Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment

Name: Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment
ISBN: 9787508637426

泰勒·本-沙哈尔CITIC Press2013

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Word count: 290K words
Chapters: 24
ISBN: 9787508637426

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Summary

The How of Happiness originates from the positive psychology course taught by Tal Ben-Shahar, who holds a master's degree in psychology and a doctorate in philosophy and organizational behavior from Harvard University. The course was once voted one of the most popular at Harvard, and Ben-Shahar himself has been called "the most popular Harvard instructor." This book is an accessible introduction to that happiness course, seeking to answer one question: What exactly is happiness, and can we become happier through deliberate practice? The book is divided into three parts. Part One, "What Is Happiness," begins with "Questions About Happiness" and uses Four Hamburger Models to represent four life patterns—the "Rat Racer" who sacrifices the present solely for the future, the "Hedonist" who lives only for immediate pleasure, the "Nihilist" who is disillusioned with everything and takes no action, and the "Happiness" type who enjoys the present while oriented toward meaning. It then discusses the meaning of happiness, the relationship between money and happiness, and how to set self-concordant goals. Part Two, "Happiness Everywhere," applies these methods to three everyday domains—learning, work, and intimate relationships: enhancing engagement in learning and work through flow experiences, finding one's calling and positioning through the MPS (Meaning, Pleasure, Strengths) model, and cultivating intimate relationships through unconditional love and core values. Part Three, using the metaphor "Happiness Is Like a Flower," presents habits and attitudes for long-term practice, moving from kindness and benevolence, happiness boosters, the depth of happiness, inner strength, and spiritual wisdom to equanimity and the principle of happiness above all. The author's core argument is that happiness is not the endpoint of fame and wealth but rather the process of honoring life's core values, finding one's true calling, and fully engaging in life; happiness can be acquired through learning and practice and is a process that requires continuous pursuit.

Editor's review

市面上讲“幸福”的书很多，多数停留在励志口号，这本书的可贵之处在于它来自一门真实开过的课。沙哈尔在哈佛讲授积极心理学，课程一度成为校园里最受欢迎的课程之一，本书正是那门课的文字版：先讲清楚人为什么不幸福，再给出可操作的方法。四种汉堡模型是全书的入口——忙碌奔波型、享乐主义型、虚无主义型、感悟幸福型，读者很容易在其中认出自己和身边的人，理解“我明明很努力却不快乐”的症结在哪里。更难得的是，作者把幸福从抽象概念拉回到具体场景：如何在学习中获得心流，如何用MPS模式（意义、快乐、优势）找到适合自己的工作，如何在亲密关系中守住核心价值、给予无条件的爱。第三篇以花为喻，把仁爱、习惯、品味、接纳、从容等品质一一对应为土壤、肥料、根、阳光，读来轻巧，落到日常却是长期功课。全书语言平实，案例多来自作者自己的经历与课堂，没有心理学基础也能顺畅读完。对处在选择焦虑、职业倦怠或关系困惑中的人来说，它提供的不是速效安慰，而是一套可以反复练习的思考方式。

Who it's for

A good fit for

对积极心理学与“哈佛幸福课”感兴趣的入门读者，希望系统了解幸福研究的基本框架
长期处于忙碌奔波状态、总觉得“等达成目标就会幸福”的职场人
正在做专业、职业或人生方向选择，需要梳理价值与使命的学生和年轻从业者
希望改善亲密关系与亲子沟通、练习无条件之爱的读者
准备开设心理健康、幸福主题班会或读书会的教师与带领者

Not a good fit for

期待具体诊断与治疗方案的心理疾病患者，本书是通俗读物，不能替代专业诊疗
想要严格学术文献综述或实验数据细节的研究者，本书偏通俗表达
偏好强叙事、故事性阅读的读者，本书结构更接近课程讲义与练习手册

Reading tips

先读第一篇建立框架，重点抓住“四种汉堡模型”，对照自己当下的人生模式再往下读
准备一支笔，每章末尾的提问与练习不必一次做完，可每周挑一到两项落实到生活里
读到学习、工作、亲密关系三章时，结合自己一个真实困惑做笔记，读完后回顾变化
若读过沙哈尔后来的《幸福的方法：韧性成长版》，可把本书当作基础篇，两本对读理解SPIRE模型
不必追求一次读完，全书更适合当作案头手册，每隔一段时间重读相应章节

About the publisher

CITIC Press China · Founded in 1988

Founded in 1988 and affiliated with China CITIC Group, CITIC Press focuses on business and economics, social sciences, literature and children's books, with common categories covering social sciences, finance, literature, Eastern philosophy and literary appreciation. Its library holds 91 titles, including Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens trilogy, Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty-First Century, Wu Xiaobo's Thirty Years of Strife: Chinese Enterprises 1978–2008, Nelly Sachs's The Weight of Butterflies: Selected Poems of Nelly Sachs, as well as New Interpretations of the Analects and Chiang Hsun's lectures on Dream of the Red Chamber. Its authors and translators include Lin Junhong, Ba Shusong, Chen Li and Chang Fen-ling. Overall, the press introduces influential works in finance and social sciences while balancing classic translation and local appreciation in literature and Eastern philosophy, combining academic depth with accessible reading.

