Why We’re So Bad at Predicting Happiness

Are we able to predict happiness for ourselves?

Why do we do the same things and expect different results? Turns out humans are bad at predicting happiness for themselves. Here’s how to break that. Start your journey to financial independence by getting rid of any credit card debt with the free, 7-Step Credit Card Debt Slasher.

Why predicting happiness is so hard

Have you ever put off a workout until tomorrow? Or had ‘one more drink’ at the bar? Or bought a big-ticket item you were sure would make you feel fabulous—only to feel worse the next day?

The truth is, we are terrible at predicting what will make us happy.

So, what do we do about it? How do we break the cycle of poor decision-making to live healthier, happier lives?

Dr. Randy Paterson is the author of How to Be Miserable: 40 Strategies You Already Use. A psychologist with 30 years in practice, Dr. Paterson specializes in life transition, anxiety, stress management and depression.

On this episode of Queer Money, Dr. Paterson joins us to explain why we’re so bad at doing what’s good for us and share his before-during-after exercise for making better decisions in your daily life. Dr. Paterson discusses how long it takes to change neural pathways if you’ve had a habit for decades and describes why we tend to stop appreciating something as soon as we buy it.

Listen in to understand why it’s psychologically healthier to come out and learn how to stop making yourself miserable and start making different choices—starting today!

Listen to our discussion with Dr. Paterson on predicting happiness

Topics Covered

Why we’re prone to depression despite living in safe, comfortable and abundant times
Why we’re so bad at doing what’s good for us and gravitate to things that make us miserable
Why the queer community is more susceptible to advertising
Our tendency to stop appreciating something after we buy it
What to do if you’re dissatisfied with your decision-making around what will make you happy
Dr. Paterson’s before-during-after feelings exercise for making better decisions
How long it takes to change neural pathways if you’ve had a habit for decades
Why it’s helpful to replace a bad habit with a good one
The best way to build a strong social network within the queer community
Why it’s psychologically healthier to come out about your sexuality and your money
How to identify the ways you’re making yourself miserable and make different choices

Watch this week’s episode

Previous 3 Podcast Episodes

Resources

Connect with Dr. Paterson

Dr. Paterson’s Website

Connect with David and John

We’re David and John Auten-Schneider, the Debt Free Guys (www.debtfreeguys.com) and hosts of the Queer Money® podcast. We help queer people (and allies) live fabulously not fabulously broke by helping them 1) pay off credit card debt, 2) become part- or full-time entrepreneurs and 3) save and invest for retirement.