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• Sep 20, 2007 10:06 pm US/Eastern
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  Key To Happiness Might Be Surprising To Some

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Key To Happiness Might Be Surprising To Some

BOSTON (WBZ) ― While many people may think they know what it would take to make them truly happy, a Harvard researcher says most of the time people get it wrong.

Many people say winning the lottery, buying a big house in the suburbs and having children are the things that happiness is made of.

But Harvard professor Dan Gilbert said for many, that may not be true.

"We have a society full of Dear Abby's that tell us what our sources of happiness is," Gilbert said. "The problem is some of them are wrong."

Let's start with money.

"A lot of people say that 'money isn't everything, but I'd be happy. I would,'" Gilbert said.

Gilbert said having more money can change people's lives but it doesn't necessarily make them happier.

"It's a real surprise to most of us who think that winning the lottery will solve all our problems and it does," he said. "It solves five problems and gives us five new ones."

Then there's the dream house. Many feel the need to move far from their jobs so they can afford that big house.

Professor Gilbert said the problem is people get accustomed to the new house, and it doesn't bring them much happiness day in and day out.

What they don't get used to is the commute, which can be a daily source of frustration and stress.

Finally, the kids.

Gilbert said in general, children are a tremendous source of happiness, but it comes at a price.

"Children are a little bit like heroin," he said. "Heroin makes you very happy but it also erases all of your other sources of happiness. You're no longer interested in food, or sex, or money, or theater."

So what will make you happy?

"Spend more time and money on social relationships," Gilbert said. "They are the primary source of human happiness."

Gilbert also said to invest in experiences rather than things. For example, he said the memories from a great vacation will last forever, but a flat screen will eventually be replaced and forgotten.

Gilbert said education and religion are also strong predictors of happiness. But he added that it's more about the community and the opportunity they provide than the degrees or the actual faith.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)