Stop Chasing Happiness: A Pessimist's Guide to a Good Life

by Frank Martela, Christopher Weeks (Narrator)

The secret to happiness? Stop trying to find it—it's not all it's cracked up to be.

Finding happiness is less about learning new tricks and more about unlearning ways of thinking holding you Stop chasing happiness, stop obsessing over what others think, stop caring too much about how you feel, stop making sacrifices for personal success.

Here, academic and philosopher Frank Martela unpacks why we value happiness, and why chasing it is actually making you miserable. He reveals the secrets to Finland's continued top rankings in the global happiness reports by showing that, actually, living with purpose and contentment is much more beneficial than striving to be happy.

Building on Frank's personal encounters with people from all walks of life during travels around Finland and abroad, this book blends personal stories and quirky anecdotes with the latest scientific research and ancient traditions to deliver a strong message about how you should approach what you should stop doing and what you should start doing instead, to find an enduring sense of contentment and an energizing sense of purpose for your own life.

Audible Audio

Published April 10, 2025

About the author

Frank Martela, PhD, is a philosopher and researcher of psychology specializing in the question of meaning in life. His articles have appeared in Scientific American Mind and Salon and his work has been featured on Quartz and on the BBC. He has spoken to more than one hundred audiences worldwide, with invited lectures in universities on four continents, including Stanford University and Harvard University. He's been interviewed by the New York Times, Fitness, Vice News, and Monocle Observer among others. He is based at Aalto University in Helsinki.

Frank is a cross-disciplinary researcher with PhDs in both philosophy (University of Helsinki) and organizational research (Aalto University). His research has been published in numerous academic journals within psychology (Journal of Personality, Journal of Positive Psychology, Journal of Happiness Studies, Review of General Psychology), philosophy (Metaphilosophy, Southern Journal of Philosophy), and organizational research (Organization Studies, Journal of Organization Design).

Despite sounding like an academic geek, Frank is a father to three lovely children (currently 8, 5, and 3 years old), an amateur-level soccer player, and generally quite a decent guy to hang out with, who is able to communicate his message with a gusto and without academic jargon.

Reviews

[Eleanor Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect book for anyone looking to find themselves and a sense of purpose, without the repetitive fluff of Mel Robbins or the blunt delivery of Mark Manson.

This feels more like you got chatting to a charismatic professor at a bus stop and instead of just passing the time you accidentally learn about Finnish culture and receive a small gift of enlightenment.