If a person have tried to have it hard in a period most after appreciating life more than before, a good example is the elite troops, they have it hard in a period without much sleep and food and hard workout also, most elite soldiers after end service are satisfied with there life, they know what they can and what they not can, and nothing in their life is so hard as they have been through, so they are happy if the sun shines and if they just get some food without having to look for it in hours.
Welcome everyone
I would like to add a small comment
Life, whether happy or unhappy, the man is committed to live on each event
And satisfaction and jealousy can not we identify ourselves as much as it is of God can not be changed
I wish that was my point of view has been reached
Best regards and traffic
Are you a praying Republican with lots of obese pals?
What a f—–g bizarre article! Who thinks of this?!
I guess I’m balanced? Well I’m hoping I’m balanced and not lacking in self identity. Leaning towards interesting I think, but I’m hoping to prove you wrong and have both an interesting and a happy life.
“Interesting.” Unfortunately this theory sounds to me like it’s from an unhappy person trying to make themselves feel better because they are “interesting.” This comment is just from a “happy” person who assumes she also has interesting pursuits. I hope we are all more complex than this.
I think this test is BS. I have a strong self-identity and I am NOT well-balanced. Just ask my friends. My test results provide further proof that the test is BS.
This is almost the stupidest blog post you have ever put on here. I do find many of your posts interesting.
This one was stupid.
Beneath all your sunshine, positive outlook and supposedly good advice is a scary core of racism, xenophobia and political. Somebody should report you for inciting hatred.
I meant “political bias”.
HA! do I think the test is BS? That’s cute. But seriously, I just wanted to add that, although it’s hard to tell if this is “proven” or not there is a scientist that claims that nice speech actually makes water happy. He has one group of people say nice things to the water, then another group say not-so-nice things. And then he freezes the water. The nice water ends up with beautiful crystals and the not nice water freezes without much order to it. His name is
Masaru Emoto.
I feel that your guide is skewed towards people with money or people who want to have money or a power career. While money can open up so many opportunities and opportunities for interestingness, I think as far as young people especially are concerned, people who backpack across Europe or join the Peace Corp, or who have active hobbies which eat up their extra money and also their energy and often have jobs that pay little that they don’t love, or who are ‘starving artists’, are considered more interesting by many.
13 years in the secret service sounds appealing, and one life of depression for the choices made turn your world upside down….all very interesting, but now let’s all go to bed and sleep peacefully sweet dreams
Hey Penelope Trunk! You were quoted in this article.
http://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/is-too-much-ambition-making-you-miserable.html