The concept “too much of a good thing’ applies to happiness, too. Very large scale studies of mortality show that excessive pessimism and excessive optimism are both associated with higher risks to health and well-being. Part of the problem is that unmoderated pursuit of happiness is itself a source of stress.
The evidence from positive psychology does not support chasing after happiness for its own sake – it’s too close to hedonism. A much healthier approach is to focus on contentment – appreciation of good experiences and an acceptance of others. Susan David, a professor at Harvard and my co-author of Beyond Goals argues powerfully for balance between positive and negative feelings. Negative feelings have far more potential to support personal growth and learning. It’s analogous to building muscles: as microscopic tears in the tissue repair themselves, the muscle grows stronger.
Although the term “work-life balance” has its problems, the central concept of balance is fundamental for well-being. Just as someone, who obsesses about making money, may risk missing out on deeper and more powerful pleasures of life, so someone, who thinks too much about being happy is in danger of losing the plot. Work-life balance becomes meaningful when it encompasses a much wider landscape of who we are and how we want to influence and be influenced by the world around us.
©️David Clutterbuck, 2025