We overestimate the impact of certain events on our future happiness from "summary" of Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
One of the most common mistakes we make when thinking about our future happiness is overestimating the impact that certain events will have on it. We believe that achieving certain goals or acquiring certain possessions will bring us lasting joy and contentment. However, research has shown that the happiness we derive from such events is often short-lived. This tendency to overestimate the impact of certain events on our future happiness can be attributed to a phenomenon known as affective forecasting. Affective forecasting refers to our ability to predict how we will feel in response to future events. Unfortunately, our predictions are often inaccurate, as we tend to focus on the positive aspects of the event and underestimate our ability to adapt to changes in our circumstances. One reason for this discrepancy between our predictions and our actual experiences is our tendency to focus on the wrong factors when making decisions about our future happiness. We often prioritize material posses...
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