Foreword
To Chinese Readers
Part One: What Is Happiness?
Chapter 1: The Question of Happiness—Confusion About Happiness; From Happiness to Becoming Happier
Chapter 2: The Four Hamburger Models of Life—The Rat Racer; The Hedonist; The Nihilist; The Happiness Type
Chapter 3: The Meaning of Happiness—What Happiness Is; Idealism and Realism; The Need for Meaning and Pleasure; True Happiness
Chapter 4: Happiness as Life's Ultimate Wealth—Everything for Happiness; Money and Happiness; The Happiness Depression
Chapter 5: Setting Goals for Happiness—Goals and Success; Goals and Happiness; Goals Are Meaningful; Self-Concordant Goals
Part Two: Happiness Everywhere
Chapter 6: The Way to Happy Learning—Flow Experiences; Weightlessness in Life; Happiness Is Equal for Everyone; Work Makes You Happier
Chapter 7: The Way to Happy Work—Passion as the Drive for Happiness; Finding a Calling; Listening to the Voice of Happiness
Chapter 8: Cultivating Happy Intimate Relationships—Unconditional Love; Core Values; Building a Happiness Circle; Loving with Heart
Part Three: Happiness Is Like a Flower
Chapter 9: The Soil of Happiness—Benevolence: Helping Others and Helping Yourself
Chapter 10: The Fertilizer of Happiness—Happiness Boosters: Cultivating Good Habits
Chapter 11: The Roots of Happiness—Depth of Happiness: Savoring Life
Chapter 12: The Sunlight of Happiness—Inner Strength: Fully Accepting Yourself
Chapter 13: The Growth of Happiness—Wisdom of the Mind: Asking Yourself Questions
Chapter 14: Enjoying the Flower of Happiness—Composure: Simplicity Is Happiness
Chapter 15: The Principle of Happiness First—Building a Happy Society
Conclusion: The Present Moment, a Happy Moment
Acknowledgments
Afterword One
Afterword Two

FAQ

这本书和哈佛“幸福课”是什么关系？

作者泰勒·本-沙哈尔在哈佛开设积极心理学课程，该课程曾被评为最受欢迎的课程之一。本书即这门课思想的通俗读本，把课堂内容整理为可供普通读者自学与实践的框架。

“四种汉堡模型”具体指什么？

用四种汉堡比喻四种人生模式：牺牲当下快乐、只顾未来目标的“忙碌奔波型”；只求即时享乐、不顾后果的“享乐主义型”；对当下和未来都失望的“虚无主义型”；以及既享受当下又指向长远意义的“感悟幸福型”。

书中的MPS模式是什么意思？

MPS分别指意义（Meaning）、快乐（Pleasure）和优势（Strengths）。作者建议在这三者的交集处寻找自己的使命与职业定位，从而让工作本身成为幸福来源，而不只是换取报酬的手段。

这本书适合作为礼物送给朋友吗？

适合。全书基调温和、结构清晰，没有心理学门槛，尤其适合送给正处在职业迷茫、升学压力或情绪低谷中的朋友，作为一本可以慢慢读、慢慢练的书。

不同版本内容有差别吗？

本书中文版有多个版本与后续修订本，如“韧性成长版”引入SPIRE幸福模型，结构与侧重点不同。本条目对应的是较早的《幸福的方法：哈佛大学最受欢迎的幸福课》中文版，购买时请留意ISBN与版次。

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About the author

泰勒·本-沙哈尔 Author

Taylor Ben-Shahar is an author known primarily for writing in the inspirational and personal-growth genre. Publicly available information about him is limited, and his nationality, education, and life experience are not clearly documented. The library holds one work by him, titled The Efficient Method. Judging from the title and its category, the book focuses on personal efficiency and self-improvement and is aimed at general readers who wish to improve how they work and enhance their capacity for growth. The author's style tends to center on methods and practice rather than on recounting personal experience, so readers' understanding of him comes mainly from the work itself. Overall, Taylor Ben-Shahar is an author with few works and relatively limited information in the Chinese-language book market; his writing is concentrated in the fields of inspiration and personal growth and is suitable for readers interested in this subject.