Kerry Patterson: Income Happier
on Monday, December 19, 2022Meaning of Kerry Patterson Money Quote: saying substantial additional income seems guaranteed to make us happier than just taking a walk every day. Kerry Patterson said:
“Most research subjects strongly believe that another $30,000 a year in income would make them much happier. And they feel equally strongly that adding a 30-minute walk to their daily routine would be of trivial import. And yet Dr. Gilbert’s research suggests that the added income is far less likely to produce an increase in happiness than the addition of a regular walk” — Kerry Patterson
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In this quote, Kerry Patterson is summarizing research by Dr. Gilbert suggesting that small lifestyle changes may have a greater impact on happiness than material increases in income.
Specifically, the quote notes that while research subjects feel $30,000 more annual income would significantly increase their happiness, they see little value in adding a daily 30-minute walk.
However, according to Dr. Gilbert’s findings cited by Patterson, the regular walking is much more likely to actually boost happiness than the additional income.
The best interpretation is that Patterson believes the research shows non-monetary activities and habits may paradoxically do more for our well-being and life satisfaction than purely financial gains alone.