Arthur C. Brooks believes we are living through an age of emptiness—a time when more people feel distracted, disconnected, and unsure of what will actually make their lives meaningful. In his latest book, The Meaning of Your Life, the Harvard professor and New York Times bestselling author examines why so many of the things we chase in pursuit of happiness can leave us feeling unsatisfied once we get them. 

In this episode, Emma Grede sits down with Brooks to unpack what is driving our unhappiness and what science actually says about building a meaningful life. Brooks reveals the two questions he gives his Harvard students to diagnose whether they’re experiencing a meaning crisis, why our brains struggle in a world of constant comfort, and how to use social media without letting it drain you. 

You’ll learn:

• Why achievement rarely satisfies us for as long as we expect
• What money can—and cannot—do for your happiness
• The five-year exercise that reveals whether your priorities match how you spend your time
• What to do in the first and last hour of the day to protect your attention 
• The step most people skip that makes new practices stick
• How to pursue a big goal without becoming emotionally attached to the outcome
• The simple ritual to shift your baseline happiness by 15 percent in 12 weeks