Brian JohnsonChairman & Philosopher in Residence at Heroic

The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky (Heroic Wisdom Daily)

17 Dec 2025 · 1 min

Episode

17 Dec 2025 · 1 min

0:00

A short Heroic Wisdom Daily podcast episode (Brian Johnson) summarizing Sonja Lyubomirsky's The How of Happiness. The episode highlights a central claim—"40% of your happiness is determined by intentional activity"—and lists three practical actions to increase well-being: practice gratitude (write down three things), strengthen relationships (reach out to someone), and savor the present (enjoy simple moments). The episode closes with a prompt to pick one intentional action and a sign-off.

Questions this episode answers

40% ("40% of your happiness is determined by intentional activity")

February 2, 2025

Chapters

Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another Heroic Wisdom Daily. Today's wisdom is from the how of Happiness by Sonia Lyubomirski. Sonia teaches us, And I quote, 40% of your happiness is determined by intentional activity what you think and do each day. This means that small intentional actions can make a big difference in your well being. Now here's how to cultivate happiness today. Number one, practice gratitude. Sonia says gratitude is one of the simplest and most effective ways to boost your happiness. Write down three things you're grateful for. Number two, strengthen your relationship. She tells us relationships are the most consistent predictor of happiness. So reach out to someone you care about today. And number three, savor the moment. Happiness comes from appreciating the present. So take a moment to fully enjoy something simple. A meal, a conversation or a quiet moment. What's one intentional action you can take today to boost your happiness? Let's get on that. Make today heroic. See you tomorrow.